How To Easily Make Pasta Dough

Whether you're talking tagliatelle, ravioli, pappardelle, or tortellini, fresh pasta is just better. Certain brands of dry pasta can be very good, but the fresh stuff is different. It has a deeper flavor, softer mouthfeel, and a richer color when made with eggs.

Although making pasta from scratch might sound intimidating, it's probably not as hard as you think. True, recognizing proper dough hydration and elasticity comes with time, but even the most experienced pasta makers started somewhere. By following the method and tips we've outlined below, you can jump right in and start making a batch of homemade egg pasta dough right away.

This same dough is used to make a variety of types of fresh pasta. When you've got the basic method down, you can jazz it up by adding ingredients to achieve different colors, textures, and tastes. You might even wind up saving a little money by making pasta at home. Regardless, you can't put a price tag on the satisfaction of crafting something with your hands and enjoying the delicious results.

The tools for making pasta dough are minimal. You'll just need a mixing bowl and a fork, as well as a clear work surface like a table or a countertop. Of course, you can get fancier with tools if you start making pasta dough regularly. For example, a wooden pasta board and a metal scraper can make things easier and neater, and some chefs use a humidifier in the kitchen to keep pasta perfectly moist, but that's not necessary for this method.

As for ingredients, you'll only need large eggs, salt and 00 flour (pronounced zero zero). The latter is considered the best flour for impressive homemade pasta because it's finely textured, easy to stretch, and creates a tender final product. Water is an optional ingredient that's only used if the dough seems too dry. 

The traditional Italian recipe calls for 100 grams of 00 flour for every 55-57 grams of egg, which roughly translates to one large egg in the U.S. For a four-person serving, use 300 grams of flour and 3 large eggs. We strongly suggest weighing your flour and eggs in grams on a food scale for the best results. If you can't, 300 grams of flour is 10.5 ounces, or roughly 2⅓ cups (as long as the flour is measured correctly in the measuring cup).

If you're following the four-person recipe mentioned above, you'll need to add one generous pinch of salt to the flour. Place both ingredients in a mixing bowl and give them a good stir with a fork. 

We're using a bowl to make the first steps easier and neater, but the traditional method is to create a nest of flour on the work surface with a cavity scooped out in the center for holding the eggs. This is also called the volcano method for homemade pasta dough. You can try that later if desired, but we'll stick with a bowl for now.

Once you've created a well in the middle of your flour and salt mixture, crack the eggs into the center of the bowl. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork and them mix them into the flour. As you mix, the dough will gradually start to come together and become firmer.

Once it starts becoming difficult to use the fork, continue mixing with your hands. Start lightly kneading and pressing the dough together until it stays combined in a rough ball.

Sprinkle a light dusting of flour on your work surface and place the dough on the surface. Start kneading dough with your hands. You can do this by pushing the center of the dough forward with the heel of your hand, then folding the dough in half and rotating it before pushing it again. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.

While kneading, you'll need to keep an eye on the dough's moisture level (or lack thereof). The goal is to eventually knead it easily without it crumbling or sticking to your hands. If the dough crumbles, wet your hands with a little water and knead it a little more. If it sticks, add a tablespoon of flour and keep going. If it's still too dry or too wet after a minute of kneading, repeat the process, but be very conservative with your water or flour additions.

Stop kneading when the ball of dough is smooth and elastic. You can test to see if you're done by pressing it with your fingertip. If it springs back to its original shape, it's ready.

When you're finished kneading the dough, cover it in plastic wrap or a slightly damp towel and let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate it if you won't work with it within a couple of hours.

This is a step you can't skip when making homemade pasta dough. Letting it rest is important because it allows the dough to develop additional moisture. It also helps the gluten bonds to relax so the dough won't shrink when you try to roll it out.

Depending on your schedule, you can start shaping the dough as soon as 30 minutes of resting time have elapsed. If you need a little more time, the wrapped dough can safely sit out on the counter for two hours before it must be refrigerated. 

If you're working in advance, you can also make the dough 1-2 days beforehand and refrigerate it until you're ready to use it. Keep the dough wrapped during that time because it dries out quickly. Again, use plastic wrap or cover it in a damp towel and place it in a closed container or under an upturned bowl. Just make sure to bring it to room temperature before shaping it — letting it sit out on the counter for about an hour should do the trick.

This basic egg pasta dough can be used to make a wide variety of pasta shapes. For example, a pasta machine can be used to roll out long, thin strips of dough for filled pasta like ravioli, agnolotti, and tortellini. Sheets can then be cut into strips using the same machine to make tagliatelle or pappardelle. Short shapes liked orecchiette and cavatelli don't need to be run through a machine or rolled out at all. Just roll pieces of dough back and forth under your palms until you form long snake-like shapes. Cut them into small pieces and form each piece into the appropriate shape manually.

If you don't have a pasta machine or prefer to make things by hand, use a rolling pin to manually roll out the dough before cutting and shaping it. You can make any kind of pasta that can be made in the machine this way. It's not necessarily any harder, since dough must be rolled through a machine several times to gradually increase the thinness. One of the main benefits to hand rolling pasta dough is creating a rougher texture that makes it easier for your noodles to absorb sauce.

If you're weighing your pasta portions, keep in mind that you'll measure out double the weight of fresh pasta than you would with dry pasta, as the moisture makes it much heavier. Finally, you'll save time cooking fresh pasta (with the exception of baked dishes like lasagna, of course). Fresh pasta generally cooks within 2 to 5 minutes.