Homemade pasta
A simple homemade pasta recipe that shows you how to make pasta from scratch using an easy fresh pasta dough. Perfect for weeknight dinner ideas, upgrading spaghetti bolognaise, and bringing Italian restaurant comfort to your own kitchen.
Print
Pin
Share Recipe
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 1 pasta drying rack or a clothes airer will do!!
Ingredients
- 300 Grams 00 flour
- 3 Eggs
- 20 Grams Fine semolina
Instructions
- Tip the flour onto a clean work surface and make a wide well in the centre
- Crack 3 eggs into the well. Use a fork to gently whisk the eggs.
- Slowly pull flour in from the edges and continue to combine with a fork
- When the mixture becomes too thick to combine with a fork, switch to your hands and start bringing it together into a shaggy dough
- Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Use the palm of one hand to push the dough away from you and use your other hand to turn the dough 90 degrees.
- When the dough is smooth, shape into a rough ball, wrap tightly with cling film and rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. You can rest at this stage up to 24 hours. Resting helps the dough become more smooth and pliable, making it easier to roll out.
- After a minimum of 30 minutes resting time, get it out of the fridge and cut into 4 quarters. Working with one quarter at a time will be much easier. Leave the rest of dough wrapped in cling film or under a damp tea towel so it doesn't dry out.
- Prepare a baking tray lightly dusted with fine semolina ready for the pasta, or if you are going to be cooking the pasta right away you can use a pasta rack, but either is fine. You should allow your pasta to dry for at least 30 minutes before cooking. But if you are making it more than an hour ahead you can wrap the whole tray in cling film to prevent it drying out.
- Flatten your quarter of dough with a rolling pin and guide it though the widest setting of your pasta machine twice (on my machine this is 0). Move to the next widest setting (1) and put it through twice. Now fold the dough from end to end and put it through the machine at its widest setting again. Click to the next widest setting (1) and roll it though again
- Continue to guide the dough through each setting from 0 to 7, put it through twice on each thickness setting. The dough should now be quite long!
- Attach the pasta cutter to the pasta machine. Dust your pasta sheet with fine semolina on each side to prevent sticking and run it through the cutter. (I prefer Tagliatelle)
- Curl the pasta into "nests" and put on the prepared tray and cover with cling film or use a pasta drying rack (if you are cooking in the next 30 minutes).Continue to roll and cut the other three quarters of pasta. Cover the whole tray in cling film, ensuring it is airtight. Leave to dry for at least 30 minutes before cooking. You can leave the pasta for a maximum of 24 hours in the fridge before it will start to deteriorate.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a pinch of salt, cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes or less if you prefer al dente. Drain and add to your favourite sauce.
Notes
- Using 00 flour gives the dough that classic silky Italian feel, but the texture still depends on humidity and egg size. The dough should feel soft and elastic, never sticky. If it clings to your hands, dust lightly with flour; if it feels stiff, wet your fingertips and keep kneading.
- Egg size matters - Three large eggs usually hydrate 300g of flour perfectly, but medium eggs may leave the dough a little dry. Add moisture in tiny amounts only—just a few drops of water at a time.
- Resting is non‑negotiable - The 30‑minute rest lets the gluten relax, which makes rolling easier and prevents the dough from snapping back. Skip the rest and you’ll fight the dough the whole way.
- Cooking fresh pasta - Fresh pasta cooks fast—usually 2–3 minutes. Keep an eye on it and taste early. Overcooking turns it mushy quickly.
- Storing and freezing - Fresh pasta can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze in loose nests on a tray first, then transfer to a bag. Cook straight from frozen.
- Sauce pairing - Fresh pasta shines with simple sauces—tomato, butter and sage, pesto, or a quick bolognaise. Because it absorbs sauce beautifully, keep things light and let the pasta be the star.
- Getting kids involved - Kids love pasta day. Let them help crack the eggs, mix the dough, turn the pasta‑machine handle, or cut fun shapes. It’s messy, but it turns dinner into an activity — and they’re far more excited to eat something they helped make.