Making homemade pasta is so delicious and easy once you get the hang of it. You only need a few ingredients and it is a great weekend activity when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen.
We love the Wiltshire Pasta Machine which is easy to use and creates delicious pasta sheets every time.
Ingredients
280g ‘OO’ flour
120g fine semolina flour (or ‘00’ flour if you don’t have semolina flour)
4 large eggs
1 egg yolk (or 1 tablespoon olive oil)
Pinch fine salt
Extra flour for dusting
Method
Step 1. Place flours and salt on a clean, sturdy work surface and make a large well in the middle with your hands. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk (or olive oil) together in a medium bowl until combined, then pour the mixture into the well.
Step 2. Using a fork, whisk the eggs, slowly incorporating more and more flour into the eggs by moving your fork along the edges of the well. Once almost all the flour is incorporated, start bringing the dough together with your hands. The dough should be pliable, but not sticky – add more flour if the dough is sticking too much to your hands or the surface. Alternatively, if it is too dry, whisk an extra egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and use your hands to sprinkle some of the mixture over the dough, continuing to do so until the dough is easier to knead.
Step 3. Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 4. Unwrap the dough and cut into 8 equal pieces so that it is easier to work with. Take 1 piece and wrap the rest in the plastic wrap to avoid them drying out.
Step 5. To roll the pasta dough, take one portion of dough and use the palm of your hands to flatten it into a rectangle. Roll the dough portion through a pasta machine, starting at the lowest setting. Dust again with flour and repeat on the same setting.
Step 6. Fold in the shorter sides of the dough to meet in the centre to form a smaller rectangle and feed through the machine again. Repeat this process 5-6 times or until smooth.
Step 7. Once smooth, start to reduce the width between the rollers and roll the dough through once per setting. Repeat the process, reducing the setting each time until the dough is 1-1.5mm thick or your desired thickness is achieved. Repeat same process with the remaining portions of dough. Sprinkle generously with flour to prevent sticking while you are doing the remaining dough.
Step 8. To make spaghetti, fettuccine or tagliatelle, feed the pasta sheets through the cutting roller attachment to cut the pasta to your desired shape. Toss in a small amount of extra flour to prevent sticking.
Step 9. To cook fresh pasta, gently add it to a large pot of salted boiling water. Spaghetti and fettuccini pasta times vary but will take approximately 3-4 minutes until cooked to al dente.
Pasta Tips
Have your pasta sauce ready to serve before cooking pasta.
To Dry Pasta
Depending on the humidity, the finished pasta can be left to dry on a rack/ tea towel for at least 48 hours, or dry in the oven at approx. 35°C for approx. 24 hours. Leave the oven slightly open. Properly dried pasta can be stored in airtight containers for 3 months (regardless of whether the dough is made with or without egg). To avoid mould, the containers should always be completely free from moisture.
How to make your pasta using a stand mixer
Prefer to use a stand mixer? Attach the Flat Beater and add ingredients into the mixer bowl. Turn to speed 2 and mix until dough is combined. If you find the dough to be too sticky or too dry, simply add more flour or egg yolk following the steps above. Remove Flat Beater and attach Dough Hook, mix 3-4 minutes on speed 1, or until dough indents when touched. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then follow steps above to make the pasta sheets.
Making homemade pasta is so delicious and easy once you get the hang of it. You only need a few ingredients and it is a great weekend activity when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen.
We love the Wiltshire Pasta Machine which is easy to use and creates delicious pasta sheets every time.
Ingredients
Method
Step 1. Place flours and salt on a clean, sturdy work surface and make a large well in the middle with your hands. Whisk the eggs, egg yolk (or olive oil) together in a medium bowl until combined, then pour the mixture into the well.
Step 2. Using a fork, whisk the eggs, slowly incorporating more and more flour into the eggs by moving your fork along the edges of the well. Once almost all the flour is incorporated, start bringing the dough together with your hands. The dough should be pliable, but not sticky – add more flour if the dough is sticking too much to your hands or the surface. Alternatively, if it is too dry, whisk an extra egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and use your hands to sprinkle some of the mixture over the dough, continuing to do so until the dough is easier to knead.
Step 3. Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 4. Unwrap the dough and cut into 8 equal pieces so that it is easier to work with. Take 1 piece and wrap the rest in the plastic wrap to avoid them drying out.
Step 5. To roll the pasta dough, take one portion of dough and use the palm of your hands to flatten it into a rectangle. Roll the dough portion through a pasta machine, starting at the lowest setting. Dust again with flour and repeat on the same setting.
Step 6. Fold in the shorter sides of the dough to meet in the centre to form a smaller rectangle and feed through the machine again. Repeat this process 5-6 times or until smooth.
Step 7. Once smooth, start to reduce the width between the rollers and roll the dough through once per setting. Repeat the process, reducing the setting each time until the dough is 1-1.5mm thick or your desired thickness is achieved. Repeat same process with the remaining portions of dough. Sprinkle generously with flour to prevent sticking while you are doing the remaining dough.
Step 8. To make spaghetti, fettuccine or tagliatelle, feed the pasta sheets through the cutting roller attachment to cut the pasta to your desired shape. Toss in a small amount of extra flour to prevent sticking.
Step 9. To cook fresh pasta, gently add it to a large pot of salted boiling water. Spaghetti and fettuccini pasta times vary but will take approximately 3-4 minutes until cooked to al dente.
Pasta Tips
Have your pasta sauce ready to serve before cooking pasta.
To Dry Pasta
Depending on the humidity, the finished pasta can be left to dry on a rack/ tea towel for at least 48 hours, or dry in the oven at approx. 35°C for approx. 24 hours. Leave the oven slightly open. Properly dried pasta can be stored in airtight containers for 3 months (regardless of whether the dough is made with or without egg). To avoid mould, the containers should always be completely free from moisture.
How to make your pasta using a stand mixer
Prefer to use a stand mixer? Attach the Flat Beater and add ingredients into the mixer bowl. Turn to speed 2 and mix until dough is combined. If you find the dough to be too sticky or too dry, simply add more flour or egg yolk following the steps above. Remove Flat Beater and attach Dough Hook, mix 3-4 minutes on speed 1, or until dough indents when touched. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then follow steps above to make the pasta sheets.
Want more? Click here for Spaghetti with Slow Cooked Octopus and Gremolata or here for Broccoli, Walnut and Chilli Spaghetti Recipe.
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