Handmade Pasta from Scratch — Easier Than You Think
Three ingredients, no machine required. Once you make fresh pasta, you'll never go back to the box.
Fresh pasta is one of those things that seems intimidating but is actually just flour, eggs, and a little elbow grease. I teach this in every cooking class and people are always shocked at how simple it is.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- • 2 cups (250g) 00 flour (or all-purpose in a pinch)
- • 3 large eggs
- • 1 tbsp olive oil
- • Pinch of salt
- • Semolina flour for dusting
Instructions
- 1
Mound the flour on a clean surface. Make a wide well in the center — think volcano crater, not pothole. Crack eggs into the well, add oil and salt.
- 2
Using a fork, beat the eggs gently, then start pulling flour from the inner walls of the well into the eggs. Work slowly — if the well breaks and eggs run everywhere, just scoop them back.
- 3
Once it's too thick for the fork, switch to your hands. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it's smooth and springs back when you poke it. If it's sticky, add flour. If it's dry and cracking, wet your hands.
- 4
Wrap in plastic and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier. Don't skip this.
- 5
Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep the rest wrapped), flatten it with your palm, then roll it out with a rolling pin. Aim for the thickness of a dime — you should almost see your hand through it.
- 6
For fettuccine: Dust the sheet with semolina, roll it up loosely, then slice into 1/4-inch ribbons. Unravel and toss with more semolina so they don't stick.
- 7
Cook in heavily salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Fresh pasta cooks fast — taste it. When it's tender but still has a slight chew, it's done.
The water should taste like the ocean. Under-salted pasta water is the most common mistake in Italian cooking. And ALWAYS save a cup of pasta water before draining — it's liquid gold for building sauces.
Simple Sauce: Cacio e Pepe
Toss your hot pasta with 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano, lots of freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/2 cup of that starchy pasta water. Toss vigorously — the starch and cheese emulsify into a creamy sauce with no cream at all. Three ingredients. Life-changing.
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