When my husband and I registered for our wedding we both agreed that we needed a pasta maker. Did it matter that I’d never made homemade pasta before? – No! Was I nervous that my Italian cooking wouldn’t live up to the dishes that my husband grew up eating? – Yes! But that wasn’t going to stop me. I was determined to be an expert pasta maker…well, pretty much.

I now have in my back pocket a great, basic, multi-use pasta recipe that I’ve used to make ravioli, fettuccine, bucatini, and more. I love using this recipe to experiment with different styles of pasta and, of course, different sauces. Jump to Recipe

This dough seems super impressive and will wow your friends but, seriously, it is painfully simple. Now, I have to admit that pasta making becomes 50 times easier when you have an electric pasta roller (like the Kitchenaid pasta attachment) but this dough can be used with a manual pasta roller or, for those brave enough, be rolled with a good, old-fashioned rolling pin and cut by hand.

For this recipe you’re going to want to use a combination of All Purpose Flour (1 cup) and Semolina Flour (3/4 cup). In my grocery store, semolina flour is located in the aisle with all of the specialty grains. Just do a little bit of aisle surfing and you’ll find this yellow colored flour.

Go ahead and whisk your 2 flours together in a bowl. Some people like to mix their dough right on the counter but I find that a bowl works just as well – and keeps things tidier. Once whisked together, you want to make a well with your flour.

To your well you’re going to add 2 eggs and 1&1/2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Here is my magical tip for cracking eggs – do not crack eggs directly into your dough or batter. You should first crack your eggs into a cup or small bowl to ensure that you’re not dropping any shells into your dough. I also find it helpful to first crack your egg on the counter and then release into your cup or small bowl – doing this helps prevent shell-speckled egg.

Now you’re going to slowly begin whisking your eggs and oil in the flour well. As you work, grab flour from the sides of the well to add it to your mix. Your dough is going to become a crumb-like texture. Once you reach this point you should add 1-2 Tbsp of cool water and start to mix with your hands. As your dough begins to hold together more you should turn it out onto the counter and continue to work and knead with your hands. If you find your dough is too dry or too wet then you should add more water or semolina flour, in small amounts, until the dough forms a ball that doesn’t stick to your hands and bounces back when you press a finger into it.

 

Once you have your ball, pop it into a bowl and cover it with a lid or kitchen towel and allow it to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

Once your dough has rested, it’s time to roll and cut your pasta based on your pasta roller’s instructions. As you roll and cut your pasta you should toss it lightly with semolina flour to prevent sticking.

Cooking homemade pasta takes no time at all. Boil your water and, once it’s at a rolling boil, add salt to flavor your pasta. Another tip – add a few drops of vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil to your boiling water to prevent overflowing once you drop your pasta. For stuffed pastas like ravioli or tortellini the pasta will float to the top of the pot when it’s done cooking. Other pastas like spaghetti or fettuccine will  take around 5-7 minutes to cook. Check your pasta before straining it – just to ensure it’s cooked to your liking. Then toss your pasta with your favorite sauce, top it with some Parmesan cheese (YUM!), and dig in!

Once you make delicious, homemade pasta for your family and friends they’ll definitely say you’re Pretty Much a Chef!

What You Need

• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup Semolina Flour
• 2 eggs
• 1&1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp cool water
• Extra water and semolina flour as needed

The Steps

1. Whisk together the All Purpose and Semolina flour; create a well in the center of the flour.
2. Drop eggs and oil into the center of the well. Whisk egg and oil and slowly grab flour from the sides of the well to combine your ingredients.
3. Add 1-2 Tbsp of water and continue to combine ingredients with your hands.
4. Turn out dough onto a hard surface.
5. Add more Semolina flour or water if needed; to prevent dry or sticky dough.
6. Work and knead dough until it forms a ball that doesn’t stick to your hands and bounces back when pressed on.
7. Allow dough to rest from 30 minutes in a covered bowl.
8. Roll and cut pasta dough according to the instructions on your pasta roller.
9. Cook stuffed pastas until they float and other pastas for 5-7 minutes.

 

 

If you’re interested in the Kitchenaid Pasta Attachment, check out the Kitchenaid website.