Making pasta from scratch at home is not as difficult as it seems. Some recipes only require a handful of ingredients and a little bit of elbow grease. Those making pasta for the first time can start with these simple recipes and then explore different pasta shapes and sauces after getting the hang of the process. Making pasta at home is not only cost-effective but also a lot of fun.
Step-by-step pasta-making guide
Making pasta involves three simple steps: making the pasta dough, shaping it, and then boiling the pasta. The pasta made using these three steps can be used in different recipes later.
Making the pasta dough
The process of making fresh pasta from scratch at home begins with preparing the pasta dough. For the pasta to have the perfect texture and thickness, it is crucial to get the right balance of ingredients and knead the dough properly. For a simple pasta dough, one will need all-purpose flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil—that’s it! With just four ingredients, which are usually always available in the kitchen, it is possible to make fresh pasta dough.
- Start by cleaning the kitchen’s work surface where the dough will be prepared.
- Once cleaned, take a heap of the flour, spread it on the surface to create a small hill, and then dig to form a well or a volcano-like structure.
- Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt to the cavity. Then, with a fork, gently stir the eggs, but make sure not to break the walls of the flour. Once done, gently mix the ingredients with the hands until a dry dough forms.
- Start kneading the dough gently. Continue until the dough becomes smooth. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle a little flour on the work surface and continue kneading.
- Once the dough is prepared, make a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature.
Shaping the pasta
One can explore different pasta shapes based on their preferences. But fettuccine and spaghetti stand out as the easiest options for those looking to make pasta quickly at home without much hassle. Before proceeding to cut the dough into shapes, however, one would first need to slice and flatten it.
- After the dough has rested for at least 30 minutes, unwrap it and slice the ball into smaller pieces.
- Flatten each piece with a rolling pin. If required, use a pasta maker to flatten the dough until it reaches the desired thickness.
- Sprinkle the dough with some flour.
- Using a pasta cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes. A regular kitchen knife can be used to slice the dough into simple shapes like fettuccine. However, for ravioli, it is advisable to shop for manual pasta cutter tools with jagged blades to get the perfect zig-zag edges.
Boiling the pasta
After cutting the dough into desired shapes, the only thing that remains is boiling the pasta.
- Fill a bowl with water, add some salt, and put it to boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, start adding the cut pasta.
- Boil for at least a minute, and the pasta will be ready.
Simple pasta recipes to try
The boiled pasta can be used in different recipes.
Chicken alfredo
A meaty twist to the classic Italian pasta recipe, chicken alfredo is one of the most popular pasta dishes in the country.
- Start by cooking and slicing some boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- Over medium heat, cook some chicken broth with milk and garlic.
- Add salt and pepper for seasoning and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the fettuccine and cook for at least 10 minutes, occasionally tossing the pasta.
- Add some parmesan cheese and cream, and stir until the consistency is thick.
- Remove the pasta from heat, stir the chicken in, and serve.
Baked spaghetti
When it comes to spaghetti dishes, baked spaghetti is among the tastiest.
- First, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet, cook some ground beef until brown, which should take about 10 minutes.
- Add a jar of spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce to the beef, stir it in, and let it simmer on low heat.
- Add the freshly made spaghetti to the beef mixture and mix it properly.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Top the mixture with Cheddar cheese and place the dish in the oven.
- Bake until the cheese is bubbly.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This is one of the simplest pasta dishes that is best enjoyed with spaghetti as the pasta choice.
- Mix olive oil and chopped garlic in a pan.
- Once mixed, place the pan over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes.
- When the oil starts to bubble, turn down the heat. Cook until the garlic turns golden, then remove the pan from heat.
- Add the homemade spaghetti to a bowl and mix it with salt, red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper.
- Pour the hot olive oil from the pan onto the pasta.
- Sprinkle some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, toss the bowl until the ingredients are properly mixed, and serve.
