Easy Homemade Pasta Dough

Truth be told there are a million versions of a fresh egg pasta dough you can make, this is just the method I have settled on. I know it so well the process has become so comforting and familiar. My biggest piece of advice is don't rush it, try to enjoy the steps and think of it as a little kitchen meditation. You can check out my guide on where to start for homemade pasta if you haven't tried this before. Flour and water doughs are much easier, shapes like gnocchi sardi are a breeze for beginners.

What you will need to make the best pasta dough

Flour - I use a combination of '00' flour and semola rimacinata, which is a very finely milled semolina. To explain it quickly '00' is a soft, elastic flour and the semola is made from a durum wheat so it is 'harder'. That means it has more structure and bite. Using the two together works perfectly and you can use different ratios depending on what you are making. The only time I would use '00' on it's own is if I am making a silky handkerchief pasta or a papardelle but even then I personally quite like the bite a little semola can bring.

Eggs - I learnt early on in my pasta making journey when reading Evan Funke's cookbook that weighing your eggs is the best method. Eggs vary in size so much so by weighing them you reduce any risk of a dough that is either too wet or too dry. I put a bowl on my scales then crack the eggs in until I get the weight I need.

How to make homemade pasta dough

• Mix the flours together in a bowl then tip it out onto your bench. Create a well in the centre of the flour mound with the bottom of a bowl.
• Tip the eggs into the well and start to whisk them with a fork. Break up the yolks and gradually incorporating the flour from around the sides into the middle.
• Keep doing this until the mixture in the middle is thick enough that it won’t escape or run out – a scrambled egg consistency!

• I like to then go in with a bench scraper and start to fold it all together, cutting the egg mixture into the flour like you are cutting butter into flour when making pastry. You are trying to evenly incorporate the eggs and flour to create a loose shaggy dough as pictured.
• When you have an even, shaggy mixture, bring it all together into a mound with your hands.
• Knead the mixture vigorously for a few minutes until it comes together into a workable ball. I wash my hands at this stage to get rid of any dried pieces that are stuck. If it feels dry then run your hands under water and continue kneading.
• When it has a dimpled texture, wrap it in clingfilm and rest for ten minutes.

• After 10 minutes continue kneading for a 3 - 4 minutes until you have a nice smooth dough ball
• Wrap tightly in cling film and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour or up to three.

Why the double rest?

A tip I also learnt from Evan Funke! It really is a game changer and does a lot of the work for you just by sitting untouched! When you are bringing a pasta dough together you are hydrating the flour with the eggs. It needs time to do this so by resting it for that first 10 minutes you are giving it a chance to do so. You'll be quite surprised how different the dough feels after that first rest. It means you won't have to knead it for as long as you would normally.

The best pasta dough

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5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Emilie Pullar
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 people

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Description

A fool proof pasta dough method that will have you creating pasta magic in your kitchen in no time!

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Ingredients

350g '00' flour

50g semola rimacinata flour 

228g eggs

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Instructions

1. Mix the flours together in a bowl then tip it out onto your bench. Create a well in the centre of the flour mound, I use the bottom of a bowl to do this so it is nice and firm.
2. Tip the eggs into the well and start to whisk them with a fork, breaking up the yolks and gradually incorporating the flour from around the sides into the middle.
3. Keep doing this until the mixture in the middle is thick enough that it won’t escape or run out – a scrambled egg consistency!
4. Go in with a bench scraper and start to fold it all together, cutting the egg mixture into the flour in an up and down motion. You are just trying to get a really evenly incorporated shaggy mixture.
5. Bring it all together into a mound with your hands. Knead the mixture for a few minutes until it comes together into a workable ball. It will – don’t fear! If it feels dry you can wet your hands and keep kneading.
6. When it comes together and has a slightly dimpled surface wrap it in cling film and rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes knead for a further 3 - 4  minutes until you have a nice smooth dough ball. The double rest is key!
7. Wrap tightly and rest for at least 30 mins but I prefer an hour or up to three.

Rolling

1. Work with a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the rest tightly wrapped as you work.
2. Flatten the quarter out with your hand or a rolling pin, dust with flour and roll through the widest setting, then the next.
3. Fold the piece in half and roll back through the widest then the next. I repeat this process a few times. By working the dough you are creating smoother and silkier sheets.
4. Roll through the remaining settings twice each until it is your desired thinness, dusting with flour in between if it feels sticky.

Notes

• You can use 400g '00' flour if you wish
• If the dough feels dry at any stage, wet your hands with water and knead

• Prep Time: 1 hour