The only guide you will ever need to make fresh homemade pappardelle. My perfect pasta dough combined with easy step by step instructions for cutting perfect, wide strands. It really is the easiest shape to make if you are new to pasta. It pairs well with hearty sauces or something simple like a tomato sauce. You will be wowing your friends and family with this pappardelle pasta recipe in no time!
Hi! I am writing up this guide for the perfect homemade pappardelle! It is the easiest shape to make for a first time pasta maker. All you need is a batch of my easy homemade pasta dough and a pasta machine and you are good to go! Try it with any of my butter sauces or my best bolognese sauce would be perfection, perfect for the winter months.
Pappardelle is truly the easiest pasta shape to make and like any shape that is hand cut, it isn't supposed to be perfect. If your noodles aren't super even, don't worry you'll never notice when cooked and nestled into a delicious sauce.
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Fresh egg pasta dough
The first step to making the pappardelle is a batch of my easy homemade pasta dough. A standard pasta dough made from flour and fresh eggs. I like to use a combination of '00' (or plain or all purpose is fine) and semola which is a fine semolina flour. It is really all about personal preference if you use both kinds of flours here.
The semola (a durum wheat) is what is known as a 'hard wheat' and will give the pasta a bit of bite to it.This is good if you like your pasta al dente. If you use only '00' the pasta will be a lot softer, try out a few different ratios when you make the dough to see what you prefer. If you only have plain flour, just use that! Whatever you use, the noodles will be delicious!
What you will need to make my easy homemade pasta dough
- Scales - There is absolutely no way you can make pasta without scales. I weigh the flour AND the eggs which ensures a perfect pasta dough every time, no guess work.
- Flour - I use a combination of '00' flour and semola rimacinata, which is a very finely milled semolina. You can just use all '00' though and all purpose flour works fine too. I often leave the semola out as it's not something I always have on hand.
- Room temperature 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. 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 whole eggs in until I get the weight I need.
Expert tips
These beautiful wide ribbons of pappardelle really are one of the most common homemade pasta shapes, and for good reason! It is really simple to make but in saying that it can still be tricky so here are my best tips.
- Work with small pieces of your dough ball at a time. You would have seen pasta chefs rolling out loooooong sheets of pasta but they are so hard to work with! Roll out ¼ or even ⅙th of your dough at a time, keeping the rest tightly wrapped. My homemade pasta recipe has a step by step guide for rolling the sheets.
- Don't make your pappardelle too long either! If you have really long noodles they are hard to cut, work with, cook AND eat. Keeping them 10 - 1 1 inches (28cm) is key!
- Use a LOT of coarse semolina when preparing. You need a really good layer between the folds and then another good dusting when you wrap them into nests. Don't be shy!
- This is a hand cut shape so cut them ANY width you want and don't worry if they aren't perfect. Spoiler alert, they won't be and aren't supposed to be! I actually love cutting them super wide like I have here in my creamy tomato and sausage pasta.
How to cut the pappardelle
Cut a pasta sheet into 10 - 11 inch lengths and let dry slightly (10 mins or so)
Liberally dust the pasta sheet with coarse semolina.
Fold each end in, in roughly 2 inch lots.
Keep folding each end.
Until you fold each end on top of the other.
Cut into any widths you like!
1 inch is probably the normal but cut them wider if you like! You make the rules.
Unfold and pile up on top of each other.
Wrap around your hand to form nests. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper and dust again with semolina.
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Salmon pappardelle
A recipe that would go perfectly is my delicious creamy salmon pasta sauce.
How do you store pappardelle?
If cooking straight away or within 30 minutes
Storing fresh pasta is not always the easiest as it is prone to stick. If you are cooking relatively quickly, within 30 minutes or so then leaving the pasta out on your bench in nests is fine. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap loosely on top.
Longer term storage
The freezer is your friend here. 90% of all the pasta I make ends up in the freezer because it tastes perfect and locks in the freshness. I am not a fan of air drying pasta, I think it makes it brittle and hard to work with. Even if you are making the pasta in the morning to cook that night I would freeze.
- Dust the nests of pappardelle well with coarse semolina.
- Freeze uncovered on a tray until frozen, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the nests to freezer bags or an airtight container.
- Cook from frozen, do not thaw.
You won't be able to tell the pasta has been frozen and you won't run the risk of the pasta sticking and clumping together.
How long do you boil fresh pasta?
- Pappardelle/Fettucine/Spaghetti - long fresh noodle shapes only take 2 - 3 minutes to cook. Cook in a really large pot so they have room to move around.
- Fresh ravioli - Fresh ravioli will take about 5 minutes to cook through depending how thin it is rolled. Check one at 5 mins to see if it needs longer.
Recipe FAQs
You definitely can but it is pretty difficult to get them even and thin enough. A pasta machine is so much easier.
The great thing about homemade pasta is you make the rules! You can cut them 1 inch or even 2 to make a really wide and dramatic noodle!
The cooking time depends on the thickness of your pasta. Check it after 2 minutes, it shouldn't need much longer than that.
I think pappardelle is such a versatile shape. It's divine in a rich meat sauce like a bolognese or equally amazing in a simple fresh basil pesto. Even a simple butter sauce with fresh herbs will be perfect.
I generally roll to setting 6 on my Marcato pasta machine or 7 on my Kitchen Aid pasta attachment.
What sauces are best?
The thing that I love so much about homemade pappardelle pasta is how versatile it is! It really will go with any sauce you like. You could create a rich sauce such as my white pork ragu, best bolognese or beef cheek ragu.
If you wanted a vegetarian option try my easy roast tomato pasta sauce or a classic 10 minute brown butter for pasta. One of my all time favorite pasta recipes is my creamy tomato pasta sauce pictured below. Whatever you choose make sure you cover it with lashings of freshly grated parmesan cheese!
Used this guide and loved it?
I would love it so much if you could leave a review down below! Also please tag me or send me a photo on instagram it seriously makes my day seeing your creations! Feel free to get in touch any time to ask me questions, I love chatting pasta with you!
Recipe
Easy Homemade Pappardelle Pasta Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 x batch of my easy homemade pasta dough
Instructions
- I have a really handy guide on the recipe for my easy homemade pasta dough for rolling the pasta sheets.
- Check out the photos above for cutting the finished strands.
- Roll out a pasta sheet and try to get it as wide as the roller so you get nice even wide sheets. The thickness you roll to depends on your personal preference. I mainly roll to setting 7 on my Kitchen Aid, this is the second to thinnest. I roll to 6 on my Marcato, do whatever feels right to you.
- Cut into 10-11 inch (25 - 28cm) lengths and sprinkle evenly with coarse semolina.
- Fold each end in to meet in the middle (definitely check out photos above!).
- Cut into whatever widths you like, there is no rule! You could do 1 - 2 inches (3cm-4cm) wide.
- Unfold them and lay them on top of each other. There should be a good layer of semolina on the underside of each one to stop them sticking.
- Lay them out on a tray flat or you can wrap them round your hand in a nest.
- They won't take long to cook, check one after 2 mins.
Notes
- Make sure you read all my notes and look at the photos above!
Rym Elassal says
I love this recipe and the dough recipe. I’m making pasta for 50 people and I’m not an expert but made a lot of pasta in the last two years and this recipe (the dough one in particular) made it so much easier! I love following you and can’t wait to try other recipes from your blog!
Sherry @threechicas @floureggwater says
This has become my standard for pappardelle. It’s just works!!!
Manuela says
Your easy going and easy making recipes made me come back to pasta making. Cheers!
Emilie Pullar says
So glad to hear! Thank you 🙂
Renata says
This is so good I tried few other recipes and have used 1 egg per 100 grams, these measurements are really good and better that 1 egg per 100 grams.
Love to make homemade pasta, so much better than dry one
Emilie Pullar says
So glad you had success with the recipe!! Thank you so much 🙂
Liz says
This is one of my favorite shapes to make and to eat, and they turned out so perfectly. The photos of how to fold the sheets were so helpful, too, and made it so much easier than cutting the full length of the pasta sheet which helped me keep the width more consistent.
Grace Raffai says
I’ve made a lot of different pastas and this one is hands down flawless. Not too dry. Not too wet. Gorgeous. Don’t be sccccrd. Make it!!
Emilie Pullar says
Yay thanks so much Grace! So glad you've had success with it 🙂