Curious about homemade pasta? This step-by-step recipe guide & video will teach you how to make fresh homemade pasta dough with just two ingredients: flour and eggs. It’s an all purpose dough; use it to make homemade lasagna noodles, ravioli, pappardelle pasta and so much more! Best part? It costs under $3 to make!
Fresh homemade pasta: Too hard? Too time consuming? Most people would assume so, just like making sourdough bread. But if you love fresh pasta, and haven’t tried making it yourself, the art and craft will absolutely captivate you. This was my pandemic activity.
My beginner’s guide and video will outline the process step-by-step. You do not need any special skills to get started. With just two ingredients (flour and eggs), you’ll learn how to make fresh homemade pasta from start to finish in approximately 1 hour.
And then, just think of the possibilities: pappardelle pasta with Ragù Bolognese; homemade ravioli with Sicilian-style tomato sauce; even springy fettuccini with golden butter and sage pasta sauce. Once you master the process, it’s fun to explore different pasta dough variations too, like this mesmerizing fresh spinach pasta dough (the emerald green color is stunning).
Finally, did you know homemade pasta is surprisingly inexpensive to make? Coming in at under $3 for the dough (which feeds 4 ppl, at least) it’s the ultimate simple luxury anyone can enjoy!
First, A Few Tips:
- Make space. You’ll need a long, clutter-free surface to roll the dough. The kitchen table is ideal.
- Weigh your ingredients (including the eggs). This will ensure the pasta dough texture is correct, which is soft and pliable. If your eggs are too small the dough will be dry and crumbly.
- Freeze it. Pasta noodles can be made ahead and frozen up to 1 month. No need to defrost before cooking.
You Will Need
Pasta Ingredients
- 300 g Tipo “00” Flour: this fine milled, soft wheat Italian flour creates light and tender pasta with just the right bite. Tipo 00 is the best flour for pasta making. Try Molino Grassi or Caputo. Substitute with King Arthur all purpose flour for similar results.
- 3 Eggs + 1 yolk: this combination adds moisture, color and flavor to the dough. Size matters. I use US large eggs about 55-58 g each.
Pasta Equipment (choose one)
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (w/ pasta attachments): If you already have one, the stand mixer can be used from start to finish. Mix and knead the dough in the bowl; use the pasta roller & cutter set to make pasta. Very convenient.
- Pasta Machine: This product rolls and cuts the dough with great results. However, because it’s not electric you’ll have to crank out the dough yourself.
TIP: On a Budget? The Kitchen Aid pasta roller attachment can be purchased separately (without the pasta cutters) for a fraction of the price. Cut the pasta by hand with a large knife.
Making Homemade Pasta: Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
It’s best to imagine the overall process broken down into 3 main steps:
But before you begin, and this is super important: clear away all junk, bills, cords to nowhere etc. You’ll need a long, clutter-free work surface to spread out (kitchen table or kitchen island). Once that’s sorted, you’re ready to make pasta- the right way.
How to Make Homemade Pasta Dough
- The traditional way, by hand: mound the flour onto a board (or bowl). Make a well in the center; crack in the eggs. With a fork, beat the eggs together and then gradually incorporate the flour. Finish by hand to form a rough dough. If bits of flour remain (be patient, it’s a dry dough), add a few drops of water or olive oil to moisten the texture.
- Cover the dough and rest for 10 minutes. This step is not mentioned in most pasta recipes but it’s key. The dough will be easier to knead by hand.
- Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. Do this by pushing the dough forward with the heel of your hand (watch the video). The texture will be very stiff at first- it’s not bread dough! But rest assured, by the 2 minute mark it will start to soften. The goal is a soft, malleable dough with a talcum powder-like finish. When you poke it, the dough should bounce back.
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap tightly, and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
TIP: Need a Hand? Mixing and kneading can easily be done in a food processor (15-30 seconds) or stand mixer instead (8 minutes). Refer to the recipe at the end of this post for specific instructions.
Roll Dough Into Sheets
- Set up your station. Dust your work surface, a sheet pan, and the pasta machine with semolina flour.
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten one into a thin 6-8-inch oval disc (re-wrap the remaining pieces so they don’t dry out).
- Send the disc through the roller on the lowest/widest setting. This is “#1” on the Kitchen Aid attachment displayed above. Now, send it through again. Tip: if using a pasta machine, refer to their specific instructions for rolling the dough. The settings are different, but the rolling process is the same.
- Continue to roll the dough through settings #2-4 (2x on each setting) for fettuccini, pappardelle and tagliatelle. For ravioli, the dough needs to be thinner- go up to #5. The higher the number, the thinner the dough will become. That’s the goal. The pasta sheet is ready when it’s slightly translucent and you can see your hand underneath.
- When finished, fold the pasta sheet in half, place onto a tray and cover.
- Repeat the rolling process for the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
TIP: Why Semolina Flour? Although pasta dough is typically dry, at times it will feel tacky and sticky in some spots, especially if the weather is warm and humid. Dust your pasta sheet with semolina flour, as needed, in between roller settings. It absorbs less moisture than regular flour. Rice flour works too. My surface is always covered in a blanket of semolina to easily coat both sides of the sheets while I work.
Cut Sheets Into Pasta
- Before cutting: I like to semi-dry the pasta sheets ever so slightly. This gives the cut pasta strands a more firm and “leathery” finish, rather than a soft and doughy feel (this helps to prevent the strands from sticking together later on).
- To semi-dry: Drape the pasta sheets over the back of a chair or on a rod for about 5-15 minutes. Keep your eye on the time; you don’t want the sheets to dry out completely. Touch them occasionally. You will feel the difference in texture as time goes by.
- To cut: Take a pasta sheet and cut in half. Send it through the cutter attachment. I used the fettuccini shape above.
- Dust the pasta noodles liberally with semolina flour to prevent sticking- don’t skimp here. Coil the pasta around your hand to create a nest or arrange the strands loosely on a tray.
- Repeat the cutting process for the remaining pasta sheets.
TIP: How to Cut Pasta By Hand. Take a pasta sheet, fold it in half, and then fold it over a few times, loosely. Cut across into ribbons of your desired width.
How to Store Fresh Homemade Pasta
Cover well floured pasta on a tray with plastic wrap. Alternatively, transfer pasta to an airtight container. Leave at room temperature if cooking within 1-2 hours or refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 12 hrs. It’s best to cook homemade pasta on the same day it’s made, otherwise it might oxidize, discolor and stick together if chilled past 24 hrs.
How to Freeze Fresh Homemade Pasta
Allow the pasta to air-dry, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes before transferring to the freezer. This helps to prevent sticking. Portion into ziptop bags and freeze, up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, no need to defrost first.
How to Cook Fresh Homemade Pasta
Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling water. Make sure to generously salt it first. I don’t give exact amounts for the salt- it all depends on the sauce you’re pairing the pasta with. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your pasta, anywhere from 2-7 minutes. Always taste it. The texture should be al dente (soft but with a bite). When finished, use tongs to transfer the pasta to its final destination: the sauce.
Best Sauce for Fresh Homemade Pasta
- Ragù Bolognese Sauce
- Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil)
- Quick Sicilian-Style Tomato Sauce
- Easy Golden Butter & Sage Pasta Sauce
- Authentic Pomodoro Sauce (Fresh or Canned)
- Quick Homemade Sausage Ragù
- Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)
- Easy Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
More Homemade Pasta Dough Recipes to Try!
- Beginner’s Guide to Fresh Homemade Ravioli
- Beginner’s Guide to Fresh Homemade Lasagna Noodles
- Beginner’s Guide to Fresh Homemade Gnocchi
- How to Make Perfect Pappardelle Pasta
- Fresh Spinach Pasta Dough
Watch The Video:
Beginner’s Guide to Fresh Homemade Pasta Dough
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Homemade Pasta
- Method: Handcrafted
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
With just 2 ingredients- flour and eggs- and 15 minutes initial hands on time, use fresh pasta dough to make fettuccini, pappardelle, ravioli and more.
For timing, the process is broken up into 3 parts: making the dough, rolling the dough into pasta sheets, and cutting the pasta into noodles. Tips shared below for using a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, food processor and doing it by hand.
Ingredients
- 300 g Tipo 00 Flour (I recommend Molino Grassi or Caputo)
- 3 large eggs (see note below)
- 1 large egg yolk
- Semolina flour, for dusting (rice flour can be used)
*Note: the total combined weight for the eggs & yolk (cracked) should be 185 g. Because eggs size will vary, make up the difference, if needed, with an extra egg yolk or olive oil. Olive oil makes the dough more soft, supple and satisfying to work with.
Pasta Equipment (choose one)
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (w/ pasta attachments)
- Pasta Machine
Tips:
- Make space. You’ll need a long, clutter-free work surface to handle the dough. The kitchen table or kitchen island is perfect.
- Weigh your ingredients. This will ensure the correct texture of the dough. If your eggs are too small, the dough will be dry and crumbly.
- Wrap it up. Pasta dough can dry out quickly. Keep it covered with wrap or a kitchen towel.
Instructions
Step #1: Make The Dough
The Traditional Way (by hand):
- Add the flour to a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add the eggs and yolk.
- Whisk together with a fork, and then combine with the flour. When the texture becomes stiff, finish by hand to form a rough dough. If dry bits of flour remain after a few minutes of mixing (be patient, it’s a dry dough) add a few drops of water or olive oil to bring the dough together.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover with an upturned bowl or with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes- it will be easier to knead.
- Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. Do this by folding the dough over itself, pushing it forward with the heel of your hand, turning slightly as you go. I literally rock the dough back and forth (watch the video). The texture will be very stiff at first- it’s not bread dough. But rest assured, by the 2 minute mark it will start to soften. Keep kneading until the dough is soft, malleable and has a talcum-like finish. It should “bounce back” slowly when poked.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Stand Mixer Instructions:
Fit the machine with the dough hook. Add the flour and eggs to the bowl. Mix until combined. Knead on speed #1 or #2, about 4-5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Food Processor Instructions:
Add the flour and eggs to the bowl. Pulse several times until the dough comes together. Remove the dough to your work surface and let rest for 1 minute. If the dough is a bit sticky after resting, add a sprinkle of flour. Knead by hand for 1-2 minutes (the food processor does most of the kneading for you). Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step #2: Roll The Dough Into Pasta Sheets
Set up your station: Dust your work surface with semolina flour. Dust a sheet pan with semolina flour (your pasta sheets will land here). Fit the stand mixer with the roller attachment. Grab a kitchen towel. You’re ready to roll.
- On your work surface, cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough into a 6-8inch oval patty. Keep the remaining doughs covered in wrap otherwise they will dry out.
- Set the pasta roller to #1 which is the lowest/widest setting on the Kitchen Aid. With the machine running, send the dough through the roller. Now, send it through again (so, 2x total). Note: if you are using a hand crank pasta machine, refer to the manufacture’s specific instructions for rolling the dough- the settings might differ but the process is the same.
- Continue to roll the dough through settings #2-4, (2x) on each setting. Do not pull on the sheet as it comes through the roller; just guide it along gently. If at any point the dough becomes sticky, dust with semolina flour. I keep my work surface dusted with semolina at all times. This way I can coat both sides of my pasta sheet easily and quickly while I work.
- Your pasta sheet is ready when it’s beautifully thin and somewhat translucent (you should be able to see your hand underneath). Don’t worry if the ends are not perfectly straight; you can always trim them with a knife.
- To finish, dust the pasta sheet generously with semolina, fold it in half, and place onto your floured sheet pan. Cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat the rolling process for the remaining 3 doughs.
Step #3: Cut The Pasta
- Before cutting, I like to dry my pasta sheets ever so slightly. This firms up the final texture giving the strands a more “leathery” finish, rather than a soft and doughy feel (this will prevent the pasta from sticking together later on).
- To Dry: drape the pasta sheets over the back of a chair for about 10-15 minutes or so. Keep your eye on the time; you don’t want the sheets to dry out completely. You will be able to feel the difference.
- To Cut: take a pasta sheet and cut it in half. Trim the ends, if you like. Run the sheet through your desired pasta cutter attachment to create strands. Alternatively, cut the dough by hand.
To Store: Heavily dust the pasta strands with flour. Coil around your hand or arrange loosely on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and hold at room temperature if cooking within 1-2 hours. Alternatively, store in the fridge for up to 12 hrs. checking occasionally, to make sure the strands are not sticking. Note: Pasta left in the fridge past 24 hrs might oxidize, discolor and/or stick together.
To Freeze: Allow the pasta to air-dry, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes before freezing. The helps to prevent sticking. Portion into ziptop bags, remove the air, and freeze, up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, no need to defrost first.
Keywords: homemade pasta dough, fresh pasta, fresh pasta recipe, pasta noodles, homemade pasta, Kitchen Aid stand mixer, food processor, semolina flour, Tipo 00 flour, all purpose flour, large eggs, semolina flour, Italian cuisine
Comments
Janice says
I made ravioli for the first time a couple of weeks ago, using your recipe for pasta dough. Enjoyed the process tremendously, and my meat-filled ravioli was a huge success, encouraging me to try ravioli again, this time with a 4-cheese filling. Thank you so much for a great pasta dough recipe, and for inspiring me to finally try making ravioli. One question, if I may: I found the dough to be a little “tacky” (for example, when I removed a 1/4 piece of dough from the plastic wrap, the dough pulls and sticks to the wrap). However, by sprinkling semolina before each pass thru the pasta roller, my dough is lovely. I guess that’s all that really counts, right? But… should it be that tacky to begin with? The dough in your video seems firmer.
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Emilie Raffa says
Hi Janice! This is so great to hear. I’ve been experimenting with fresh ravioli at home. I’d love to hear about your fillings… what do you put in them? Yum!
To answer your question: tacky pasta dough is very normal (and sprinkling semolina flour on top to prevent sticking is the correct remedy). The main reason is temperature. For example, in the warmer months the pasta dough will be more doughy and tacky due to humidity. In winter, it will be more dry. Bottom line? Expect the texture to change according to season. Additional factors including flour type and/or if you weighed vs. measured your ingredients also come into play too. Make notes of any changes and adjust as you go. PS: in my video, the dough was more stiff because I was filming in winter! It was freezing.
Janice says
Thank you for shedding some light with respect to dough consistency. Much appreciate your rapid response to my question. As for my ravioli fillings, the meat one contained ground beef and hot Italian Sausage (3:1), as well as spinach, Parmesan, garlic, bread crumbs, parsley, olive oil, and egg. The 4-cheese one contained well-drained cottage cheese (since I couldn’t find lactose-free Ricotta), Parmesan, Fontina, and mozzarella, as well as roasted garlic, egg, and basil. Both served with a homemade marinara sauce. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful recipes…I have so many more I wish to try in the very near future.
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Emilie Raffa says
This sounds incredible. I’ve been using roasted garlic in my fillings too. I love the soft, sweet caramelized taste with the sharp blend of cheeses. Yum. Thanks for sharing, Janice.
Todd says
I slightly altered by freeze drying some broccoli and then powdering it in the Vitamix. Then added 1 cup of powdered dry broccoli and compensated for the extra dry ingredient with a splash of water here and there. Came out very good but a little too soft, maybe I over boiled them (8-10 mins) or maybe just the added water, but either way excellent recipe, thanks worked great.
p.s.
Next time going to try with freeze dried powdered cauliflower.
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Emilie Raffa says
Very smart. Excellent idea. I like the idea of cauliflower too! Out of curiosity, what sauce did you pair with the broccoli pasta? I was thinking about it, and the broccoli pasta might’ve cooked up soft because some of the flour (gluten/structure) was replaced. Not a big deal. I would just boil for less time if you make it again. PS: I have a fresh spinach pasta dough if you’re interested (linked here).
Todd says
Just a plain ole over the counter Hunts garlic flavor and a can of “sliced mushrooms” -or at a glance what I thought were sliced mushrooms that actually turned out to be cream of mushroom that I usually put on top of Jasmine rice-.
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Emilie Raffa says
Haha! Sounds great!
Allane says
Hi! We tried this making spaghetti and loved it. Any tips or suggestions when using this recipe for lasagna noodles?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Allane! I can’t believe you mentioned lasagna… this is on my list to finish testing ;) Here’s what I know: to adapt this master pasta recipe for lasagna, the key step is to roll the dough thinner to create lasagna sheets. I recommend setting #5 or #6 on the Kitchen aid (the settings will be different if using another pasta machine, just check the manufacturer’s instructions). The sheets need to be thin because they will soak up a good deal of sauce when the lasagna bakes. In fact, I recommend par boiling the sheets before assembling the lasagna (blanch for a few minutes in boiling salted water; transfer to kitchen dowels to dry.) This step gives the sheets a head start on absorption instead of soaking up the sauce.
Allane says
Thank you Emilie- I’ll give it a try! And I’ll keep an eye out for more lasagna information from you, hopefully coming soon :)
Emilie Raffa says
Hello! That sounds wonderful. I love passed down recipes :) Here is my Ragù Bolognese recipe. I don’t have a separate post for the bechamel sauce yet. However, I use 800 ml whole milk, 60 g butter, 60 flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. The texture of the bechamel needs to be quite loose for lasagna. And then tons of Parmesan in between all the layers, of course! I cover the pan with foil to keep the moisture in, and bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes.
Sheri says
Can this pasta be dried and stored for later?
Emilie Raffa says
Absolutely! You can hang dry well-floured strands of pasta over the back of a chair, on a hanger or on a specific pasta drying rack (in the video, I use a rod that hangs my pots and pans). Whatever you choose, just make the sure the pasta doesn’t stick. Space the strands apart too. Drying time will depend on temperature. In winter it will be quick. In summer it will take longer due to the humidity. Once completely dry, store in an airtight container.
Vicki says
Had never even considered making homemade pasta until I saw your recipe and detailed instructions when first published. So I put homemade pasta making on my “to-do” list.
Yesterday, when I had some uninterrupted time, I got to the task. Being unsure of this whole pasta making thing, I did not invest in a pasta machine so in rolled and cut my pasta by hand. What an experience!
With your detailed instructions and recipe, I was able to accomplish my first pasta making without difficulty. Homemade pasta is definitely FAR better than store bought. I am a convert and see myself making pasta time and time again.
Thank for for helping add a new skill to my repertoire.
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Vicki! Wow… you rolled the dough out it by hand?! You are my hero. That’s incredible. I feel like if you give the dough enough time to rest and relax after the initial mix, rolling is not super difficult. You just need some space to spread out! I’m so glad you had success with the recipe. Thanks for your feedback :)
Annier says
I honestly cannot believe how easy to make and delicious this recipe is. I followed the direction exactly. Weighed the eggs and flour and used my kitchenaid mixer and pasta accessories. The techniques are also important in the ease of clean up. Usually (and rarely) when i made pasta it was a mess everywhere but watching how it’s done really made a difference so i will make homemade pasta regularly from now on. The fettucine blew us away.
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Emilie Raffa says
Annier, thank you so much! I’m thrilled you had success with this recipe. I have to say, I completely agree with you: technique and ease of clean up is key. The first few times making pasta I was like a tornado in the kitchen (it was beyond trashed- flour everywhere!). Once I understood the set up, it was a breeze after that. In fact, after a few practice sessions you’ll be able to make homemade pasta, from start to finish, in under 1 hour! Stay tuned for more recipes and techniques :)
Matt says
This is a great how-to on fresh homemade pasta! I appreciate the detail you go into, as I prefer thorough step-by-step instructions when I’m learning something new or a new technique. Great tutorial for beginners or novice cooks.
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Katy Hanlon says
I had no idea making pasta at home could be so enjoyable, easy and delicious! Thank you for such a detailed and easy to follow tutorial, my family can’t wait to for me get back in the kitchen to make more!
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Sis says
I have your book and love it, and I know I’ll love making this pasta as well. I have a question about the eggs – when you recommend weighing them, is that weighing in the shell or already cracked?
Making this TONIGHT. Yum!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sis! Thank you so much! For the eggs, I go by cracked weight. On that note: if you scroll down to the bottom of the post, where the actual recipe is, you’ll notice that I call for a total of 185g cracked weight (eggs + yolk). You can make up the difference, if needed, with an additional yolk or olive oil. Enjoy! You’re going to love it!
Happie says
Absolutely delightful!!
Thank you for sharing with us and yet again inspiring me and my family to embark on another journey with you!
This is so great… to think it would that easy…. or that you make it look that easy!
Cannot wait to try this, what a great way to cook together. Looking forward to some more yummy inspirations.
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Emilie Raffa says
Thank you! You are going to love making fresh pasta at home. It’s incredibly fun to do, way easier than you think, and it tastes incredible. You won’t believe it came out of your very own kitchen!
Elizabeth Shue says
What a treat to get this in my inbox today. I failed at making pasta years ago and I even have the kitchen aid pasta attachment. Sadly it’s been collecting dust! Bravo for this beginner guide. It’s got me inspired!! My husband watched the video with me and is not going to let me pass this tutorial by. I will come back a report my next try.
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Emilie Raffa says
That’s wonderful to hear! I hope you pick up some helpful tips and tricks from the video. I’ve found that the secret to really great pasta, besides a successfully kneaded dough, is making sure your work station is set up properly. All the clutter can be really distracting- you need space. Once you find your rhythm the process will feel seamless.