Easy & Authentic Homemade Pasta from Scratch
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When it comes to food, I can’t think of a country that does it better than bella Italia.
From the pasta, pizza, and arancini, to all the gelato and tiramisu, limoncello and vino, we always make it our mission to eat and drink everything in sight. And we usually take a few cooking classes, too!
During our latest trip to Florence, we took an incredible cooking class where we learned how to make this authentic homemade pasta recipe we’re about to share!
After spending weeks in Italy, spoiling ourselves with countless plates of ridiculously delicious, fresh pasta, it’s hard to go back to the store-bought kind. There’s simply nothing like homemade pasta.
And now that we know how quick and easy it is to make our own pasta from scratch, we literally have no excuse not to do so! (And after this post, neither will you.)
So without further ado, here’s the authentic homemade pasta recipe we learned to make in Italy!
How to Make Pasta from Scratch
The ingredients
First things first! The ingredients necessary to make this recipe…
To make this authentic homemade pasta recipe, you need four ingredients:
- extra virgin olive oil,
- eggs,
- salt, and
- flour.
Note, however, that you can’t use any flour! You need a specific type of very soft, very fine flour, also known as “00” flour.
It can be difficult to find “00” flour in the grocery store, but you can buy this “00” flour online! Also, keep in mind that this type of flour is ideal for making Neapolitan-style pizza dough.
Making your dough by hand, versus by mixer
In Italy, I learned how to make this authentic homemade pasta recipe by hand. But at home, I prefer to use my Stand Mixer and our Pasta Roller and Cutter Set.
These gadgets make pasta-making a breeze, and if you don’t already have a mixer and pasta attachment, I highly recommend it!
The mixer allows you to easily throw together a batch of pasta dough. Meanwhile, the pasta roller flattens out your dough into very thin sheets and the pasta cutter slices your dough into whatever noodle type you want, such as spaghetti or fettuccine.
Making the dough by hand
Making your pasta dough by hand is a lot more labor-intensive and takes a lot longer. However, there is something to be said for making pasta the traditional way, like we learned to do in Italy!
To make the dough by hand, you’ll simply follow the recipe below to make the dough. Then you’ll roll it out – getting your pasta sheets as thin as you can – and cut noodles into your desired width with a pizza cutter or a knife.
(Below, I will explain both how to make the pasta with a mixer and pasta attachment, as well as by hand. I will write instructions for making the pasta by hand in parenthesis and italics.)
How to Make Authentic Homemade Pasta
Are you ready to try out this authentic homemade pasta recipe? Let’s do it!
First, in your mixer bowl, add in the “00” flour and create a well in the middle of the pile with your hand. Then, crack your eggs into the well, along with your salt and extra virgin olive oil.
(If you’re not using a mixer, simply do this on a clean surface.)
Next, attach your paddle to your mixer and set it to the lowest speed.
Turn on your mixer and run it until the ingredients incorporate and the dough comes together into small, sticky clumps – such as in the photo above. Depending on the size of your eggs, you may need to use more or less.
(If you’re not using a mixer, use a fork to lightly whisk together the eggs, salt, and olive oil, meanwhile gradually adding flour from the edges of the well. Continue doing so until the dough comes together with a sticky consistency.)
Next, gently knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes. Add flour to your work surface as needed, to ensure your dough does not stick.
Once your dough is smooth, form it into a ball and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Then place it in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
(If making your pasta without a mixer, simply follow the same instructions as above.)
Next, take your dough out of the refrigerator and cut it into three even pieces.
Insert your pasta roller onto your mixer and set the mixer to the lowest setting.
Then, turn your mixer on and run the dough through the pasta roller. Start with setting #1 – the widest setting – and continue the process through setting #8 – the thinnest setting.
By the end of the process, your pasta sheets will be thin enough to start cutting!
(If you don’t have a pasta roller, then you should grab your rolling pin and get to work! Cut your dough into three even pieces. Then, roll out your dough as thinly as possible, making sure it’s no thicker than 3 mm throughout your entire pasta sheet. Remember to add flour to your work surface as needed, to prevent your dough from sticking.)
Next, remove the pasta roller from your mixer and insert the pasta cutter of your choice.
Then, simply turn your mixer on to the lowest speed, and feed your pasta sheets through the cutter!
It’s as simple as that.
Your pasta sheets will come out the other end as beautiful, fresh noodles, and you’ll hardly be able to contain your excitement.
(To cut your noodles without the pasta cutter, you should fold your sheets over themselves into layers. Then, cut the sheets lengthwise into strips and unravel them. Then, your noodles will be ready to cook!)
How to boil fresh pasta
And now, for the best part.
All that’s left to do is boil your noodles, mix them into your sauce, and eat it all up!
To cook your pasta, simply bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and then cook your pasta until it rises to the surface and is al dente. This shouldn’t take more than two or three minutes.
Then, let the feast begin!
- Use your fresh lasagna sheets to make my Best Vegetarian Lasagna Bolognese (vegetarian) or my Best-Ever Lasagna Bolognese with Fresh Pasta & Béchamel (meat-based).
- Or pair your pasta with my Vegan Bolognese Sauce (made with mushrooms, lentils, and walnuts) or with my Traditional Meat-Based Bolognese!
Authentic Homemade Pasta Recipe: How to Make Pasta from Scratch
See that?! Making pasta from scratch, in the comfort of your own kitchen, couldn’t be simpler – especially with a Stand Mixer and Pasta Roller and Cutter Set.
Just make sure to pick up (or order) “00” flour first!
Learning to make this pasta in Italy spoiled us forever. Now, nothing but fresh, homemade pasta makes the cut, because it’s so much better than anything you can buy at the grocery store. And the good news is that it doesn’t take much time or effort to whip up a fresh batch of your own delicate, delicious pasta.
So what are you waiting for?! Put a huge smile on your face by loading up on some homemade Italian-style carbs. Buon appetito!
PrintHow to Make Pasta From Scratch: Authentic Homemade Pasta Recipe
If you’re ready to take your pasta dishes to the next level, store-bought pasta just isn’t going to cut it. In this post, we detail exactly how to make pasta from scratch, with or without a stand mixer, pasta roller, and pasta cutter. Here’s our authentic homemade pasta recipe, which we learned during a cooking class in Florence, Italy! Buon appetito!
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 6 people 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Mixer/Knead
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups “00” flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In your mixer bowl, add in the “00” flour and create a well in the middle with your hand.
- Crack your eggs into the well, along with your salt and extra virgin olive oil.
- Attach your paddle to your mixer and set it to the lowest speed.
- Mix until the ingredients incorporate and the dough comes together into small, sticky clumps.
- Gently knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes, until smooth. Add flour to your work surface as needed, to ensure your dough does not stick.
- Form the dough into a ball and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- Remove your dough from the refrigerator and cut it into three even pieces.
- Replace the mixer paddle with the pasta roller. Set the mixer to the lowest speed and turn it on. Run each piece of dough through the pasta roller. Start with setting #1 — the widest setting — and continue the process through setting #8 — the thinnest setting.
- Remove the pasta roller and insert the pasta cutter of your choice. Turn your mixer on to the lowest speed, and feed your pasta sheets through the cutter.
- To cook the pasta, boil a pot of salted water, and cook the pasta until it rises to the surface and is al dente — about two or three minutes.
- Combine your freshly cooked pasta with a sauce of your choice and enjoy!
Notes
If you’re making pasta without a stand mixer, pasta roller, and pasta cutter, refer to the parenthetical, italicized directions in the blog post above!
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Did you try out this homemade pasta recipe? Rate it and let us know how it went in the comments below, and tag us @maddysavenue in your foodie photos!
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Yum!! Nothing beats homemade pasta (except maybe homemade bread). Gorgeous photos!
-Claire
tallgirlbigworld.com
1) I would make it early in the day and cook it for dinner, what is the best way to store the fresh pasta until I’m ready to cook it?
2) Is it best to dry it on a pasta hanger or store it soft until ready to cook?
3) And would the storing be different if I wanted to cook it a few days later?
Thank you!
You can let the pasta dry on a hanger for 30-60 minutes, then form into nests, wrap tightly, and refrigerate.
You can leave the pasta in the fridge for a few days. Any longer, and you should freeze it.
Mine stuck together! How do you keep it from doing this?
As with making any dough, adding a thin coating of flour on will keep everything from sticking together. But you also shouldn’t pile the pasta sheets or noodles on top of each other. If you need to, you can either hang them up to dry, or form them into neat nests. Otherwise, you can just cook them immediately. :)
Very Nice! I need to get up the ambition to make my own pasta—it’s so much better than the dry stuff. Love how you have recipes sprinkled throughout your travel blog. One of my favorite things about travel is the way it transforms how I make food at home. Great post!
It was awesome!! I highly recommend do this with a pasta maker.
First attempt, did exactly as recipe but was dry so added a bit more oil and another egg. I think my eggs were a little small. Turned out and tasted nice.
I made fettuccine with spicy hot tomato oil. I don’t think I’ll ever buy boxed pasta again.
I tried YOUR recipe for my very first “Pasta Outta the Gate” using my brand spanking new Professional 5™ Plus Series 5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer – OH MYLANTA!!!
Awesome straight out of the gate!!!
I plan to “revise” your recipe to include adding things like Parsley or Spinach to my dough… SO elated at the find of a really great recipe on my first try!
We are a “pack of three”… Frank (the original Italian Stallion) and myself (the eclectic Syrian/German mix) and the ever present Cooper the GREAT (Boxer extraordinaire) rounds out the pack
And we are FULL time Campers, so our space is very limited and being able to make small batches works wonders!!
I also realized that somewhere along our trips I lost my rolling pin, so I used a glass bottle! (a little extra effort but it worked!) AND since I don’t have ANY of the attachments yet, I cut everything by hand (which I kinda liked… very rustic)
Thanks again for sharing!!
Yay! So happy to hear that you love this recipe. I hope you and your family enjoy it for years to come :)
Okay, I was gifted my pasta attachments Christmas 2018. I only had an opportunity to try them out once before we had to move into a hotel for four months (house flood). This was not the recipe I used. The one I tired was HORRIBLE. For the last few months I had been wanting to try again, but was intimidated after the failure of the first time. I’m kicking myself now. This recipe was a breeze. My pasta was amazing. It was so easy! I’m planning on a pasta night one Sunday a month from here on out. Thank you!!!
Homemade is so much better then bought. Great recipe!
Used AP flour & still turned out great!
How long will this dough last in the refrigerator or can I freeze it. My pasta maker broke and it is on back order >
Good question! I always make the pasta fresh. I’d say you wouldn’t want to leave the dough in the fridge for more than two days. Freezing might be a better option. Thanks for your comment.
You might need to add an additional egg or jumbo eggs OR a few tsp of water.