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Fresh Pasta Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This Fresh Pasta Recipe yields silky, tender noodles made from just eggs and flour, the foundation of Italian cuisine. Handmade pasta has a delicate texture that absorbs sauce beautifully, elevating even the simplest preparations. Master this essential technique to create authentic Italian meals at home.

Ingredients

• 300g all-purpose flour (2⅖ cups)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 5ml salt (1 teaspoon)
• 15ml olive oil (1 tablespoon)
• 30ml water (2 tablespoons, as needed)

Instructions

1. Mound the flour on a clean work surface and create a well in the center large enough to hold all three eggs. Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt and olive oil.

2. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs together and begin pulling flour from the inner walls of the well into the egg mixture, stirring constantly until a thick, shaggy dough forms.

3. Once the mixture becomes difficult to work with a fork, use your hands to bring all the dough together into a rough ball, incorporating any loose flour from the work surface.

4. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back over itself, and rotating it repeatedly until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Add water by the teaspoon only if the dough is too dry to come together.

5. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

6. Cut the rested dough into four equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (keeping others wrapped), flatten it slightly and pass it through a pasta machine on the widest setting 2-3 times, folding it in half between passes, until smooth.

7. Progressively reduce the pasta machine setting and pass the dough through once per setting, without folding, until you reach the thinnest setting. The sheet should be thin enough to see your hand through it.

8. Lay the finished pasta sheets on a clean kitchen towel dusted with semolina flour. Cut into desired shapes using the pasta machine cutter or a knife for fettuccine, pappardelle, or tagliatelle.

9. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add fresh pasta and stir gently for the first 30 seconds to prevent sticking. Cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente, then drain and toss immediately with your chosen sauce.

Substitutions

• Substitute semolina flour for 100g of all-purpose flour for a more robust texture and traditional flavor
• Replace two eggs with 1 egg plus 30ml water for a slightly less rich dough
• Use aquafaba (30ml) instead of one egg for a vegan version, though the texture will be less tender
• Substitute 75g flour with buckwheat flour for nutty pizzoccheri-style pasta

Tips

• Fresh pasta dries quickly; use semolina flour on all surfaces to prevent sticking, and cook immediately after cutting or store on a tray in the freezer for up to 2 weeks
• The humidity in your kitchen affects dough hydration; add water only drop by drop, as Italian flour typically requires less liquid than American all-purpose flour
• Allow the rested dough to come to room temperature before rolling; cold dough will tear and resist thinning
• Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta—watch it constantly after 2 minutes to avoid overcooking

Fresh pasta is central to Northern Italian cuisine, particularly in Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and Lombardy, where it has been handmade for centuries. Egg pasta distinguishes these regions from Southern Italy, where dried durum wheat pasta dominates, and represents a mark of artisanal tradition and family heritage.

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