When it comes to fresh pasta, there is no argument. Nothing is better than a bowl of fresh homemade pasta. It is always tastier, fresher, and healthier than the store-bought version. However, creating pasta dough from scratch can be intimidating. With a huge amount of recipes on the internet, looking for the right basic pasta dough recipe can be challenging. It is an overwhelming job, but with a little practice, it is not difficult. The time and energy you spend on making the pasta are worth it.
In this article, you will learn about how to make pasta from scratch, but before we jump to the pasta dough recipe, we want to underline the difference between fresh pasta and dry pasta.
Fresh Pasta or Dry Pasta?
Pasta is a simple item comprising a few ingredients which can be shaped in many ways. Later, it evolves into an enormous sub-culture of food resulting different pasta dishes from around the world. Some of these dishes use fresh pasta and others use dry pasta. Both of them are similar but they are made of slightly different ingredients.
Fresh pasta is made of egg, water, olive oil, and flour. From these ingredients, the dough is prepared and kneaded, then shaped into certain shapes we love.
The best thing about fresh pasta is its taste. It is lighter and fresher. When it is combined with fresh sauce, the taste is unbeatable.
Typically, fresh pasta can last up to 3 days, but you can freeze it to make it last longer. Remember to cook it quickly. It only needs 2-3 minutes. So, try to not overdo it because it can easily fall apart when it is overcooked.
Meanwhile, dry pasta is made of semolina flour, water, and salt. It doesn’t need eggs in this recipe so the pasta can last longer.
The semolina flour in dry pasta makes it high in carbs. It has more carbohydrates and a high quantity of fiber. The difference with fresh pasta is its thicker and firmer consistency. Besides, you can cook it al dente and it even has a better shape than fresh pasta.
When Is The Best Time To Use Dry Pasta?
Because of different consistency, taste, and texture, different recipes use different pasta.
If you are planning to make a thick sauce like ragu for example, dry pasta is the most suitable because the pasta needs to hold its shape. Besides, dishes that need longer cooking work well with dry pasta. For example, macaroni cheese, or lasagna that is slow-baked often tastes better with dry pasta than fresh one.
When Is The Best Time To Use Fresh Pasta?
Fresh pasta has a lighter and more delicate taste. It works well with lighter sauces such as pesto or Aglio olio. This type of pasta is also perfect to combine with creamy and white sauce, for example, seafood linguine or carbonara. Using thick sauce like ragu for fresh pasta will make it disintegrate quickly.
So, which one is better?
The answer is it depends on the dishes and the sauce you are going to prepare. Dry pasta has a stronger and sturdier texture which is perfect for thick and saucy dishes. Dishes like lasagna and bolognese work well with dry pasta. Meanwhile, fresh pasta has a lighter and softer texture which is best for creamy sauce and seafood.
Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe
This homemade pasta dough recipe is our favorite. It is easy and simple, even if it is easy for someone new to pasta. For parents who love having fun with their kids in the kitchen, this recipe is a good choice. It only needs a handful of basic ingredients and your hands.
Homemade Pasta Dough Ingredients
Generally, for a basic pasta dough recipe, you just need 4 ingredients which are as follows:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – generally, you will need 00 flour or semolina to make pasta, but we have experimented using all-purpose flour and it turned out well. It still gives a chewy and bouncy texture.
- 3 large eggs – For fresh pasta, adding egg is suggested for richness and moisture.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil – A splash of olive oil helps moisten the dough.
- 1 teaspoon salt -You can skip it if you don’t like it, but adding salt will add more flavor.
How To Make Pasta Dough
- First thing first, create a nest using the flour on a clean work surface. After that add the remaining ingredients at the center, then use the fork to break up the egg yolks. As you break the eggs, try to keep the flour walls intact.
- Next, with your hands, mix the flour gently and continue working on the dough to make a ball.
- Knead! At first, the dough might feel dry but keep kneading it. After around 8-10 minutes of kneading, you should feel the dough more cohesive and smoother. If the dough is still dry, sprinkle some water and continue kneading. If you feel the dough is too sticky, dust more flour.
- Once you have successfully made the dough come together, shape it into a ball and then wrap it with plastic wrap. After that, let it rest for 30 minutes in a room temperature.
- After 30 minutes, open the plastic wrap and cut the dough into 4 pieces.
- Take your rolling pin or simply use your hand to flatten the dough.
- Next, run the dough through the pasta maker. Roll it out according to your pasta maker’s guide.
- After that, fold the dough. It is optional, but if you want to make the sheet more rectangular, do it. It will result longer pasta strands.
- Next, fold it in half lengthwise so it can form a rectangle.
- The next step is to roll out the dough to your desired thickness.
- Each time you finish this step, lay it on the floured baking sheet. Sprinkle the dough with the flour and then fold the other half on top, and then sprinkle the top with flour too.
- The last step is cutting the dough using the pasta cutter.
Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe No Egg
We also experimented with making pasta dough without eggs and we added spinach too for more flavor. Here are the ingredients:
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1 cup or 150 g semolina flour
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 3/4 cup or 150 ml water
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 oz or 80-gram spinach (optional)
Instruction:
- Create a nest on the work surface with flour, semolina, and salt. Or, you can mix them in the bowl and then create a well. After that, add olive oil and water, then mix it.
- On a working surface, knead the dough for around 8-10 minutes.
- Knead and form a ball. Then, wrap the ball with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, cut the dough into two parts.
- Next, place 1 part of the dough on the working space. Make sure you have sprinkled flour on it. Then, roll out the dough with your rolling pin or pasta machine.
- Dust the dough with more flour and roll it up with the rolling pin. After that, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into strips.
- Continue the process with another dough.
How To Make Spinach Paste?
Cook the spinach for around 1-2 minutes. After that, squeeze and blend with around 1/3-1/2 cup of water. Use this spinach mixture instead of only using water in the dough making (step 1).
FAQ
Which Flour Should I Use To Make A Pasta Dough?
There are three types of flour used for making pasta which is:
- Semolina flour
- All-purpose flour
- 00 flour
Flour type is an important aspect of making pasta. It contains gluten which is important for elasticity and plasticity.
Semolina and 00 flour are both wheat flour, but both of them are different in terms of flavor and texture. Semolina is a wheat flour with a coarse texture and larger particles. Meanwhile, the 00 flour has finer powder.
The 00 flour is a softer flour that is perfect for baking. It is ideal for softer pasta like tagliatelle and ravioli pasta. However, the 00 flour is not widely available.
Semolina flour is also called pasta wheat. It is made of hard durum wheat. It has less elasticity than all-purpose flour, but it has more plasticity. It comes with yellow color which gives the pasta its trademark color. This is why semolina flour is widely popular as a pasta main ingredient.
Compared to semolina flour, all-purpose flour will give a plain white look which makes it look more like noodles than pasta. However, if you don’t find semolina flour near you, you can use all-purpose flour. It will make an ideal pasta, but next time, give the semolina flour a try.
What Can I Use If I Don’t Find Semolina Flour?
Semolina flour is the most ideal flour to make pasta. Somehow, in certain areas, it is difficult to find. You can replace the semolina flour with all-purpose flour. You can use an equal amount based on the original recipe. Another substitute you can get is bread flour.
Is It Necessary To Use Olive Oil Or Eggs In Pasta Dough?
Olive oil and egg are great to add moisture to the dough. If you want to make dried pasta, it is not necessary to add eggs. You can skip this ingredient so it can last longer.
Which One Is Better, Semolina or 00 Flour?
Which one is better? Semolina or 00 flour? Well, many pasta dough recipes use different flour which sometimes makes us confused. It depends on the type of pasta you are going to make. If you want thicker and chewier pasta, then semolina is a better option. If you want thinner and more delicate pasta, the 00 flour is the best option.
Regardless of the type of flour you are going to use, kneading is one of the most important aspects. You need to knead the dough until elastic and smooth before cutting it and shaping it as you desire.
So, what do you think about our pasta dough recipes? Easy right?!
Check also our Chinese recipe here.