Handmade Pasta Dough

Pasta is fun to make from scratch, and you won't believe how easy it is. Just combine flour with eggs, then roll and cut it any way you wish. Since the dough is freshly made it only takes a few minutes in salted boiling water to yield al dente perfection. The end result is far superior to store-bought in both taste and texture, and the satisfaction of making it yourself can't be beat. Try it once and you'll never go back.

INGREDIENTS

180g type 00 flour (or all-purpose if you don't have it)

180g semolina flour 4 large eggs, at room temperature

METHOD

Whisk together the flour and semolina. Create a mound on the counter top or large wood cutting board with a crater in the center.

Crack the eggs into the center of the flour and semolina. In a circular motion, use your fingers or a fork to gradually draw the dry ingredients into the center, mixing them with the eggs. The dough will be hard to mix at first – a pastry scraper will help you draw it all together – but eventually it will come together and be relatively smooth.

Knead the dough with the heel of your hand for at least three minutes until the dough is very smooth. Wrap the dough and let it sit at room temperature for an hour.

That's it! The dough is ready. From here the possibilities are endless. I often make spaghetti or fettuccini using my KitchenAid pasta roller attachment, but lately I've been practicing my free-form technique to try new shapes like ravioli and mezze luna.

I have some incredible pasta sauce recipes that I will share soon. Stay tuned.

Xx,

Lindsay

*The humidity will affect the amount of flour needed to get the right consistency. The dough should not feel sticky. If it sticks to your fingers, knead in a small amount of the reserved flour, just enough so your fingers come away clean when you pull them away.

TOOLS

Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine

KitchenAid 3 Piece Pasta Roller & Cutter Attachment

La Gondola Italy Pasta Cutter Wheel

OXO Stainless Steel Good Grips Multi-Purpose Scraper

Escali Primo Precision Kitchen Scale

If you don't already have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend this simple, affordable model from Escali. I've had mine for over a decade and use it daily. If you're still in the dark ages of measuring with cups and spoons, prepare to be enlightened! Weight based measurements using grams and ounces are more precise and spare messy cleanup by allowing you to throw everything in one bowl.

Organic Type 00 Flour

This is type 00 flour I personally use. It features a gluten structure that is both soft and strong, making it the preferred alternative to all-purpose flour. Proudly milled in Utah since 1967 by the Central Milling Company.

Super Fine Durum Flour (Semolina)

Semolina is made from hard durum wheat. It has a coarse texture, yellow color, and is high in gluten protein making it especially well suited for making pasta. It is most often sold in medium grind, but a finer granulation makes absorption consistent and your pasta silky smooth. This is my favorite from the Central Milling Company, established in 1867 and proudly milled in Utah.