Homemade Pasta for Dummies

Written by Mariana Rufin | Illustration by Kayla Tomlin

There is no shortage of high quality prepared pastas at grocery stores, which makes it difficult to create a case for making your own, especially when it can appear so time consuming and difficult. While certain types of pasta are best left to the pros, fortunately there are many other types that require no fancy equipment, simple ingredients, and minimal prep.

Before learning how to make pasta from scratch, it is essential to understand how different types of ingredients can make a difference in texture and taste. A popular misconception is that all types of pasta contain egg, and while having the perfect ratio of flour to raw egg does make a difference in terms of dough pliability, vegans can rejoice at the fact that it is by no means necessary to create a quality product. Regardless of whether eggs are being added to the dough or not, it is imperative to keep in mind what flour is being used in the process, as it will affect the dough's elasticity and plasticity.

So, What Flour Should I Use? Semolina flour is a coarse flour made from durum wheat which is high in gluten protein. Gluten in flour controls how the pasta retains its shape while cooking, along with how sticky the dough gets. As an individual who has tried making pasta using both all purpose and semolina flours, having a sticky dough can result in a frustrating mess. Additionally, semolina flour is ideal for making heartier pasta shapes that need to hold thick sauces- think of a rigatoni or macaroni. ‘00’ or doppio zero flour is finely milled wheat flour that is best used for egg pasta. When 00 flour dough is kneaded with eggs, the protein in the flour forms actual strands of gluten, giving the pasta structure and strength. Unless you are planning on making a complex and delicate pasta shape such as ravioli or tagliatelle, it is not necessary to use 00 flour. All purpose flour is not recommended to make most types of pasta, however it can be accomplished with some extra work. For every cup of all purpose flour, add two whole eggs, and add water as needed in order to get a dough that is perfectly malleable without being too dry. For making traditional eggless pasta, strive to use semolina flour: for every 2 cups of semolina flour, use one half cup of warm water. An outlier to this rule is gnocchi, which can be made with the right ratio of potatoes, all purpose flour, and salt.

Equipment & Ingredients Sharp chef’s knife 2 cups semolina flour ½ cup warm water 1-2 tbsp olive oil Generous pinch of salt Instructions 1. Combine flour and salt and prepare in a mound on a clean working surface. Create a large well inside of the mound. 2. Add water and olive oil, and gradually combine the flour with the water and oil using a fork. Continue to perform this action until the mixture is no longer at risk of spilling over the counter, and from there begin to knead vigorously. 3. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is completely smooth, form a ball, and cover with plastic wrap. 4. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. 5. After 30 minutes of rest, roll the dough out into strands of ½ inch of thickness and cut at ½ inch increments. Each piece should be approximately the size of a quarter.

Shaping the Pasta From this step, the pasta can either be left as is or be molded into a more complex shape. To make a gnocchi shaped pasta, roll the nubs of dough against an outward facing fork to give the shapes their characteristic grooves. Making orecchiette is slightly more difficult: take a small piece of unshaped dough and scrape a butter knife into the dough along the edge of the counter in a singular motion. This should result in a curled up piece of dough. Next, flip this curled piece of pasta out to invert it. Enjoy the homemade pasta with a simple sauce, or create an elaborate dish to display your efforts.