Homemade Pasta Dough
This classic homemade pasta dough combines all-purpose flour with eggs for a silky, tender dough that can be shaped into countless pasta varieties. Simple ingredients yield exceptional results that outshine store-bought alternatives in both texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 300g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons water only if needed
Instructions
- Create a flour well on your work surface. Pour the flour onto a large cutting board or clean counter and make a well in the center large enough to hold the eggs. Add the salt to the flour.
- Add eggs and oil to the well. Crack the eggs into the well and add the olive oil. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs and oil together, keeping them contained within the flour walls.
- Gradually incorporate flour into the egg mixture. Begin to pull in flour from the inner walls of your well, maintaining the well’s structure as long as possible while mixing. Continue until the mixture becomes too thick for the fork.
- Start kneading with your hands. When the dough becomes too thick to mix with a fork, use your hands to incorporate the remaining flour. If the dough feels too dry, add water a few drops at a time.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth. Push the dough away with the heel of your hand, fold it back toward you, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. The dough is ready when it’s smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
- Let the dough rest. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it under an inverted bowl, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
- Divide and roll the dough. After resting, cut the dough into 4-6 portions. Keep unused portions covered to prevent drying. Flatten each piece slightly with your palm before passing through a pasta machine or rolling by hand.
- Shape your pasta as desired. Whether you’re making fettuccine, ravioli, or lasagna sheets, cut or shape your rolled dough according to your recipe needs. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly—usually in just 2-3 minutes in boiling water.
Notes
- The dough should feel smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. If it’s too dry, add a few drops of water; if too sticky, dust with small amounts of flour.
- You can make this dough up to 24 hours in advance—just wrap it tightly and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
- For a richer pasta, substitute one whole egg with two egg yolks.
- When rolling by hand without a pasta machine, aim for paper-thin transparency—you should be able to see your hand through the sheet.
- Fresh pasta freezes beautifully. Freeze shaped pasta on a floured baking sheet, then transfer to freezer bags once solid.