Homemade Pasta Recipe: How to Make Authentic Pasta From Scratch (2024)

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When it comes to food, I can’t think of a countrythat does it better than bella Italia.

From the pasta, pizza, and arancini, to all the gelato and tiramisu, limoncello and vino, we always make it our mission to eat and drink everything in sight. And we usually take a few cooking classes, too!

During our latest trip to Florence, we took an incredible cooking classwhere we learned how to make this authentic homemade pasta recipe we’re about to share!

After spending weeks in Italy, spoiling ourselves with countless plates of ridiculously delicious, fresh pasta, it’s hard to go back to the store-bought kind. There’ssimply nothing like homemade pasta.

And now that we know how quick andeasy it is to make our own pasta from scratch, we literally have no excuse not to do so! (And after this post, neither will you.)

So without further ado, here’s the authentic homemade pasta recipe we learned to make in Italy!

How to Make Pasta from Scratch

Homemade Pasta Recipe: How to Make Authentic Pasta From Scratch (1)

The ingredients

First things first! The ingredients necessary to make this recipe…

To make this authentic homemade pasta recipe, you need four ingredients:

  • extra virgin olive oil,
  • eggs,
  • salt, and
  • flour.

Note, however, that you can’t use any flour! You need a specific type of verysoft, very fine flour, also known as “00” flour.

It can be difficult to find “00” flour in the grocery store, but you can buy this “00” flour online! Also, keep in mind that this type of flour is ideal for making Neapolitan-style pizza dough.

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Making your dough by hand, versus by mixer

In Italy, I learned how to make this authentic homemade pasta recipe by hand. But at home, I prefer to use my Stand Mixer and our Pasta Roller and Cutter Set.

Thesegadgets make pasta-making a breeze, and if you don’t already have a mixer and pasta attachment, I highly recommend it!

The mixer allows you to easily throw together a batch of pasta dough. Meanwhile, the pasta rollerflattens out your dough into very thin sheets and the pasta cutter slices your dough into whatever noodle type you want,such as spaghetti or fettuccine.

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Making the dough by hand

Making your pasta dough by hand is a lot more labor-intensive and takes a lot longer. However, there is something to be said for making pasta the traditional way, like we learned to do in Italy!

To make the dough by hand, you’ll simply follow the recipe below to make the dough. Then you’ll roll it out – getting your pasta sheets as thin as you can – and cut noodlesinto your desired width with a pizza cutter or a knife.

(Below, I will explain both how to make the pasta with a mixer and pasta attachment, as well as by hand. I will write instructions for making the pasta by hand in parenthesis and italics.)

How to Make Authentic Homemade Pasta

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Are you ready to try outthis authentic homemade pasta recipe? Let’s do it!

First, in your mixer bowl, add inthe “00” flour and create a well in the middle of the pile with your hand. Then, crack your eggs into the well, along with your salt and extra virgin olive oil.

(If you’re not using a mixer, simply do this on a clean surface.)

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Next, attach your paddle to your mixer and set it to the lowest speed.

Turn on your mixer and run it until the ingredients incorporate and the dough comes together into small, sticky clumps – such as in the photo above. Depending on the size of your eggs, you may need to use more or less.

(If you’re not using a mixer, use a fork to lightly whisk together the eggs, salt, and olive oil,meanwhilegradually adding flour from the edges of the well. Continue doing so until the dough comes together with a sticky consistency.)

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Next, gently knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes. Add flour to your work surface as needed, to ensure your dough does not stick.

Once your dough is smooth, form it into a ball and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Then place it in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

(If making your pasta without a mixer, simply follow the same instructions as above.)

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Next, take your dough out of the refrigerator and cut it into three even pieces.

Insertyour pasta roller onto your mixer and set the mixer to the lowest setting.

Then, turn your mixer on andrun the dough through the pasta roller. Start with setting #1 – the widest setting – and continuethe process through setting #8 – the thinnest setting.

By the end of the process, your pasta sheetswill be thin enough to start cutting!

(If you don’t have a pasta roller, then you should grab your rolling pin and get to work! Cut your dough into three even pieces. Then, roll out your dough as thinly as possible, making sure it’s no thicker than 3 mm throughout your entire pasta sheet. Remember to add flour to your work surface as needed, to prevent your dough from sticking.)

Next,remove the pasta roller from your mixer andinsertthe pasta cutter of your choice.

Then, simply turn your mixer on to the lowest speed, and feed your pasta sheets through the cutter!

It’s as simple as that.

Your pasta sheets will come out the other end as beautiful, fresh noodles, and you’ll hardly be able to contain your excitement.

(To cut your noodles withoutthe pasta cutter, you should fold your sheets over themselves into layers. Then, cut the sheets lengthwise into strips and unravel them. Then, your noodles will be ready to cook!)

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How to boil fresh pasta

And now, for the best part.

All that’s left to do is boil your noodles, mix theminto your sauce, and eatit all up!

To cook your pasta, simply bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and then cook your pasta until it rises to the surface and is al dente. This shouldn’t take more than two or three minutes.

Then, let thefeast begin!

  • Use your fresh lasagna sheets to make my Best Vegetarian Lasagna Bolognese (vegetarian) or my (meat-based).
  • Or pair your pasta with my Vegan Bolognese Sauce (made with mushrooms, lentils, and walnuts) or with my Traditional Meat-Based Bolognese!

See that?! Making pasta from scratch, in the comfort of your own kitchen, couldn’t be simpler – especially with aStand Mixerand Pasta Roller and Cutter Set.

Just make sure to pick up (or order) “00” flour first!

Learning to make this pasta in Italy spoiled us forever. Now, nothing but fresh, homemade pasta makes the cut, because it’s so much better than anything you can buy at the grocery store. Andthe good news is that it doesn’t take much time or effort to whip up a fresh batch of your own delicate, delicious pasta.

So what are you waiting for?! Put a huge smile on your face by loadingup on some homemadeItalian-style carbs.Buon appetito!

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How to Make Pasta From Scratch: Authentic Homemade Pasta Recipe

Homemade Pasta Recipe: How to Make Authentic Pasta From Scratch (10)

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5 from 10 reviews

If you’re ready to take your pasta dishes to the next level, store-bought pasta just isn’t going to cut it. In this post, we detail exactly how to make pasta from scratch, with or without a stand mixer, pasta roller, and pasta cutter. Here’s our authentic homemade pasta recipe, which we learned during a cooking class in Florence, Italy! Buon appetito!

  • Author: Maddy’s Avenue
  • Prep Time: 55 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 6 people 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Mixer/Knead
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

  • 3 cups “00” flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. In your mixer bowl, add in the “00” flour and create a well in the middle with your hand.
  2. Crack your eggs into the well, along with your salt and extra virgin olive oil.
  3. Attach your paddle to your mixer and set it to the lowest speed.
  4. Mix until the ingredients incorporate and the dough comes together into small, sticky clumps.
  5. Gently knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes, until smooth. Add flour to your work surface as needed, to ensure your dough does not stick.
  6. Form the dough into a ball and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
  7. Remove your dough from the refrigerator and cut it into three even pieces.
  8. Replace the mixer paddle with the pasta roller. Set the mixer to the lowest speed and turn it on. Run each piece of dough through the pasta roller. Start with setting #1 — the widest setting — and continue the process through setting #8 — the thinnest setting.
  9. Remove the pasta roller and insert the pasta cutter of your choice.Turn your mixer on to the lowest speed, and feed your pasta sheets through the cutter.
  10. To cook the pasta, boil a pot of salted water, and cook the pasta until it rises to the surface and is al dente— about two or three minutes.
  11. Combine your freshly cooked pasta with a sauce of your choice and enjoy!

Notes

If you’re making pasta without a stand mixer, pasta roller, and pasta cutter, refer to the parenthetical, italicized directions in the blog post above!

*This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through the links on our website, we will receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We never recommend any products/services that we don’t absolutely love. These commissions help keep Maddy’s Avenue up and running, and we thank you for your support!

Did you try out this homemade pasta recipe? Rate it and let us know how it went in the comments below, and tag us @maddysavenue in your foodie photos!

Homemade Pasta Recipe: How to Make Authentic Pasta From Scratch (2024)

FAQs

What is the best flour for homemade pasta? ›

White Flour Is Best for Egg Pasta Dough

Italians make fresh pasta using a particular type of lower-protein white flour called doppio zero, or 00 flour, with a talcum powder–like grind. Its protein content is similar to that of all-purpose flour, but the proprietary blend of wheat makes a difference.

What is the most important thing in making homemade pasta or fresh pasta? ›

Flour is the single most important ingredient for making fresh pasta, so choosing the right flour can make all the difference. The three most commonly used types of flour for pasta-making are all-purpose flour, “00” flour and semola (sometimes called semolina flour in the UK).

How is traditional pasta made? ›

Traditionally, pasta is formed by extruding dough through bronze dies, or bronze plates. This gives pasta a rough surface texture ideal for capturing and absorbing sauces. These days, most pasta makers use Teflon to extrude pasta.

What flour do Italians use for pasta? ›

Semola and semolina flour are mainly used for making pasta, couscous, and some rustic cakes. Semolina has a coarse texture similar to polenta, while semola is flour. You might use semolina to make a breakfast porridge or sweet pudding, or under your pizza dough to keep it from sticking.

Which type of flour makes the best dried pasta? ›

Either semolina or type “00” flour is the best choice for homemade pasta. You can mix these for varying results that are more suite for different types of fresh pasta.

Is it worth making pasta from scratch? ›

Most food critics will tell you that homemade pasta is always better than store bought. However, it's important to remember that making pasta is an exact science, and it may take a few batches before you get your ratios right.

How many eggs for 1 cup of flour for pasta? ›

And it's good rule of thumb: 2 eggs per cup of flour. And for normal portions, I figure one egg per person, but you always want more, which is why I used 6 eggs for 3 people. It's a snap if you use standing mixer. But knead by hand if you wish—it's meditative and relaxing.

How long should pasta dough rest? ›

Place the dough in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the fridge – this is an extremely important step, so don't skip it!

What is the golden rule for pasta? ›

Don't over-cook. The pasta should be “al dente”, which means it should be “firm to the bite”, yet cooked through. It's better to taste the pasta before draining it. When it's ready drain the pasta but don't rinse it with cold water.

What not to do when making pasta? ›

Here's our list of no-nos.
  1. Use a small pot to boil the pasta.
  2. Neglect to salt the water.
  3. Forget to give the pasta a stir or two as it cooks.
  4. Cook it past al dente.
  5. Dump out all of the pasta water.
May 1, 2019

What gives pasta more flavor? ›

The water you cook pasta in should be as salty as the Mediterranean sea – add about 2 teaspoons of fine grain sea salt per litre (33 ounces) of water. That way your pasta has some flavour before you add the sauce – so you need to work less hard to make everything taste amazing.

How long do you cook homemade pasta for? ›

When you do cook it, remember that homemade pasta cooks much more quickly than the dried pasta you buy in stores. Give it about four minutes in salted boiling water, taste it, and keep checking in one-minute increments until the pasta is al dente.

Why do people make pasta from scratch? ›

The only way to be sure of the quality and freshness of the ingredients is when you buy them yourself. From the start to the end, you know what you have put in your dough, in the filling, and that the nutritional value of your food is mostly preserved. Only for this reason, making pasta from scratch is worth a try.

How pasta is made step by step? ›

How to Make Pasta
  1. Step 1: Ingredients. Fresh Pasta Dough. ...
  2. Step 2: Weigh the Flour. Set your scale to grams. ...
  3. Step 3: Beat the Eggs. Crack two eggs into a medium bowl. ...
  4. Step 4: Form a Well. ...
  5. Step 5: Add Eggs and Fold. ...
  6. Step 6: Break Up Large Clumps. ...
  7. Step 7: Make a Ball of Dough. ...
  8. Step 8: Knead and Rest the Dough.

Why is 00 flour the best flour for pasta? ›

Best 00 flour for pasta

00 flour, or doppio zero is what most Italian households use to make fresh egg pasta. The white Italian flour is finely-milled, resulting in grains which are finer than semolina, but larger than cornflour. Mix with eggs for fresh pasta and water for pizza doughs.

What is the difference between all-purpose flour and semolina flour? ›

Semolina vs All Purpose Flour

In addition to its golden hue, semolina flour has a nutty flavor and more protein than all-purpose flour. Its gluten protein content creates an elastic dough, perfect for kneading and stretching for pasta. In contrast, neutrality defines all-purpose flour.

What is the best flour protein content for pasta? ›

To make pasta properly the flour must have at least 12 percent protein content to guarantee true al dente. We can mix in semolina to give the pasta dough the proper content, with the only really noticeable difference being the ash content.

Do you use high grade flour for pasta? ›

Ideally you would use a high grade flour for making pasta, but you can and we have used plain flour if that's all you have available. High grade flour will give you a better texture more easily, but plain flour contains the gluten required for the elasticity, you will just need to work and knead the dough for longer.

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