Fresh pasta is one of those skills that seems intimidating until you actually do it, and then you can’t believe how simple it was. Two ingredients, no special equipment required (though a pasta machine helps), and the result is infinitely better than dried pasta.
This recipe is what I make on Sunday afternoons when I have a little extra time and want dinner to feel special.
Ingredients
- 300g (2½ cups) 00 flour OR all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- Pinch of salt
- Semolina flour for dusting (optional but helpful)
Note on flour: 00 flour is finely milled and makes silkier pasta. All-purpose works too and is easier to find. Don’t substitute whole wheat for your first attempt — it’s much harder to work with.
Instructions
Make the Dough
1. Make a well Pour the flour onto a clean work surface and make a wide well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well. Add a pinch of salt.
2. Beat the eggs Using a fork, beat the eggs in the center of the well, slowly incorporating flour from the inner walls as you go. Do this patiently — you’re looking for a rough, shaggy dough.
3. Knead When the dough becomes too thick for the fork, use your hands. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
The dough should feel like Play-Doh — smooth and pliable. If it tears when you stretch it, keep kneading.
4. Rest Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This is not optional — resting relaxes the gluten and makes the dough much easier to roll.
Roll the Pasta
Without a machine (rolling pin): Divide dough into 4 pieces. Keep the others covered while you work. Roll as thin as you can — ideally 1–2mm. Dust with semolina as you go to prevent sticking.
With a pasta machine: Run through each setting from widest (1) to your desired thickness. For fettuccine, setting 5–6 works well.
Cut and Cook
For fettuccine: Dust the sheet with semolina, loosely fold, and cut into ¼-inch strips. Shake out and nest into little piles.
Cook immediately in heavily salted, boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Fresh pasta cooks MUCH faster than dried — taste after 2 minutes.
Sauce Pairings
Fresh pasta is delicate. It pairs best with:
- Brown butter and sage — My favorite. 4 tbsp butter, 8 sage leaves, pinch of nutmeg.
- Simple marinara — Let the pasta shine. A good canned San Marzano, garlic, and olive oil.
- Carbonara — The egg-based sauce clings beautifully to fresh pasta.
- Cacio e Pepe — Pecorino Romano, black pepper, pasta water. That’s it.
Storing Leftovers
Fresh pasta doesn’t keep well wet. If you want to make it ahead:
- Dry it: Hang or lay flat for 2+ hours until completely dry. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze it: Freeze nests in a single layer, then bag. Cook from frozen — add 1 extra minute.
A Note From My Culinary Background
This is a foundational recipe — one of the first things I learned in culinary school that actually felt like learning a life skill. The technique translates to filled pastas (ravioli, tortellini), gnocchi, and even certain doughs.
Start with this. Master it. Then branch out. Cooking is a set of skills built on top of each other.