Making homemade egg pasta from scratch is so simple and delicious you’ll never want to go back to the store-bought stuff! Plus, you can dry this pasta and store it in the pantry for several months!
This is a traditional Italian fresh pasta recipe that works fabulously for all kinds of pasta – spaghetti, lasagna noodles, ravioli, etc. Learning to make fresh homemade pasta like Italian grandmothers has been one of my favorite skills as a home cook.
Spring and summer on the farm meanlotsof eggs. We always have lots more eggs rolling in than we can eat. I incubate some, give some away, preserve some by water glassing, and feed some to the dog – and yet, there are still eggs. Many times, chickens don’t lay nearly as many eggs (or none at all) in the winter. So having an abundance in the warmer months isn’t a bad problem to have – as long as you have a way to preserve them. And speaking of preserving, we finally got a freeze dryer which has been on my wishlist forever. Freeze-drying is an awesome way to preserve so many things, including eggs.
But one super easy way to “preserve” eggs without any expensive equipment is to make fresh egg pasta and dry it. This way, your eggs go to use and can be stored at room temperature for a few months in an airtight container, or for several years if you store it in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.
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What you’ll need for the homemade pasta recipe
FRESH PASTA DOUGH INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 t salt
- 1 t olive oil
- (additional flour for dusting)
TOOLS
- large mixing bowl
- plastic wrap for pasta dough
- sharp knife or bench scraper
- pasta maker – I use anAtlas 150with a pasta cutter attachment
- drying rack (optional)
- if you don’t want to make pasta by hand, a stand mixer with a dough hook or food processor can be used
Join me in my homestead kitchen to make this fresh egg pasta and preserve it long-term!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make homemade pasta dough
- Add 2 cup of flour to a large bowl or work without a bowl on a clean work surface
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup or the back of a spoon to make a well in the flour.
- Add the whole eggs, salt, and olive oil into the well.
- whisk the egg mixture together with a fork or your fingers and then work into the flour.
- The dough will be shaggy when you first start mixing – keep mixing until it comes together into a ball. If it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of water. If too wet, add a tablespoon of flour. Pasta dough is very adaptable – just add what you need until you get the right consistency. The dough should be easy to knead and not sticky.
- Once the dough has reached the right consistency, knead for about 5 minutes until smooth.
- Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it with plastic wrap. Then let the dough rest at room temp for about 30 minutes. I’ve forgotten about my dough and let it rest for much longer – it was just fine as long as its wrapped and not exposed to air.
Roll out the dough with a pasta machine
- Unwrap the dough and cut it in half. Re-wrap one piece of dough until you’re ready to roll it out. Pasta dough begins to dry out quickly and then is very difficult to roll out. Keeping it wrapped is important to prevent it from drying.
- Use a rolling pin or the heel of your hand to flatten the half of the dough you’ll be rolling out. It needs to be thin enough to fit through the pasta machine’s widest setting.
- Set the pasta machine to 0 and pass the dough through 2-3 times. The dough will begin to stretch out into a long sheet with each pass through the roller.
- After 2-3 passes through on a 0, lay the sheet of dough on the counter and fold it in on itself lengthwise, and then widthwise to make a thin strip of dough.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the strip so it fits through the machine & then roll it through the machine on 0 one time.
- Adjust the machine to the 1 setting and pass the dough through 2 times.
- After the last pass on 1, fold the dough in half lengthwise.
- Roll the folded dough through the machine on 1, one more time.
- Adjust the machine to a 2 and then roll the sheet of dough through 2-3 times. Repeat this process until you reach your desired thickness, 6 is standard.
Cut the pasta
- Lay the sheet of pasta dough (it will be quite long) out flat on your work surface and dust with a little flour, using your hand to make sure the entire sheet is coated in flour.
- Use a knife or bench scraper to divide the pasta sheet into 3 equal sections.
- Run each floured sheet through the cutting attachment & then prepare immediately al dente, hang to dry on a drying rack, or twist the cut pasta into nests to dry.
Storage
- Once the pasta is completely dry, store it in an airtight container like a ziploc bag in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a couple of months. Hanging pasta will dry very quickly, it only takes a day or two. Nests will take a few days. Pasta is dry when it breaks easily.
- For long-term storage, pack dry pasta into mylar bags, add oxygen absorbers, heat seal the bags, and then store in them food-grade buckets. Pasta should keep for many years this way. Some sources say up to 25-30 years.
FAQ
- Do I need any special equipment to make homemade pasta?
- While not essential, having a pasta machine or pasta attachment on a stand mixer can make the process a lot easier. You may also need a mixing bowl, a whisk or fork, and a clean working surface. Rolling out a lot of pasta by hand is hard work, but it gets easier with practice!
- How long should I let basic pasta dough rest?
- Allowing the dough to rest for around 30 minutes to an hour is recommended. This helps relax the gluten, making the dough easier to roll out and shape.
- How long should I cook homemade pasta?
- Cooking times may vary, but homemade pasta typically cooks faster than dried pasta. Fresh pasta generally cooks in just a few minutes. It’s important to taste the pasta for doneness, as the cooking time may differ based on thickness and shape. Time also may vary when you’re using different pasta recipe. For example, when making homemade lasagna, fresh lasagna sheets do not need to be pre-cooked at all, they will cook in the oven along with the assembled lasagna.
TIPS
Choose the right flour.All-purpose flour is commonly used for homemade pasta, but you can also experiment with different flours like semolina flour for different textures and flavors.
Measure ingredients accurately.Properly measuring the flour and eggs is important for achieving the right dough consistency. Use measuring cups or a kitchen scale for precise measurements.
Knead thoroughly.Kneading the dough for sufficient time is key to developing the gluten and achieving the right texture. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky – but still easy to handle and not dry or stiff.
Rest the dough.Allowing the dough to rest after kneading gives the gluten time to relax, resulting in a more pliable dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Dust with flour as needed.While rolling and cutting the pasta, dust the dough and work surface with flour to prevent sticking. However, use flour sparingly to avoid making the dough too dry.
Cook pasta in well-salted water.For optimal flavor, cook the pasta in a pot of well-salted boiling water. The pasta should be cooked until al dente, meaning it is still slightly firm to the bite.
How to Make Homemade Egg Pasta | Recipe & Video
Yield: 16 oz. fresh pasta
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Making homemade egg pasta from scratch is so simple and delicious you'll never want to go back to the store-bought stuff! Plus, you can dry this pasta and store it in the pantry for several months!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) olive oil
- Additional flour for dusting
Instructions
Make homemade pasta dough
- Add 2 cup of flour to a large bowl or work without a bowl on a clean work surface
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup or the back of a spoon to make a well in the flour.
- Add the whole eggs, salt, and olive oil into the well.
- whisk the egg mixture together with a fork or your fingers and then work into the flour.
- The dough will be shaggy when you first start mixing - keep mixing until it comes together into a ball. If it's too dry, add a teaspoon of water. If too wet, add a tablespoon of flour. Pasta dough is very adaptable - just add what you need until you get the right consistency. The dough should be easy to knead and not sticky.
- Once the dough has reached the right consistency, knead for about 5 minutes until smooth.
- Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it with plastic wrap. Then let the dough rest at room temp for about 30 minutes. I've forgotten about my dough and let it rest for much longer - it was just fine as long as its wrapped and not exposed to air.
Roll out the dough with a pasta machine
- Unwrap the dough and cut it in half. Re-wrap one piece of dough until you're ready to roll it out. Pasta dough begins to dry out quickly and then is very difficult to roll out. Keeping it wrapped is important to prevent it from drying.
- Use a rolling pin or the heel of your hand to flatten the half of the dough you'll be rolling out. It needs to be thin enough to fit through the pasta machine's widest setting.
- Set the pasta machine to 0 and pass the dough through 2-3 times. The dough will begin to stretch out into a long sheet with each pass through the roller.
- After 2-3 passes through on a 0, lay the sheet of dough on the counter and fold it in on itself lengthwise, and then widthwise to make a thin strip of dough.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the strip so it fits through the machine & then roll it through the machine on 0 one time.
- Adjust the machine to the 1 setting and pass the dough through 2 times.
- After the last pass on 1, fold the dough in half lengthwise.
- Roll the folded dough through the machine on 1, one more time.
- Adjust the machine to a 2 and then roll the sheet of dough through 2-3 times. Repeat this process until you reach your desired thickness, 6 is standard.
Cut the pasta
- Lay the sheet of pasta dough (it will be quite long) out flat on your work surface and dust with a little flour, using your hand to make sure the entire sheet is coated in flour.
- Use a knife or bench scraper to divide the pasta sheet into 3 equal sections.
- Run each floured sheet through the cutting attachment & then prepare immediately al dente, hang to dry on a drying rack, or twist the cut pasta into nests to dry.
Notes
Storage
Once the pasta is completely dry, store it in an airtight container like a ziploc bag in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a couple of months. Hanging pasta will dry very quickly, it only takes a day or two. Nests will take a few days. Pasta is dry when it breaks easily.
For long-term storage, pack dry pasta into mylar bags, add oxygen absorbers, heat seal the bags, and then store in them food-grade buckets. Pasta should keep for many years this way. Some sources say up to 25-30 years.
Choose the right flour.
All-purpose flour is commonly used for homemade pasta, but you can also experiment with different flours like semolina flour for different textures and flavors.
Measure ingredients accurately.
Properly measuring the flour and eggs is important for achieving the right dough consistency. Use measuring cups or a kitchen scale for precise measurements.
Knead thoroughly.
Kneading the dough for sufficient time is key to developing the gluten and achieving the right texture. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky - but still easy to handle and not dry or stiff.
Rest the dough.
Allowing the dough to rest after kneading gives the gluten time to relax, resulting in a more pliable dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Dust with flour as needed.
While rolling and cutting the pasta, dust the dough and work surface with flour to prevent sticking. However, use flour sparingly to avoid making the dough too dry.
Cook pasta in well-salted water.
For optimal flavor, cook the pasta in a pot of well-salted boiling water. The pasta should be cooked until al dente, meaning it is still slightly firm to the bite.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dough Cutter and Scraper Tool Kitchen - LIBERHAUS Stainless Steel Pizza Cutter Pastry Scraper for Baking Cake Decorating Bench Scraper - Pizza Dough Cutter with Measuring Scale Large Cake Cutter
MARCATO Atlas 150 Pasta Machine, Made in Italy, Includes Cutter, Hand Crank, and Instructions, 150 mm, Stainless Steel
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 222Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 36mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically and isn't always accurate, especially calories.
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