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Hi Bold Bakers!
A big part of being a truly Bold Baker is knowing how to work with doughs! Doughs, whether they are for yeasted bread, homemade tortillas, or even fresh pasta, are all made of similar ingredients.
This fresh pasta dough amazes me! It’s incredible what you can do with just a bit of flour and fresh eggs (If you’d prefer whole wheat flour, try my 3 Ingredient Whole Wheat Pasta! And if you’re going eggless, try my 3 Ingredient Homemade Vegan Pasta).
I bet you never knew that using these two common ingredients means you can make fresh pasta at home BY HAND! My 2 Ingredient Homemade Pasta recipe is a wonder to have up your sleeve. I promise after you give this recipe a try you’ll be feeling like a pasta machine!
How Much Homemade Pasta Do I Need Per Person?
I recommend a 2 ounce serving of fresh pasta per-person. Once the pasta is cooked that should equal around 1 cup of pasta. That said, I can eat bowl after bowl of this stuff. I love this pasta with all kinds of sauces, but it is heavenly with just some olive oil or butter and my Homemade Ricotta Cheese recipe.
Why Do You Need To Let Pasta Dough Rest?
After kneading your homemade pasta dough and bringing it into a ball it’s really important to let the dough rest. I wrap my dough in cling wrap and allow it to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and a max of 4 hours in the fridge. This gives the dough time to let the flour absorb the liquid and for the gluten relax. Gluten is what will allow the pasta dough to be stretched and rolled out to be super thin.
Taste and Consistency
By the time you’ve finished making and cooking your pasta, it should be fresh, chewy, and delicious.
Why Is My Homemade Pasta Dry?
Just like any other dough, you have to let the homemade pasta dough tell you what to do. My Homemade Pasta recipe only requires 3 cups of flour and 4 large eggs. The richness and moisture in the egg are all this dough needs to come together. The 3rd ingredient is elbow grease.
If you take your time and are patient in bringing them together, then when kneading this pasta dough you’ll find the dough is neither too wet nor too dry. There is a moment when first kneading the dough that I myself thought I needed to add more egg, but, the trick with doughs is they get wetter when they are resting.
So stick with the dough while kneading and it will turn into a soft, stretchy, and firm dough. Note: It’s better to be too dry than too wet as the dough will release moisture as it relaxes in the fridge.
How To Make Pasta From Scratch
With two ingredients, this best homemade pasta recipe is not only easy, it also gives you the variation to make your own noodles and shapes. The best part is you don’t need a pasta maker. Without further ado, here is my easy pasta dough recipe (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):.
- Place flour in a mound on a flat clean surface.
- Crack 4 eggs into a well in a center of the mound.
- Incorporate the flour into eggs until dough forms.
- Bring the dough together with palms and knead for 5 minutes.
- Once the dough starts to form a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cut the dough into four equal pieces, cover each with a towel.
- Flour the work surface and roll each ball of dough into a large thin sheet with a rolling pin.
- Once rolling out the dough, fold the dough on the lightly floured surface over itself several times. Cut the roll into strips depending on the type of pasta you are making.
- Dust flour on sliced strips and unravel.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
What Shape Do I Make My Homemade Pasta?
Once the dough is rolled out into a very thin sheet (see recipe instructions) I fold it over itself into a nice log. From there I use a sharp knife to cut the pasta in 1/4 inch thick strips.
This is where you can get creative with your easy homemade pasta. You can make thinner strips, more like fettuccine noodles, or thicker pappardelle-style pasta. There is no wrong or right here, I’m sure whatever shape you choose to make that you’ll find this to be one of the most satisfying parts of making your pasta by hand.
Once cut into strips I unroll the dough and pull apart the strips revealing gorgeous tangles of homemade fresh pasta. It’s amazing how professional this fresh pasta recipe comes out with no help from a machine — it’s pasta magic!
How Long To Cook Homemade Pasta
Once you’ve added some shape to your homemade pasta dough, it’s time to start cooking it.
- Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and boil 8 cups of water. Once the water is boiling, add salt.
- Add the pasta to the salted water and allow to cook for roughly 2 minutes or until tender. When the pasta floats to the top of the pot it is ready.
- Strain the water off of the pasta and serve as desired.
How Do I Store Homemade Pasta?
Fresh pasta can be stored uncooked and covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it’s already cooked, drizzle some olive oil over it to stop it from sticking together. Also, you can freeze the fresh pasta in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks.
Make Sure You Try My Other Pasta Recipes!
And Get More Limited Ingredient Recipes!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!