This easy homemade pasta recipe only uses 3 simple ingredients and makes a pasta that tastes way better than what you can buy at the store.
Recipe by The Prairie Homestead on February 17, 2015
Prep time: PT1H10M
Cook time: PT4M
Total time: PT1H14M
Rating
4.8 stars ( reviews)
Keywords
homemade pasta recipe
Ingredients
2 cups flour (where to purchase)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use this salt)
3 large eggs
Categories
Main Dish
Cuisine
Italian
Steps
Combine the flour and salt.
Make a well in the center of the flour, and add the eggs.
Gently begin to mix the eggs, gradually drawing in flour with each stroke. Eventually a stiff dough will form.
Knead the pasta dough for 8-10 minutes.
If the dough is too dry and won’t stick together, add a 1/2 teaspoon of water. If it is too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour.
Keep in mind this dough will be much stiffer than your traditional bread doughs. However, the longer you work it, the smoother and more pliable it will become.
We are looking for a smooth, satiny consistency, which will begin to develop the more you knead.
Cover the well-kneaded dough tightly with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest for around 45 minutes. (This resting phase is super important, as it gives the dough time to relax. Otherwise, you’ll fight it the whole time you are rolling it out.)
After the resting period, divide the dough into four portions. Now comes the cool part!
Pasta Machine Instructions:
I’m really picky with my kitchen gadgets, and generally only keep the necessities. However, I’m very loyal to my pasta machine and it has earned it’s place in my crowded cupboards.
Rolling the dough is a process– you need to make several passes, throughout each thickness setting for the best results. I start with the biggest setting (usually 5 or 6), run it through once or twice there, and then start gradually adjust the settings to be thinner and thinner until I have the perfect sheet of golden pasta.
Between each pass, I like to fold the strip into thirds. This helps square up the edges and keeps things even. Then simply roll it through the cutting side of the machine to slice into spaghetti or fettucine.
Rolling Pin Instructions:
If you don’t have a pasta machine, you can simply use a rolling pin and knife (or pizza cutter). Keep in mind you’ll want to roll it out as thin as humanly possible, as it will plumb up considerably once you cook it.
Roll each portion of dough out on a well-flour surface and then cut into thin strips. Your noodles will be more rustic, but they’ll still taste amazing.
From here, you can either cook your pasta right away (3-4 minutes in boiling water) or dry it.
It also freezes well– just make sure you don’t throw it into the freezer in a big lump, because then you’ll end up with a pasta dumpling when you go to cook it.
Serve your perfect homemade pasta with homemade sauces, or olive oil, Parmesan, and fresh herbs.
Reviews
James Laabs on 2020-10-05 (5 stars): This is my favorite recipe for homemade pasta. I use the same pasta rolling machine as shown and it is great, definitely worth the cost.
skylar drinka on 2017-11-30 (2 stars): I have done that with simply scrambled eggs FOR OUR FAMILY ONLY!
NISHANTH on 2018-08-17 (5 stars): Yes it's very tasty
Corey Cottrell on 2020-08-01 (5 stars): Just received a Kitchenaid as a wedding gift. Bought the pasta maker gadget and used this recipe to make the pasta for the shrimp Alfredo. It was Slap Your Mother GOOD!
Eileen on 2018-05-01 (5 stars): OMG SO COOL...did not have the extra cash for the drying rack,and today i am making pasta.....thank you so much
for this idea....
Bethany on 2015-02-18 (5 stars): I spread mine out on a big flour sack towel. I think the towel helps absorb some moisture, helping the noodles dry out faster. It also makes it easier to "stir" the noodles & allow for complete drying. I just lift one edge of the towel to sort of fold them into the center and redistribute them.
Sir Lactose Introllanator on 2018-03-31 (4 stars): Maybe your brain is fermented. Farm fresh eggs do not provide any more or less color than any other egg! And you are promoting a cooking website? What kind of fool would visit a website run by someone so obviously inept!?
David on 2018-04-01 (4 stars): I’m afraid I have to respectfully disagree - not only with the content but with the tone of Sir Cranky-a-lot’s reponse. The egg yolk (“il rosso” in Italian, or “the red”) is a brighter yellow, often closer to orange in farm fresh/free-range eggs. Whether it is their diet or the processing of large scale poultry operations that results in lighter egg yolks, there is a difference that Colleen correctly points out. If the eggs have darker yolks, then the resulting pasta will be more yellow. I grew up on a farm with chickens and lived in Italy for 5 years where I learned to make pasta, so I write from personal experience and not from any fermentation of the brain - thank you very much!
Beth on 2018-04-08 (5 stars): I agree Mr. David. Farm fresh eggs ARE different from industrial eggs. Just google it!
Peter on 2018-05-01 (5 stars): I have backyard chickens and can confirm, our yolks are much closer to orange than any egg you get from the store.
Lisa on 2018-08-07 (5 stars): Yes, I agree. Backyard chicken eggs are bright orange. Nothing like what you get in the store. And they are also more delicious.
Sylvia/KnowWhere Farms on 2018-04-16 (5 stars): I can speak to our farm fresh eggs being different than that of a typical commercial egg. The colour of the yolk changes through the year, becoming more orange than yellow depending on how much green plant they have in their diets. The firmness of the egg also changes, typically with firmer egg whites when the hens have more access to insect proteins.
BK on 2018-05-24 (5 stars): Its amazing how given a little anonymity people become so rude. I too would like to confirm that farm fresh eggs absolutely have a different colour and texture to that of the big production house eggs. Especially if they are free range foragers. They DO give a different colour to a dish. I make my own bread and pasta using organic kamut wheat and we raise our own chickens for eggs. Big difference in the outcome between using store bought mass produced eggs and our yard eggs. I really recommend trying kamut if you haven't already. Its delicious and much healthier than modern wheat.
Tara Dactyl on 2018-05-31 (5 stars): I have eggs from the store in my refrigerator and some that are fresh from 8 hens that I take care of when their people are out of town. I can confirm the yolks are darker orange than the pale yellow orange you see from the store. Fresh eggs are higher in nutrients than conventional eggs. There is also scientific evidence that hens fed soy feed have soy proteins in the yolk so for people with intolerance to soy should avoid eggs fed this way.
denise mckinnon on 2018-09-07 (5 stars): most certainly free range eggs are different, brighter yolks and much more taste, i also have my own chooks wandering around our back yard at will. the grumpy bum comment is the one with the fermented brain
Lady Di on 2020-04-12 (4 stars): So rude! Give this as._ a fresh egg!
NISHANTH on 2018-08-17 (5 stars): Yes it's very tasty
Jeanayia on 2018-07-15 (5 stars): Grandparents and their recipes...what a blessing :).
I haven't tried making the pasta yet, but will try both with the whole eggs, and with yolks and water. Thanks for the great ideas!
Danielle on 2018-06-16 (4 stars): I did make this tonight and I live on the east coast. You’re right- definitely too much flour- I only needed a cup and a half, plus 1 tablespoon of water and I added just a little oil on the counter to knead it in. Turned out perfect but the above recipe was far too dry for the east coaster i am!
Priscilla on 2018-04-11 (5 stars): I used a pizza slicer prior to having a pasta machine ;)
Victoria on 2017-07-13 (5 stars): I threw in all my noodles when i cooked my noodles and surprisingly they didn't clump. But i also added salt and a touch of margarine (for the oil) to my water and periodically sturred.
Patrick on 2015-02-20 (5 stars): Oh my, I HAVE to try this! I absolutely love pasta, but for some reason I've never even considered making my own..duh! :)
Lisa on 2020-01-06 (5 stars): We just made these again. Yes it seems like the dough is too thick, but it’s not. You have to knead it and it will be tough to do. Then put a little oil or grease in bowl, out dough in bowl and turn over, cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 45 minutes, minimum.
The dough will be loose and monster after resting. We have a pasta roller so used that. My kids love these.
Elizabeth Caraco on 2016-10-05 (4 stars): Made this yesterday with 00 flour. It was good but not as tender as the pasta I had in Italy in September. Made all by hand so I will give it another try with the Kitchen aid. I needed a lot more moisture, added in splashes while kneading, but dough was nice and soft and quite easy to roll out by hand. Used my new pasta cutting rolling pin to cut, dried, lightly floured on a dish towel, 1 hrs, no sticking when I cooked. Recommend this.
Betsy Caraco
Heidi on 2017-01-02 (5 stars): This was excellent! I followed the recipe, rolled it out by hand, and it was delicious!
David A on 2017-02-22 (5 stars): Only made it twice, once with egg, very good, and one without egg which turned out gooey.
Will give it another shot but was wondering if the dough could be frozen before rolling out if I want to make multiple batches and save.
Daryle in VT on 2017-02-26 (5 stars): Some years ago, a friend gave me an electric pasta "extruder" machine. It didn't take long to burn out the motor.
I've had an Atlas pasta machine for over 30 years. It works perfectly. It works even more perfectly when I'm not in a hurry and allow the pasta dough to rest about an hour.
Maria Luzzi on 2017-03-02 (5 stars): Thanks for the refresher course! It's been a while since I made pasta, but it all came back to me after looking at your recipe. My mom never bought pasta, and never used a machine to cut what she made. Not sure if I'm that good with the rolling pin. However, she'd continuously fold each side of the rolled pasta toward the center until it looked like a scroll. Then she cut it by whatever width she wanted. Finally, she'd scoot a wooden spoon under the center and lift. Voila! Pasta would unroll. She would then take a broomstick, place it between two chairs, and hang the pasta to dry. Having company? Her rule of thumb was one egg per person. Add flour accordingly, or make more to freeze! Man, she was a master cook. Wish I watched her more when growing up!
Claudette on 2017-03-04 (5 stars): Durum wheat not only gives the perfect texture for noodle dough, but the yellow color (along with farm eggs) makes them look exquisite as well.
Caution to those who use whole wheat and dry the noodles to store them. Whole wheat noodles don't last as long as dried because the oil begins to go rancid.
Jane on 2017-05-31 (5 stars): My first try at making homemade pasta and this recipe was perfect. So easy to follow and the fettucine noodles I made were delicious! Thank you Jill for such a great recipe! It's a keeper!
Victoria on 2017-07-13 (5 stars): I also forgot to mention.... your recipe is great for pierogi's too. Less flouring, but same concept.
Victoria on 2017-07-13 (5 stars): I love this recipe. People expect store quality when it comes to homemade. They don't understand there is a difference! This recipe is so easy and tastes like REAL homemade pasta. The key is, like you stated, always flour! I don't just sprinkle, i rub flour into the dough. It gives it a rough like texture and the dough doesn't stick. I also found a pizza cutter is easiest to cut if you don't have a pasta machine. Of course, it takes a few tries to get it consistent, but practice and patience does the job.
Joyce Davis on 2017-09-04 (5 stars): I am in a catagorie all by myself in my area because I like to make my own stuff. From pasta to soap to socks. And everything in between. I am so glad to see homemade is still alive. Keep up the good work. Your noodle recipe is the exact one I have used for 45 years.
Lisa in Texas on 2017-11-13 (5 stars): We enjoyed this easy recipe! Did half and half semolina and all purpose flour. Rolled out with a rolling pin and used a pizza cutter. Super easy and delicious! Thanks!
Terry Justison on 2017-11-30 (5 stars): i have been making pasta since 80's and use my cuisinart to mix and knead. funny my old atlas has#1 as thickest! love making fresh ravioli. when we lived in an RV for 5 yrs, people would stare because I would use the picnic table for space to roll out my noodles. i use same recipe-excellent write up
Lynda on 2018-01-05 (5 stars): i was looking for the same question here. I am making ravioli tonight and would like to use this recipe as it worked great for regular pasta. Just never made ravioli and don't know if the recipe needs tweaking?
Jade Smithson on 2017-12-25 (5 stars): Never mind I am going to make fettuccine pasta but thanks anyway! I am definitely going to make this. The reviews are awesome and it sounds delicious!
Hilda McGolann on 2017-12-27 (5 stars): This pasta is awesome! My whole family loved it, but I just needed to boil it a little bit more. I first boiled it for 4 minutes but it was still a little bit hard so I did it again for about 2-3 more minutes. Also, if you're wondering where you can buy a pasta maker, you can buy the CucinaPro on Amazon.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am going to make this all the time!
Monica on 2017-12-28 (5 stars): I want to try this for my pasta-loving kids!! Which pasta maker is your favorite?
Elizabeth L. Johnson on 2017-12-30 (5 stars): Sometimes I read the comments just to "listen" to the conversation. Jill, you and your family are a blessing, and your commentors are also!
Thomas Anastasio on 2018-01-04 (5 stars): Been making my own pasta for years now. It takes more time but it is totally worth it! My fiance and I try to make fresh pasta dishes at least once a week.
L.MAUS on 2018-01-09 (5 stars): This made a nice amount of pasta! I did half fettuccine and half angel hair just to play with my pasta roller. I’m going to make some from fresh and dry the rest, how do you recommend storing the dried pasta? Thanks for a great recipe!
Jennifer Maturo on 2018-01-14 (5 stars): I love you!!! I've never done this before and it came out awesome! would have been a little easier had i had a rolling machine, but i managed with a rolling pin, paring knife, and my sore hands!!!
Stacy on 2018-01-25 (5 stars): First time I made fresh pasta I was told to use 00 flour. That stuff is expensive for a little bag. Then I saw this recipe and gave it a try. I made fettuccine Alfredo, and it was fantastic. It was very easy. If I say it's good, IT'S GOOD! I'm a big food critic, especially towards my own cooking. I will use this recipe for future pasta making. Can I freeze pasta dough if I wanted to make ahead or in bulk?
Carmie on 2018-02-06 (5 stars): I see your machine is an Atlas. I just ordered one and I see the UPS man just delivered it to my door. Now I want to leave work and go play with it!
Thanks for the recipe and tips!
Scarlette on 2018-02-22 (5 stars): I have made this pasta twice before and it came out perfectly each time! It's so easy and tastes great- way better than store-bought pasta. Everybody should try this recipe! Just one question: Can I use whole-wheat flour to make this healthier?
P.S. If I could, I would give this recipe 10 stars!
Zirah Childs on 2018-08-03 (5 stars): I made this recipe and chronicled my first time on my blog! It turned out so good! https://zirahchilds.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/challenge-accepted-handrolled-pasta/ If you want to check it out! Thanks for the recipe!!
NISHANTH on 2018-08-17 (5 stars): Yes it's very tasty yummy
NISHANTH on 2018-08-17 (4 stars): Yes it's yummy
Iris on 2018-08-23 (5 stars): I love to cook and bake, and I'm only 13. I wanted to try making pasta because I saw it in a recipe book once. I had so much fun making it and using the pasta machine, and it tasted delicious. Would totally make it again!
debbie donnelly on 2019-01-20 (5 stars): Many years ago I had a Polish lady teach me the art of noodles & perogy's
She put a broom handle across two chair's with a sheet under it & hung the noodles to dry that way,so if they broke as they dried they would still be clean on the sheet.
I also learned that the rest period is the secret to good noodle or perogy dough,she told me make my dough nite before let rest in a cool place(frig)then make them next day.
I was so blessed to have such a dear friend ,who taught me so much.
Nothing like learning from an older generation
Beta Calendars on 2019-03-27 (5 stars): Since I recently started making pasta I wanted to try new recipes. This one turned out perfect!!!! I will certainly keep this on the top of my list
Esther on 2020-04-04 (5 stars): It sure is!
anonymous on 2020-05-02 (1 stars): This came out so disgustingly bad. I've successfully made pasta many times before but today i decided to try a new recipe. So i followed the recipe thoroughly and i rolled it out and it was a good texture. i used my pizza cutter to cut it and when i was done the pasta strands would not separate so I decided to just cook it and hope it separated then. i cooked it for 3 minutes (which is how long your supposed to cook fresh pasta) and it was super hard and hadnt separated. I tried to take a bite and it was uncooked in the middle and flavorless. needless to say i will NOT be making this recipe again. very dissapointed.
Lynn Howard on 2022-04-04 (5 stars): Excellent
Mentari138 login on 2022-05-10 (5 stars): Thank you for sharing Mate, I would like to try your recipe how to make homepasta. Keep sharing amazing content.
