Learn how to make pasta from scratch without a fancy machine or any talent at all.
Story by Rachitha Jadala
Photos by Julia Rasor
Pasta dough requires minimal ingredients and is made using rudimentary technique. Follow this recipe to make a basic dough that can be kneaded into any shape desired.
½ tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. water
On a clean work surface, sift the flour and create a volcano-like mound, leaving room in the middle.
Crack the egg into the middle and sprinkle salt on top.
Using a fork, whisk the egg in the middle and slowly incorporate the flour from the wall around it. Once most of the flour has been incorporated, use your hands to work in the rest of the flour.
Knead the dough for five minutes, adding flour to rid excess stickiness if necessary.
Cover the dough and allow it to sit for 30 minutes before rolling and shaping
Farfalle, commonly known as bow tie pasta, is a classic shape that pairs well with most meats and seafood. Here is how to shape the dough.
Using your hands, shape the dough into a rough rectangle.
Use a wooden rolling pin to stretch the dough to approximately 1 millimeter thickness. Keep the rectangular shape while rolling the dough out.
Cut the pasta into 1 ½ by 1 inch rectangles.
Laying the pasta horizontally, gently pinch each piece in the middle. Use a touch of water as glue to help keep the pasta in shape
Pici is a more rustic pasta that is hand-rolled and resembles a fat spaghetti. This pasta pairs well with both hearty and simple bread based sauces.
Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangular shape.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it is ¼ of an inch in thickness. Try to keep the shape rectangular to make cutting clean strips easier.
Using a sharp knife, cut thin strips across the length of the dough. The strips should be roughly ¼ inch in width.
Work one strip at a time and rapidly roll the strip back and forth, starting in the middle and working outward. The dough will form worm-like noodles approximately eight inches long. Repeat this process for each remaining strip.