Pasta Making Recipe

Measure & mound flours

On a clean work surface or in a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and semolina flour. Mound the flours and create a wide well in the center about 3–4 inches across.

Add eggs & aromatics

Crack the 6 large eggs and 2 extra yolks into the well. Add the 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil into the eggs.

Incorporate flour

Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs in the center, gradually drawing in a few tablespoons of flour from the inner edge of the well at a time so the mixture thickens without breaking the walls. Continue until the dough becomes shaggy and most flour is incorporated.

Knead the dough

Using the heels of your hands, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. If the dough is very dry, add up to 2 tablespoons water; if too sticky, dust with a little extra flour or semolina.

Rest the dough

Form the dough into a ball, lightly coat with a thin film of olive oil, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in a covered bowl, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

Prepare workspace

Unwrap the rested dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Keep unused pieces covered to prevent drying. Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin (or pasta machine) with semolina or flour.

Roll thin

Using a rolling pin or pasta machine, flatten one piece into a rectangle and roll to desired thinness: for tagliatelle/linguine about 1–1.5 mm, for filled pasta slightly thicker (2 mm). If using a machine, pass dough through progressively thinner settings, dusting lightly to avoid sticking.

Cut or shape

For long pasta: loosely dust the sheet with semolina, roll the sheet lightly into a log (not tight), then slice with a sharp knife to desired width (e.g., 8 mm for tagliatelle). Unroll the ribbons and hang or lay flat to dry slightly. For filled pasta: cut rounds or squares, place measured spoonfuls of filling, fold and seal edges with water, press firmly and crimp.

Dry slightly before cooking

Allow shaped pasta to rest on a baking sheet dusted with semolina for 10–20 minutes so the surface dries a little; this helps maintain shape when cooking.

Boil water

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt per 4–6 quarts of water (or the 1 tbs listed). Stir to dissolve.

Cook fresh pasta

Add fresh pasta to the boiling water and stir gently to prevent sticking. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly: small shapes and ribbons take 1–3 minutes, thicker or filled pasta 3–5 minutes. Taste for doneness — al dente.

Reserve pasta water

Before draining, ladle and reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency and to help sauce cling to the pasta.

Toss with sauce or finish

Drain pasta (or transfer with tongs) into a sauté pan with 1–2 tablespoons butter or your prepared sauce. Add 1–2 tablespoons reserved pasta water and toss over medium heat for 30–60 seconds so sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and 3/4 cup grated cheese, and garnish with fresh basil if desired.

Simple ricotta filling

Combine 1 cup ricotta, 1 tsp lemon zest, a pinch of salt and the chopped blanched spinach. Taste and adjust seasoning. Use about 1 teaspoon of filling per ravioli pocket or 1/2 tablespoon per tortellini.

Quick garlic-tomato sauce

Sauté 2 crushed garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons olive oil until fragrant (30–45 seconds). Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and cook until softened (3–5 minutes). Add fresh basil, season with salt and pepper, and finish with reserved pasta water and a knob of butter.

Assembly for filled pasta

Place small mounds of filling on pasta squares, brush edges with water, fold and press to seal, and crimp. For decorative edges, use a fork or a ravioli cutter. Cook as directed above, taking care not to overcook filled pasta.

Keep workstations lightly floured. Encourage students to feel dough texture — it should be supple and slightly tacky, not sticky. Resting time is important for rolling; under-rested dough will spring back. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help it cling to noodles. Leftover dough can be wrapped and refrigerated up to 24 hours or frozen for longer storage.