Homemade Pasta Recipe

Prepare the flour mound

On a clean work surface or large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and semolina flour. Make a well in the center about 3 inches across and 1 inch deep.

Add eggs and seasonings

Crack the 3 whole eggs and the extra yolk into the well. Add the olive oil and the 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt into the egg well.

Incorporate flour into eggs

Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs while gradually pulling in a little flour from the inner edge of the well. Continue bringing in flour a bit at a time until the mixture becomes a thick paste that holds together.

Knead the dough

When the dough is shaggy and mostly combined, use your hands to bring it together. Knead on the work surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If the dough is cracked and dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of water. If too sticky, dust lightly with a bit more flour.

Rest the dough

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in a bowl covered with a damp towel, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

Roll and cut

After resting, divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal portions. Keep portions not being worked covered. Flatten one portion with your palm, then run it through a pasta machine starting on the widest setting once or twice, folding once if needed. Progressively reduce thickness settings until you reach the desired thinness (for tagliatelle/fettuccine set around 3–5 on a standard scale). If rolling by hand, roll until about 1–2 mm thick.

Shape pasta

Lightly dust the sheet with flour, fold loosely into thirds or roll up gently, then cut into ribbons 6–10 mm wide for tagliatelle/fettuccine. Unfold and hang on a drying rack or lay flat on a lightly floured tray while you finish remaining portions.

Bring salted water to a boil

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, so have everything ready.

Cook the pasta

Add the fresh pasta to the boiling water and gently stir to prevent sticking. Cook for 1.5–3 minutes depending on thickness (thin ribbons 1.5–2 minutes; slightly thicker 3 minutes). Taste one strand to check doneness — it should be tender but with a slight bite (al dente).

Reserve pasta water

Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta quickly using a colander or tongs.

Finish in a pan

In a wide sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter or warm the olive oil (2 tablespoons). Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss for 30–60 seconds, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a light sauce that clings to the noodles.

Season and serve

Turn off the heat, add the grated cheese (1/2 cup), freshly ground black pepper to taste, and chopped fresh herbs (about 2 tablespoons) if using. Toss gently to combine. Adjust seasoning with a bit more salt if needed. Serve immediately, on a first-come-first-served basis if making for a crowd.