House Made Pasta Recipe
Make House Made Pasta Recipe in just 2h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Fresh Pasta Dough
Assembly & Finishing
Method
Fresh Pasta Dough
- 1
Measure and mound flours
On a clean work surface, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup semolina flour. Make a large mound and create a wide well in the center (about 3–4 inches across) leaving a firm wall of flour around the edge).
- 2
Add eggs and seasonings
Crack 4 large eggs and 1 extra egg yolk into the well. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt to the eggs.
- 3
- 4
Knead the dough
Using your hands, begin to fold the dough together, pressing and bringing more flour in until a rough dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes: press with the heel of your hand away from you, fold the dough back toward you, rotate and repeat, until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not sticky. If the dough is too dry and cracking, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too sticky, sprinkle a little additional flour (up to 1 tablespoon).
- 5
Roll & Cut Pasta
- 6
Prepare workspace and equipment
Unwrap the dough and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Keep pieces you are not working with covered with a clean towel or plastic to prevent drying. Lightly dust your work surface with the reserved 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and 1 tablespoon semolina.
- 7
Flatten and feed through pasta machine (or roll by hand)
Take one piece and flatten it with your palm into a rough rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. If using a pasta machine, set it to the widest setting and feed the dough through once. Fold the sheet in thirds like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and pass through again on the widest setting. Repeat 2–3 times to develop gluten and a smooth surface. Then progressively decrease the machine setting one notch at a time, passing the dough once at each setting until you reach the desired thickness (typically setting 5–7 for tagliatelle/linguine; thinner for lasagna). If rolling by hand, roll thinly into an even sheet about 1–2 mm thick.
- 8
Dust and rest sheets
Lightly dust each sheet with semolina to prevent sticking. Stack loosely or hang over a pasta drying rack for 5–10 minutes to dry slightly so cutting yields clean edges.
- 9
Cut into shapes
For tagliatelle/linguine: fold or roll each sheet into a loose cylinder and slice to desired width (e.g., 1/4 inch for tagliatelle). Unroll slices and toss lightly with semolina to separate. For pappardelle, cut wider; for fettuccine, cut narrower. For sheets (lasagna), leave whole or trim to size. For stuffed pasta, cut into rounds or squares as needed.
Cooking & Finishing
- 10
Boil salted water
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta.
- 11
Cook pasta
Add a small batch of fresh pasta to the boiling water (do not overcrowd). Fresh ribbons typically cook in 1–3 minutes depending on thickness. Taste for doneness: tender but with a slight bite (al dente). Stir gently to prevent sticking.
- 12
Reserve pasta water
Before draining, scoop out and reserve 1/2 to 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water to help emulsify sauces.
- 13
Finish with sauce
Immediately transfer the drained pasta to a warm sauté pan with your chosen sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water and 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed; toss over medium heat 30–60 seconds until sauce clings to the pasta. Adjust seasoning and serve promptly.
- 14
Storage and leftovers
To freeze: arrange lightly floured portions of cut pasta on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a sealed container for up to 2 months. To refrigerate: place in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Fresh sheets can be used immediately or dried on a rack for longer storage.
