Homemade Egg Pasta

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There is something wonderfully satisfying about making pasta from scratch. With just a few simple ingredients-flour, eggs, oil, salt and a little time- you can create silky, tender pasta that is so much better than anything in a box. And while homemade pasta may sound a little intimidating, it really isn't! With my KitchenAide pasta attachment I can turn a ball of homemade egg dough into beautiful, silky strands of pasta right in my own kitchen.

This basic egg pasta dough can be used in so many ways. you can make angel hair pasta or ribbons of fettucine and spaghetti, or leave it in sheets for lasagna, canneloni and other baked pasta dishes. And one of the best parts is -fresh pasta cooks in just a few minutes! For lasagna, you don't even pre-cook, just layer it in!

The KitchenAide attachment does most the most the  work. Once the dough is mixed and rested I simply run it through the pasta roller, gradually making it thinner, and use the cutter for whatever shape I'm making.

 Here is the tried and true egg pasta recipe-

Homemade Egg Pasta 

4 large eggs

3 c. flour

1 T oil  

1 tsp salt

In your food processor(steel blade), mix all ingredients until mixture pulls away from the bowl into a ball.

Remove from bowl to a lightly floured surface, cut in half, knead a couple times, wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

Remove one ball from the wrap and set the pasta machine on the widest setting. Put it through  and fold over. Put it through again. Repeat 3-4 times.

 

Now, reduce the space between the rollers by one setting and put it through again. Reduce the rollers again and put it through. I continue this process cutting the pasta into two pieces when it gets too long. For lasagna I make it quite thin, number 5 on my KitchenAide. Put the sheets on a wood dowel or lay on your counter. Repeat this process with the reserved piece.

For fettucine, angel hair or spaghetti change your blade on the machine and put it through for desired shapes.

 

Cooking- Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil and add 3 T salt. Drop the pasta in all at once into boiling water, give it a stir and put the lid on. When it returns to a boil, uncover and cook for 1 minute, test one .....I taste it...should be al dente'. Don't overcook!

When done, drain into a colander, shaking to remove the water. 

 At this point if you want - Put into a warm platter and season with salt and pepper, add some soft butter and eat! You could even add a little Parmesan!

 Now what should we make?

Once you've made a batch of fresh pasta, the fun really begins! Depending on how you cut or shape your dough, you can use it in so many wonderful dishes. Here are a few of my favorites from the blog- just click the recipe that sound good and start cooking!

Angel Hair Pasta Delicate strands of fresh pasta are perfect with sweet crab and a light sauce. This is an especially lovely way to showcase homemade pasta.

Angel Hair Pasta with Gorgonzola sauce - if you love a rich, creamy pasta, this one is for you. The bold flavor of Gorgonzola pairs nicely with the delicate fresh angel hair pasta. I added some veal scallops in this recipe, but, you do not need to.

Fettuccine with Kale Pesto Fresh fettuccine is wonderful tossed with bright, flavorful kale pesto. A great choice when you want  something a little lighter.

Lasagna two ways- with Meat Sauce and Vegetarian Roll your pasta into beuaiful thin sheets and layer them with a hearty meat sauce or a vegetarian sauce.

Meat Cannelloni- Fresh pasta sheets make wonderful cannelloni. Fill, roll, sauce and bake for one of those comforting dishes that is well worth the effort.

 Mushroom and Burrata Lasagnette- Tender fresh pasta, mushrooms and creamy burata make this one a little different-and VERY special. YUM!~

Spaghetti Bolognese - A rich, slow cooked Bolognese deserves good pasta, and homemade spaghetti makes it even better.

Spaghetti Carbonara - cheese and bacon.....can't go wrong! A few simple ingredients come together to make one of the great classic pasta dishes.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Sausage - A delicious variation on traditional carbonara, with sausage adding an extra layer of flavor.

Once you discover how easy it is to make fresh pasta-especially with a pasta machine-you may find yourself making it more often than you ever expected. And with so many ways to serve it, the hardest part may simply be deciding which pasta dish to make first!