by Texas Homesteader ~
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Have you ever made your own homemade pasta? It’s heartier than the pasta you buy in the store. I’ve discovered just exactly how easy it is to make homemade pasta from scratch. Other than water there are only 3 ingredients in my pasta recipe:
Flour, Egg & Salt.
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When I was a child we had a family friend who made pasta from scratch. Boy were we all impressed! That was until I found out how easy it is to make homemade pasta.
Baby Steps Learning To Provide
Years ago I began my voluntary simplicity journey. I became interested in how to make more of the items my family consumed. And I knew in doing so the result would be healthier, less expensive and gentler on the earth.
So I started off easy, learning to make my own spice mixes and cooking more from scratch. I found much pride and enjoyment in learning old-time methods.
Had I really become so far removed from my food that I was under the misconception that it was too difficult to provide these basic foods myself??
Like many of the things I’ve since learned to make myself, I was shocked at how easy and inexpensive pasta was to make and how few basic ingredients are involved.
And I’ve experimented with making flavored 3-color Pasta too. Making your own pasta is versatile & so easy!
Wanna be amazed? Here’s how easily it all comes together.
Easy Homemade Pasta-Making Steps
I start by measuring two cups of all-purpose flour onto my counter. Many people use special semolina flour for making pasta. But I typically use plain ole all-purpose flour for mine. It always turns out delicious. Use whatcha got!
Today I also took advantage of the oregano I recently harvested & dried from my garden. I sprinkled about 1/2 teaspoon of the powdered dried oregano right into the flour. This will add an Italian flavor to my pasta.
Finally I added 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stirred it all together with a fork.
I made a little well in the middle of my flour mountain and cracked an egg into it. I stirred the egg with my fork until it was mixed well.
Then I slowly added 1/2 cup water, stirring with my fork and gradually incorporating more & more flour until it became thicker.
Finally I mixed it all together with my hands as it became a dough. I knead it until it’s smooth. (maybe around 4 minutes)
The dough is then divided into 3 equalish pieces and covered with a towel. It is allowed to rest for about 15 minutes.
Rolling Out The Pasta Dough
After the dough has rested you can roll out the pasta dough and cut it to the length & width you like.
You don’t really need any special appliances for these steps, you can accomplish it with just a rolling pin and a knife of course.
But I was given this *Pasta Machine
years ago as a gift and I love it. So I typically use it instead.
Although I’m able to roll the pasta by myself using this pasta maker, it’s helpful to have two people to work the pasta roller: one person to feed the dough and catch the ribbon of pasta that comes out the bottom and another person to turn the crank.
So this meal typically becomes a shared family activity for RancherMan & me here on the homestead. Love it!
Cutting Pasta Into Noodles
Sometimes I leave the pasta dough in sheets so I can make lasagna or delicious homemade ravioli for supper. But other times I want to cut the pasta dough into noodles.
My pasta maker has two different cutting widths for cutting the pasta dough into noodles. There’s one cutter for thin spaghetti noodles and another cutter for wider fettuccine-sized noodles.
I typically prefer the wider noodles. They just seem less fussy to deal with after they’re cut.
After the noodles are cut I’ll sprinkle them with a little flour and fluff them just a bit to make sure the strands are coated so they don’t stick together. Then I’ll allow them rest for maybe an hour or more and before boiling them.
Cooking Fresh Pasta
Fresh pasta takes much less time to cook than the dried stuff in a box you buy from the store. Depending upon how long I’ve allowed it to rest (and therefore begin to dry) my fresh pasta cooks with less than 2 minutes boiling (depending upon how thick your pasta is).
To cook I’ll bring salted water to a boil, gently place fresh pasta into the water and allow the water to return to a boil. Then I just boil the pasta until it’s al dente, about 1.5 to 2 minutes. (Be careful not to stir too much! Fresh pasta is fragile when it’s being cooked.)
Finally I’ll strain the pasta, add the preferred sauce and serve.
Here’s my simple 3-ingredient homemade pasta recipe:
Easy Homemade Pasta
This homemade pasta uses just 3 ingredients - all purpose flour, egg & salt. This homemade pasta is much more hearty and filling than the commercial pastas you buy in a box. Homemade pasta - nothing better! #TexasHomesteader
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 Cup Water
Instructions
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Measure 2 cups all-purpose flour on a counter and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and crack an egg into the center. Slowly add 1/2 cup water, mixing with a fork and gently incorporate the flour into the egg mixture a little at a time.
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Once you have incorporated the flour with the fork, use your fingertips to blend the mixture well. If the dough seems too dry add 1/2 teaspoon of water, if it seems too wet and sticks to your fingers add a light dusting of flour.
-
Form a ball with the dough. Knead the pasta dough as you would bread dough, pushing down and away with the palm of your hand, turn the dough 1/2 turn, fold in half and press again with the palm of your hand. Repeat this movement until dough is smooth, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cut the dough into 3 equal sections, form each section into a ball and cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
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After the dough has rested, flatten one of the dough balls until it's about 1/2 inch thick and roll into the desired thickness. Then cut the dough into noodles. After cutting the dough, hang the pasta on a wooden dowel to dry. Fresh pasta can be used today after allowing it to air dry for an hour or so. Or you can dry it overnight and it will keep a week or more.
Recipe Notes
NOTE: If cooking pasta fresh, be gentle and stir as little as possible to keep pasta strands intact.
~TxH~
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How long does it take to dry the pasta?
How long does it take for this pasta dry?
I typically cook with it fresh, only allowing it to air dry for an hour or so. Fresh pasta cooks really quickly. Depending upon the thickness and how wide your noodles are, my fettuccini-sized noodles cook in less than 2 minutes. However in past years we’ve made and dried pasta for gifts, I hung the fresh pasta on dowels with none touching each other and allowed it to dry overnight and it was fine. ~TxH~
Sorry for the double post. Thank you so much for a quick response and I’m going to try your recipe this afternoon. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Best!
One thing of caution Karla. Fresh pasta is pretty fragile when it’s being cooked. So the less you can stir it, the better. But you’re gonna LOVE this pasta – it’s much more hearty and filling than commercial pasta. Enjoy! ~TxH~
I was just thinking about making my own pasta last night! I’ve never tried it, but I recently made my own ricotta cheese and am so excited with that success. I heard that making noodles isn’t too difficult and so worth it. It’s perfect timing that I saw your post today. 🙂 I might try to add in some whole wheat flour just because I love the texture it gives to things. Plus, hubby’s a health nut.
Would you please tell me which final number on the dial you used for making the lasagna noodles? Thank you.
Sue, you can make the noodles as thin or thick as you like of course but I don’t care for them too thin. Most of the time when I send the dough through the final roll the dial # is set to 3, which is just about right for us.
You brought back great meomories – my Mom always made homemade noodles and then she would let me roll out the dough and slice them into noodles. I haven’t even thought of making noodles since I moved away from home. Seeing the pasta cutter makes me think maybe I should give it a try again
I LOVE making pasta! Once you do it is hard to go back isn’t it? What filling do you use in your ravioli? I have the latest MJFarm Magazine marked to make the Pasta recipes in there including the pasta. Thanks for sharing the steps for this. Everyone should try this!
Debbie, there’s a link to my ravioli recipe right in this homemade pasta post. Check it out & give it a try!
My husband loves making home made pasta. For Christmas I got him the Kitchen Aid Pasta maker and I got him a ravioli kit too. I will have to show him your recipe. Thank you for joining us on our Four Seasons Blog Hop. Pinning Now.
Hi Tammy! Thanks for sharing the recipe! I hope to make it soon and use my homemade Italian sausage for the filling! Have a great day! Blessings from Bama!
As much as we eat pasta, I really should try to make some!! How fun to add your own herbs! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
A pasta maker has been on my wish list!
I learned how to make pasta years ago in 4H and haven’t made it since (40+ years ago). I think it’s time to dust off the pasta attachment to my Kitchen Aid and see what happens! I also read on a blog about a month or so ago that you can forgo the water and add a pureed vegetable instead – like carrots – to make the pasta a bit more on the healthy side! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Vickie, I’ve made spinach lasagne noodles before, but it’s been years . Thanks for the reminder, that is *SO* gonna happen next time I make pasta!
Now I need to make pasta. You make it look so easy. I just have such a small kitchen.
Heidi’s Wanderings
I once saw Alton Brown (on the Food Network) clamp the pasta machine to one end of an ironing board; with a clean cover of course, and rolled the pasta to the desired length. This method enabled him to make the pasta by himself!!
We have the clamp kind as well Barbara, but I find it’s easier (and so much more fun) to make it a two-person activity. I’ve rolled the pasta on my own but it goes so much more smoothly with him turning the crank as I feed the pasta dough through one end and catch the rolled-out pasta on the other end. Hey, I’m a happy girl that RancherMan enjoys being in the kitchen with me!
I haven’t made my own pasta in awhile and it is really simple to do. We made homemade perogies and lasagna noodles awhile ago and they were so delicious! Thanks for linking up to the Friday Follow Along.
What a great tutorial. So easy! I’ll bet it tastes amazingly fresh. I guess you cook it less?
Daisy – Of course it depends on how thick or thin you roll your pasta, but I’ve found it’s usually about 3-4 minutes cooking time compared to the commercial stuff, give or take. ~TxH~
I love the simplicity of homemade pasta. I have never made it and have bookmarked it. i will check back with you regularly. Followed you from the Frugal Fit Family Friday hop. 🙂
Give it a try, it’s very easy to do and so versatile since you can add herbs if you want (like I did) Makes a great homemade gift as well. ~TxH~
I love, love the chalkboard sign in the background!! 🙂
I have tried egg noodles a few times but never pasta. I got an attachment for my Kitchen Aid Mixer but haven’t messed with it much. This is definitely on my list of things to master! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Candy! Give pasta another try. Really, it’s so simple it’s shocking. It’s even better if you make it today for tonight’s supper – no drying and storing necessary, just let the noodles dry during the day & cook them up tonight. S-I-M-P-L-E! ~TxH~