Homemade Pasta

Recently I have found myself

having more free time, as I'm sure many others have as well.  Though it has not been of my own accord, I have been happy with the opportunity this strange time has given me to experiment in the kitchen more and try things I never have before. One of these new things I decided to try was making pasta from scratch. 

I have always been curious about making homemade pasta. People always say it tastes so much better fresh. Also, making pasta from scratch seems like something I should know how to do, right? So I decided to make my own linguine pasta and see how it went. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple it was to bring together and form the pasta, that I have done it several times recently with great results. And let me tell you, everyone was right! Homemade pasta just has this freshness and bright flavor to it that is just wonderful.

Since then, I have made my own pasta several times and each time has been equally successful and delicious. The recipe in this post shows you how to make a simple linguine pasta from scratch, but the dough is the same for any type of pasta. Once it is rolled out, you can experiment with different shapes of pasta like farfalle or even ravioli on your own, but linguine is definitely an easy shape to start with, for those who have never made pasta before.

I took this pasta and made a Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara with it. If you are interested in that recipe it will be up on this site soon so stay tuned for that.
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​Basic Pasta Recipe

3/4 cup of Flour
3/4 cup of Semolina flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Tbs. Water
2 Tbs. Olive Oil

Combine the dry ingredients together, and form into a mound on a clean work surface.
   (You can form the dough in a bowl or stand mixer if you prefer)
Form a deep well in the middle of the flour mound and fill with the eggs, water, and oil.
Slowly begin to stir the flour into the egg mixture incorporating it little by little, making sure not to let the liquid spill out of the well you made. 
Once the liquid is well combined and has formed a very shaggy looking dough, knead the dough with your hands until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and has a nice golden color.             (This will take 7-10 minutes of kneading)  
Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to let it rest.

Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, remove from the fridge and bring to a lightly floured surface. 
Divide the dough into four equal sections.
Take a single section and form into a disc with your hands. 
Using a rolling pin, roll the disc out until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.
Using a knife, cut the dough into equal sections.
Carefully roll the individual sections into logs, making sure there is enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to itself.
Slice the logs into uniform rounds and then unravel the individual pieces. 
As you go, toss the finished pasta in a bit of flour to prevent it from sticking. 

 Add the pasta to a salted, boiling pot of water and cook until al dente.
    (It will probably only take 5-7 minutes since the pasta is fresh)
Look for an upcoming post to see how I used the fresh linguine I made here to make Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara.