The global pasta market is already worth over 40 billion dollars. But, instead of wasting your money on store bought pasta, why not make some delicious fresh pasta of your own? Making your own homemade pasta can be a delicious way to elevate your cooking skills. 

Let’s go through our top tips and tricks to help you make delicious homemade pasta.

Use The Right Ingredients for Homemade Pasta

Start with good-quality ingredients when you’re making homemade pasta.

The most important ingredient in homemade pasta is flour. You can use all-purpose flour or semolina flour, or a combination of the two.

Semolina flour is a coarser flour made from durum wheat and is used in Italy. All-purpose flour is a finer flour made from soft wheat and is commonly used for making pasta in other parts of the world.

Eggs are another essential ingredient in homemade pasta. They add richness, flavor, and color to the pasta. You’ll need about one egg per cup of flour.

Some recipes call for water in addition to eggs to help bind the dough together. However, if you’re using fresh eggs and good-quality flour, you may not need any additional water.

You’ll also want to ensure you use the right proportions. Use a digital kitchen scale to weigh your flour and eggs, rather than measuring by volume. This will ensure accuracy and consistency in your pasta dough.

Pay Attention To The Dough

Kneading the dough is important for developing the gluten and creating a smooth, elastic texture. Knead your pasta dough for at least 10 minutes when using your hands or 5 minutes with a stand mixer.

Allow the pasta dough to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This will allow it to relax and make it easier to roll out the dough.

Cut Your Pasta Right

Cutting homemade pasta is a crucial step in the pasta-making process, as it determines the shape and size of the pasta.

Once your dough has been rolled out, lightly dust it with flour. This stops the pasta from sticking together when you cut it.

There are a variety of tools you can use to cut homemade pasta, including a sharp knife, a pizza cutter, or a pasta cutter. Each tool will give you a slightly different result, so choose the one that best suits the shape and size of pasta you want to make.

To cut the pasta, gently fold the dough over itself a few times, then use your cutting tool to slice it into the desired shape and size. Be gentle when cutting the pasta to avoid pressing too hard and sticking the layers together.

After cutting the pasta, let it dry on a floured surface for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will help the pasta hold its shape and prevent it from sticking together when boiled.

Experiment with Flavors

You can add fresh or dried herbs and spices to your pasta dough to give it a boost of flavor. Some popular options include basil, oregano, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Adding vegetable juice to your pasta dough can not only add flavor, but also color. Adding grated cheese, such as parmesan or pecorino romano, to your pasta dough can give it a rich, savory flavor.

Another way to add flavor to your homemade pasta is to make stuffed pasta, like ravioli or tortellini. You can fill the pasta with a variety of ingredients, like cheese, meat, or vegetables.

Homemade Pasta: Now You Know

Making homemade pasta takes practice and patience,  but with these simple pasta-making tips and tricks, you can create dishes in your own kitchen.

Are you ready to get started? Buy spices and more from Dad With A Pan today.