The Best Flour To Make Pasta Makes All The Difference

The best flour to make pasta will elevate your homemade pasta dishes to an amazing level and it will make you reconsider using store-bought pasta ever again.

The process of making pasta from scratch is not as difficult as it might seem. With a few basic ingredients and a little bit of patience, you can create your own delicious pasta in no time at all. I’ll go through the steps of making fresh homemade pasta, including the ingredients you will need, the equipment required, and the various types of pasta you can make.

What Is The Best Flour To Make Pasta?

This is one of the variations in making homemade pasta that allows you to really make it your own. In the US, the easiest flour to buy would be the popular All-purpose flour, and while it makes an acceptable pasta, it really isn’t the best, or most authentic, when making pasta. In Italy, the recommended homemade pasta recipe includes two different types of flours in equal parts: one part is the popular “00” soft-wheat flour, and the other part is finely ground semolina flour.

Pasta Maker	Gnocchi Board	Pasta Board	Ravioli Maker
Ravioli Press/Stamper	Ricer	Bialetti Pasta Pot	Bamboo Cutting Board Set of 3
Silpat Baking Mat	Santoku Knife	Measuring Cups and Spoons	Stainless Mixing Bowls
Dutch Oven	Mesh Strainers	Stainless Colander	Stainless Steel Fry Pan

Is Homemade Pasta Worth The Trouble?

Yes, very much so! Making fresh homemade pasta results in a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in an endless number of ways. Making pasta from scratch may seem challenging at first, but with a few simple ingredients and the right technique, anyone can create their own delicious homemade pasta.

Is Pasta Made With Water Or Eggs?

Fresh homemade pasta in Italy is typically made with eggs only. Water isn’t an ingredient if you are able to use the proper flour mentioned above because the water content in each of them doesn’t require anything additional. If you are in the US and using All-purpose flour, you might need to add a little bit of additional water, one tablespoon at a time, only to make sure the flour and eggs are fully combined.

How Is Pasta Made Step By Step?

Homemade Pasta Ingredients

The simplicity of making pasta from scratch can not be overstated because for our basic homemade pasta recipe, you will only need:

• 100 grams of “00” flour
• 100 grams of re-milled semolina (durum wheat) flour
• 2 eggs

As mentioned, if you are unable to find “00” and semolina flour, you can substitute 200 grams of All-purpose flour for a delightful variation.

 

Homemade Pasta Equipment

To make homemade pasta, you will need a few pieces of equipment. These include:

• A large mixing bowl
• A spatula
• A large clean work surface
• A bench scraper (a.k.a. a dough scraper)
• A rolling pin or a pasta maker
• A sharp knife or a pasta cutter

If you don’t have a pasta maker, you should strongly consider buying one because it makes rolling out the pasta quite a bit easier. You can still make pasta by hand using a rolling pin and a little bit of elbow grease.

Instructions For Making Homemade Pasta

Mix The Pasta Dough

To make the pasta dough, you will need to start by measuring the flour and putting it into a large mixing bowl. You don’t need to sift the semolina or “00” flours, but the All-purpose flour might benefit from a sifting. In the bowl, the standard way to combine the flour and eggs is to make a well in the center of the flour mixture and crack the eggs into the well. Using a fork, start to whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour mixture as you go.

Knead The Pasta Dough

Once the dough has come together in a ball in the bowl, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. This will help to develop the gluten in the flour, which will give the pasta its signature texture. If it is sticking to the board, you can use the bench scraper to bring it together while you continue to knead the dough.

Rest The Pasta Dough

Once the dough is evenly mixed without clumps of flour or eggs visible, stop kneading it when it is smooth and elastic and cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This will allow the gluten in the dough to relax and the moisture will even out further, which will make it easier to roll out.

Cutting The Pasta Dough

Once the pasta dough has rested, you are ready to roll and cut the dough. You can roll the dough with a rolling pin and cut it with a sharp knife, or you can use a pasta maker for rolling the dough and cutting it into a couple of different long pastas, like: lasagna, fettuccine and tagliolini.

If you are rolling out the dough by hand, start by dusting your work surface with flour. Now, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough as thin and even as possible. Keep dusting the surface with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

If you’re using a pasta machine, start by dividing the dough into smaller pieces that can fit between the rollers. Run the pasta through the machine on the widest setting. Fold the dough in half and run it through the machine on the widest setting again. Repeat this process a few times, gradually reducing the width of the rollers until the dough is the desired thickness.

With the flattened pasta dough, you can:

• Cut it into strips for lasagne
• Use a circular cutter to make tortellini or ravioli
• Use cutters on the pasta machine to make a long pasta, like spaghetti or linguine

After it’s cut, you can dust the pasta with flour, preferably the semolina, and set it aside until you are ready to cook it in some boiling, salted water. The pasta will cook fairly quickly, like 3-4 minutes, and then you can drain it and add your favorite pasta sauce and cheese.

Now enjoy the best pasta you will ever have!

Enjoy Pasta At Home And When Dining Out

If you enjoy using the best flour to make pasta at home, check out some of these recommendations and recipes of the most amazing Italian pasta dishes ever made:

• The Marcato Atlas 150 Is The Best Pasta Maker Ever Made.
• Authentic Italian Pastas Will Make The Dish Perfect.
• Pasta in Rome is here for you to try at home.
• The Best Grocery Store Balsamic Vinegar Is A Great Addition.
• An Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara Recipe To Try At Home.
• This Bucatini all’Amatriciana Recipe Is A Roman Classic.
• This Authentic Cacio e Pepe Recipe Is A Classic Roman Meal.
• A Traditional Italian Gnocchi Recipe That You Will Love.
• A Handmade Tortellini Recipe You Will Love.
• This Lemon Tuna Pasta Recipe Is A Tasty Summer Delight.
• Summer Tuna And Bean Salad Recipe.
• A Ravioli Carbonara With Asparagus Recipe To Rule Them All.
• A Traditional Pasta Fagioli Recipe That Is Delicious.