The craft · 6 minute read
The handmade pasta kitchen.
A dependable dough is not a secret recipe. It is a useful ratio, a little patience, and learning what your hands are telling you.
Choose the dough for the job
Fresh pasta is a family of doughs, not a single upgrade to dried pasta. Egg dough gives ribbons and filled shapes tenderness, richness and a smooth finish. Semolina-and-water dough has a firmer bite and works beautifully for hand-formed shapes such as cavatelli. Good dried pasta remains an excellent choice for many Roman sauces: its resilience is an advantage, not a compromise.
For two generous main-course portions of egg pasta, begin with 200g plain or Italian tipo 00 flour and 100g beaten whole egg, weighed without the shell. The “00” describes milling refinement, not a guaranteed protein level. An ordinary plain flour around 10–12% protein is a sensible place to start.
Two ratios worth keeping
| Dough | Flour | Liquid | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg | 200g plain or tipo 00 | 100g beaten egg | Tagliatelle, ravioli |
| Semolina | 200g fine semola rimacinata | 90–100g warm water | Cavatelli, small hand shapes |
Flour absorbs moisture differently with age, brand and humidity. Hold back a little liquid, then add it gradually. A dough that looks slightly shaggy at first often becomes cohesive during kneading. If dry crumbs still refuse to join after several minutes, wet your hands and continue rather than pouring in a large splash.
Semola rimacinata is finely remilled durum wheat. Coarse pudding semolina is not a like-for-like substitute; it produces a rougher dough and takes longer to hydrate.
Knead, then let time help
Mix in a bowl until the flour is mostly incorporated, then knead on a clean worktop for eight to ten minutes. Push with the heel of your hand, fold, rotate and repeat. Aim for a firm, smooth surface rather than bread-dough softness. Excess bench flour can quietly turn a workable dough dry.
Wrap closely or place in a covered container and rest for 30 minutes at a cool room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and distributes moisture. If the sheet springs back aggressively during rolling, cover it for another ten minutes. Keep egg dough away from warm surfaces, and refrigerate promptly if you are delaying the next stage.
Roll with purpose, not a magic number
Divide the dough into four pieces and keep the unused portions covered. Flatten one piece, pass it through the widest machine setting, fold into thirds, and repeat twice. Narrow the rollers one step at a time. Machine numbers vary, so judge the sheet itself: approximately 0.8–1mm is a useful starting point for ribbons, with thinner sheets often preferable for delicate filled pasta.
For tagliatelle, lightly dust the sheet, fold loosely and cut ribbons about 6–8mm wide. Shake them apart immediately. For ravioli, use a cool, well-drained filling and press out trapped air before sealing. Too much filling makes bursting more likely; a modest teaspoon is easier to manage than a generous mound.
Cook the pasta and finish the dish
Use a roomy pan of boiling water with roughly 7–10g salt per litre, choosing the lower end for salty cheese or cured-pork sauces. Fresh ribbons often need only two to four minutes; thickness and drying change the timing. Taste a piece rather than relying on the clock. Filled pasta needs enough time for both the seam and filling to cook appropriately.
Reserve cooking water before draining. Move the pasta into its sauce while it still has a little firmness, then toss briefly with a splash of that water. Starch helps water and fat form a coating. Fresh pasta is delicate, so vigorous, prolonged tossing can break it. Serve immediately on warm plates.
Storage, equipment and honest trade-offs
Refrigerate fresh egg pasta in a covered container at 5°C or below and use within 24 hours for this home-kitchen approach. For longer storage, freeze separated shapes on a tray, transfer to a freezer container and use within a month for best quality. Cook from frozen. Do not treat casually air-dried egg pasta as shelf-stable.
A rolling pin, scale and sharp knife are enough to begin. A manual roller typically costs about £35–£80, while a scraper costs around £5–£12; these are indicative UK retail ranges. Handmade pasta rewards time and attention, but it is not always the quickest dinner. Make it when the process is part of the pleasure.