Let me introduce you to your new addiction… homemade pasta egg dough. I love fresh pasta dough because it is so light and doesn’t sit heavy in your stomach, even if you overindulge a little. It’s the only way I want to eat pasta and you will be so happy you tried it!
Ingredients you will need
- All purpose or 00 flour
- Large eggs
- Water
Tools you will need
- Stand mixer (affiliate) (optional) with paddle and dough hook attachments
- Pasta roller/sheeter or extruder, depending on what shape pasta you are making
- Large Bowl
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Dough/Bench scraper (optional)
The Details
The Well Method
The well method is the classic way to make pasta dough without using a machine. It is my preferred method and the one I recommend starting with if you have never made pasta dough before.
Start with a clean surface. Add the flour in a pile in the middle of your surface and use a fork to create a well in the middle of the pile, about 5-6 inches wide. The walls of the well should be tall enough to hold all your eggs.
In a separate bowl mix (don’t beat) your eggs. This will make it easier to incorporate them in the flour when you add them to the well. Add about half the eggs to your flour well and use a fork to start mixing the inner edges of the flour into the eggs. Continue to add the rest of the eggs, stirring in a continuous motion to incorporate the flour.
Now roll up your sleeves and get to work! Knead the dough with your hands, removing the sticky dough that clings to your hands as you go. Fold the dough over on itself and use the heel of your dominant hand to push it down and away from your body. Do that a few times, then rotate the ball of dough 180 degrees and do it again.
It is common for the dough to need more water than the recipe indicates depending on the size of your eggs and how dry your flour is. Flour becomes dry over time, especially if you live in an arid climate or if you’re baking during the wintertime. This is why it is recommended to keep your flour in an airtight container and not buy more than what you would use in 3-6 months. It is best to work with the freshest possible flour.
When flour is dry it will absorb more liquid than usual, so you may have to add more water to the dough. If the dough seems dry and is not coming together, gradually add 1 tbsp of water to loosen it up.
As you are kneading the dough will become firm and the gluten develops. But keep going. You will be kneading the dough for about 8-10 minutes. The dough should resemble the texture of PLay-Doh and should spring back to it’s original shape when poked.
When you are finished kneading the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and set it aside for a minimum of 30 minutes. The flour will continue to absorb the water while it is resting and the dough will become easier to roll. You can leave it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Allow the dough to warm up for 20 minutes after you’ve removed it from the fridge. Now you are ready to turn it into whatever shape you like!
Starting with the well method allows you to get a feel for what the texture of the dough should be like with your own hands. Once you have made the dough a few times using the well method and you have rolled it, shaped it and tasted it you will understand what the dough should feel like to get the best results. You are then ready to graduate to the stand mixer (affiliate) method if you prefer!
The Stand Mixer Method
The stand mixer method is a little easier because the machine will knead the dough for you, allowing you to take on some other tasks in your kitchen while your dough is developing. Who doesn’t love efficiency?
Set up your stand mixer with a large bowl and the paddle attachment. You will switch to the dough hook later once the eggs and flour have been sufficiently incorporated.
Add the flour to the bowl, turn on your machine to a low setting and allow the paddle to create a well in the flour. Now you can gradually add the eggs slowly allowing them to incorporate. Then add the water.
Once it looks like dough is starting to form, turn the machine off, scrape off any dough bits on the paddle and switch it out for the dough hook. Now all you have to do is let the dough hook do its thing for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the dough in case you need to add any additional water if it is not coming together. A dry dough will be difficult and crumby when you go to make it.
Once it is looking like a nice ball of dough, turn off the machine. I like to place the dough on the counter and knead it for a minute or so. That way I can really make sure I like the way it feels.
Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours in the fridge.
And that’s it! Now you have a new addiction to freshly handmade pasta! You’re welcome 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
00 (double zero) flour is the finest ground flour you get and it is the flour of choice in Italy for making egg dough for pasta as well as pizza dough and breads. It creates very strong gluten proteins, which helps give the past dough a springy and smooth texture. All-purpose flour is slightly more coarse than 00 and will give a slightly chewy texture and is best used with baked goods that do not use yeast.
There are too many types of pasta dough to list, but the most popular types are egg dough, semolina dough, whole-wheat dough, chickpea dough (for our gluten-free friends), chestnut dough, buckwheat dough and even espresso dough. Follow our complete guide to making pasta dough here to find out more.
It’s up to you! If you want a very silky texture and rich yellow colour you can use only egg yolks. I tend to use the full egg to make it easier on myself and to make sure I don’t have any waste. Either way, your fresh pasta is going to taste amazing!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
What to make with egg dough
What can you make with this egg dough:
Homemade Pasta Dough with Eggs
Equipment
- Standmixer (optional) with paddle and dough hook attachments
- Pasta roller/sheeter or extruder, depending on what shape pasta you are making
- Large Bowl
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Dough/Bench scraper (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cup all purpose or 00 flour
- 1 tbsp water plus more if needed
Instructions
Well Method
- Start with a clean surface and place the flour in a pile in the middle of the surface.
- Use a fork to create a well in the middle of your flour pile, about 5-6 inches wide.
- Mix the eggs in a bowl, but do not beat them.
- Add half the eggs into the flour well and use a fork to start stirring continuously to incorporate the flour into the eggs.
- Add the remainder of the eggs and continue stirring with the fork.
- Once the flour is all incorporated, start using your hands to knead the dough.
- Knead for about 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and bounces back it’s original shape when poked. If the dough seems dry and is not coming together into a nice ball, add 1 tbsp of water at a time until it starts to mix together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can store the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but remember to let it warm up for 20 minutes when you take it out of the fridge.
Stand Mixer Method
- Add the flour to the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment create a well by turning the stand mixer on to the lowest setting.
- Add the eggs one at a time and allow them to incorporate into the dough. Then add the 1 tbsp of water.
- Once the eggs are incorporated with the flour, turn the stand mixer off and switch out the paddle for the dough hook.
- Allow the dough hook to kneed the dough for about 8-10 minutes. Check the dough every couple of minutes. If it seems dry and is not coming together add 1 tbsp of water at a time until the dough combines.
- Once the dough is in a smooth ball and it bounces back to its original shape when poked it is ready.
- Wrap the the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can store it in the fridge for a maximum of 24 hours. Just remember that if you put it in the fridge you will need to let it warm up at room temperature for 20 minutes before using it.
- Now you are ready to make it into whatever shape you like!
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