NONNA FRESH EGG PASTA
Store-bought pasta can never replicate the taste and smell of fresh homemade pasta. Pasta made fresh is something that every Italian Nonna takes great pride in, especially mine. Growing up, I would watch in awe as my Nonna would make fresh egg pasta from scratch. The process is one that requires time and patience, but the art of pasta making is all about the love and care
that goes into it.
that goes into it.
This recipe will share the steps to make fresh egg pasta – the homemade kind straight from the kitchen of an Italian Nonna. So, get your old-fashioned rolling pin and pasta maker ready because your authentic Italian pasta is just a few steps away!
Watch the Egg Fresh Pasta video recipe:
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips
Use Fresh Ingredients
Using fresh ingredients makes this pasta healthy and delicious. Nonna uses fresh eggs that came directly from a farm so try to source organic if you can.
Half a Kilo is Just Enough
Nonna says half a kilo of flour makes the perfect amount of pasta every time. And who are we to disagree? So first, add half a kilo of flour to a clean surface. Then, as Nonna would say, “make a hole” in the middle of the flour (just like a well) for your eggs and add five.
Add Flour As Needed
Once you carefully beat your eggs, mix the flour and eggs with a fork until they form a nicely shaped dough ball. This will take a little bit of time and elbow grease, but as you know, cooking is a labor of love. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour until it forms a ball that isn’t sticking to your hands or the surface.
Don’t Waste Flour
Gather the flour from the board and add it to the dough. That way you won’t waste any of the flour! Once all the flour is incorporated, the dough should become completely smooth.
Knead Away
Now it’s time to knead the dough! This is an important step in your pasta making process, as it helps to create that perfect, smooth texture in your dough. Just keep kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic – about 10 minutes should do it. After that, let your dough rest for a half hour to an hour.
Dust Off Your Pasta Maker
Now it’s time to get your pasta maker ready. Set your pasta maker to the widest setting and run your dough ball through until you have an even thickness. Flattening your dough to perfection can take several run-throughs before moving on to the smaller settings on this tool. So, don’t be discouraged if some parts of your dough are thicker than others! Nonna says it’s important to
trust the pasta-making process.
trust the pasta-making process.
The Pasta-bilities Are Endless
Now that you’ve flattened out your dough, it’s time to cut it into your favorite pasta shape! Insert the pasta maker and slowly pull through with care. Nonna says to add more flour, so your delicate pasta shapes don’t stick together. You can make tons of great pasta shapes – but start with fettucine and spaghetti as these are the most common shape you will find on your machine.
Keep going!
The key to making the best pasta is patience. It’s going to take some extra time and effort until you’ve got yourself the perfect sheet of dough. Once your pasta dough is flat enough, set your pasta maker to the desired thickness setting. Run this through several more times until it is completely smooth and elastic.
Boil the Pasta or Stow Away for a Rainy Day
The beauty of cooking fresh homemade pasta is that you can either eat it right away or freeze the extra pasta for later. Either way, fresh egg pasta is a delicious and easy meal for the holidays, family gatherings, or if you’re craving an authentic Italian recipe. If you can’t wait to eat your fresh pasta, bring a large pot of water to boil and add a little pinch of salt. Cook your pasta
for two to three minutes or until it floats to the top. After you strain, run cold water over your
pasta noodles to hold their shape!
How to Serve Fresh Egg Pasta
Whether you’re looking to whip up a quick and easy dinner or create an authentic Italian dish, there are many ways to enjoy your fresh egg pasta. You can flavor it with just olive oil and garlic or take things up a notch by adding homemade bolognese sauce.
Fresh Egg Pasta
You can't go wrong with Nonna's fresh egg pasta recipe. However you choose to make your pasta, whether it's linguine, tagliatelle, or spaghetti, one thing is certain - you'll never return to store-bought pasta again! For this recipe, you'll need the following:
Equipment
- 1 Rolling pin (like Nonna's!) the old fashioned (like Nonna's)
- 1 Fresh pasta maker
- 1 Wooden board
Ingredients
- ½ kilo Flour
- 5 Eggs
Instructions
To Form the Pasta
- Start by adding the flour to your surface and making a well in the middle.
- Add in five eggs and beat. Slowly incorporate the flour. Don’t let the egg come out of the well.
- Roll the dough into a ball and knead it, adding flour as needed.
- If the dough gets dry, add some water to make the dough nice and smooth – but not too much!
- Once the dough is smooth and has the right consistency, let it rest for 1 hour.
- Then cut the dough into pieces and flatten it with your hand.
- Use a pasta machine or rolling pin to flatten the dough. You can flatten the dough with the widest setting on the pasta maker. Keep folding the dough over and feed it through the pasta maker up to five times or until you are satisfied with the consistency.
- Change the setting one by one, running the pasta sheet through each time until it is completely smooth and at the right consistency.
- Run the dough through the pasta cutter on the machine.
- Pull through the pasta and add flour as required – you definitely don’t want the strands sticking to one another after all that work!
- To enjoy immediately, boil fresh pasta for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Top with a ragu sauce or anything you like, and as much cheese as your heart desires.
Video
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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And actually: this recipe and video kickstarted my whole pasta making journey. Bought the machine the following week after seeing the video for the first time on Facebook.
Vincenzo, I would love to see your version of traditional Grissini (they remind me of my father who brought them home each time he went working in Italy when I was a kid).
Thank you for your awesomeness!
This is a beautiful video! What a treasure to have your Nonna! Thank you for sharing her with us—and thank HER for passing on her simple but most perfect way of making pasta. It is all just such a gift. She makes it look so easy! I can’t imagine how many times her hands have went through those motions. The world needs more Nonnas!
Once frozen should I thaw the pasta before cooking? How long should I cook it for?
Thanks for the recipe
No, you don’t need to thaw frozen pasta before cooking. You can simply cook it directly from frozen. However, you may need to cook it for a few minutes longer than if it were thawed.
can this be left to air dry and stored in the pantry?
Absolutely! Fresh egg pasta can be left to air dry and stored in the pantry for later use. Once you’ve rolled and cut the pasta into your desired shapes, leave it out on a clean, floured surface or on a drying rack to dry for about 1 to 2 hours. This drying process will help the pasta hold its shape and prevent it from sticking together during storage.