Easy Pasta Dough

Making pasta at home may sound daunting but with good flour and a couple of eggs you can make lovely spaghetti, noodles, linguini, or even ravioli.

You need only three ingredients -- flour, eggs, and water -- so make them the best!

Janie's Mill flours stone-milled from the ancient grain Durum have strong gluten development, and pair beautifully with either heavy or light sauces.

This recipe uses 100 grams of flour, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon water. I find the 100/1/1 formula easy to remember, and it's easy to double or triple as you see fit. Usually I make a batch with 300 grams of flour, 3 eggs, and 3 teaspoons of water. I use this recipe for my spaghetti, lasagne sheets, linguini, and ravioli.

Fresh Pasta Dough

• 100g Janie’s Mill Sifted Durum or 100% extraction Durum Flour
• OR 100g Italian Style Pizza Flour
• OR experiment with 50g Janie’s Mill Semolina blended with 50g Janie’s Mill Sifted Durum Flour, or create your own blend!
• 1 large room temperature egg 
• 1 teaspoon of water (how much water will depend on how big your egg is so you might need a little more or a little less)

1. Break the eggs into a well in the flour. Using a fork, gradually whisk the eggs into the flour.
2. When the dough starts to come together, use a bowl scraper or your hands to press the dough round and round the bowl until all the extra bits of egg and flour are mopped up. Add a little more water if it's too dry. Your goal is to create a cohesive, stiff but malleable ball of dough. I always need a little more water when I work with the thirsty Durum, Sifted Durum, or Semolina.
3. Knead for about 1 minute to finish the dough. Then wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make your pasta.

Go here for conversions from grams to cups. 

Notes

I mix my pasta dough by hand in a shallow bowl with a wide flat base.

Or you can make your dough on your counter.

Or even in your mixer. An old Italian friend of mine uses his food processor! 

Break your eggs into a well in the flour. The freshness and quality of your eggs will make a huge difference to your pasta, so find the freshest eggs you can. This is where knowing your farmer makes such a big difference! Room temperature eggs are best.

No salt. The salted water when you cook your pasta is enough.

Mix thoroughly, being careful not to over mix. Then knead the dough a little with wet or oily hands until you have a round silky ball of dough. (Over-kneading will make your end product tough, so err on the side of less kneading.)

Then wrap and rest in the refrigerator. Pausing the dough will do the rest of the work for you. You can pause your dough for up to 24 hours. Bring it out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you begin to roll it.

Feel free to experiment with all of Janie's Mill Durum flours in varying proportions, or use our Italian Style Pizza Flour, which is also an excellent pasta flour. I have also blended in Red Fife and Black Emmer for a more rustic and very tasty pasta!