GET IT RIGHT

Learn how to make the silkiest, smoothest dough to create out-of-this-world pasta

How to make perfect pasta

Making your own pasta at home may seem like a faff but with just four ingredients, a bit of know-how and a little elbow grease you’ll soon be dishing up the silkiest homemade pasta. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

STEPS TO SUCCESS... ‘00’ FLOUR

The ‘00’ refers to the grade that the flour has been milled to – in this case to very fine, with all of the bran sifted out, resulting in a very soft dough. It will, however, contain plenty of gluten and protein – look for 10-12% in the nutritional facts box – meaning the dough will be strong and stretchy once kneaded.

KNEADING

Kneading the dough bonds the gluten molecules in long chains, making it elastic and easy to roll until paper-thin, and will give the pasta some bite once cooked. Kneading also helps to get rid of any flour pockets and air bubbles.

ROLLING

Using a pasta machine instead of a rolling pin will make the process a lot easier and ensure more precise results. It’s important to start on the widest setting with a pasta machine, and run it through twice on each setting. Repeatedly rolling the pasta aligns the gluten bonds into long lines, resulting in a long, smooth sheet of elastic dough which is easy to work with.

EGG WHITES AND YOLKS

The egg white and yolk will be doing different things within the dough – the whites will help bind the dough together while ensuring it’s stretchy and pliable. The yolks will add richness and a deep colour.

RESTING

Any gluten-based dough needs to rest – this helps the gluten strands relax and become even more pliable, which will make it much easier to put through the pasta machine, with less springing back, warping or tearing. Any excess water will also be fully absorbed by the flour, resulting in a smooth dough.

COOKING

The water needs to be just simmering – boiling water may tear or break the pasta, and it will be much easier to judge when the pasta is perfectly cooked.