Large eggs
’00’ flour
Olive oil
Salt
4
400g
1 Tbsp
1 Tbsp
Method
- Make a well – Pile the flour onto a clean work surface (or into a large bowl). Make a wide well in the centre, big enough to hold the eggs without them escaping.
- Add the eggs – Crack the eggs into the well & add the olive oil & salt. Using a fork, beat the eggs & oil together, then gradually start drawing in flour from the inner edge of the well, a little at a time.
- Bring it together – Once the mixture starts to come together, switch to your hands. Keep folding the flour in from the sides until you have a shaggy, rough dough. Don’t worry if it looks messy at this stage — it’ll come together with kneading.
- Knead the dough – Knead the dough firmly for 8 to 10 minutes, pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back over itself & giving it a quarter turn each time. It’s ready when it’s smooth & springs back when poked. If it’s sticky, dust with a little extra flour; if it’s too dry & cracking, wet your hands slightly & keep kneading.
- Rest the dough – Shape the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap & rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes the dough much easier to roll — don’t skip it!
- Divide the dough – Cut the rested dough into 4 pieces. Keep the pieces you’re not working with covered so they don’t dry out & form a crust.
- Roll it out – Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough slightly & pass through a pasta machine starting on the widest setting. Fold in thirds & pass through again 2-3 times on this setting to smooth it out, then work down through the settings one at a time until you reach your desired thickness (usually last or second-to-last setting for most pasta shapes). No machine? Roll it out by hand with a rolling pin as thinly & evenly as you can, turning and re-flouring as you go.
- Cut and cook – Lightly dust the rolled sheets with flour to stop them sticking, then cut into your chosen shape (fettuccine, pappardelle, lasagne sheets, etc.). Cook in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for approximately 3 minutes, or until it floats & is tender but still has a slight bite.
Notes:
If the dough feels too dry while kneading, wet your hands rather than adding water directly (it gives you more control). Fresh pasta dries out fast, so keep unused portions covered.
Uncooked pasta can be dusted well with semolina & frozen in nests for later, or dried & stored at room temperature.
About this recipe
This is the recipe worth learning once and keeping forever. The same dough that Italian nonnas have been making by feel for generations. A pile of ’00’ flour, a well of eggs, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
The 30-minute rest in the fridge isn’t optional. It relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls out smoothly instead of springing back every time you try to sheet it. If you skip it, you’ll fight the dough the whole way through. If you give it time, it practically rolls itself.
What makes this recipe so useful is its versatility. You can roll it thin for lasagne sheets and layer them into a bake for World Lasagna Day. Cut it into ribbons and toss with our Simple Napoli Sauce for the quickest fresh pasta dinner going. Or go wider with pappardelle and pair it with something richer like our Vodka Pasta sauce or a slow-cooked Osso Buco. Fresh pasta takes a good sauce and makes it feel like a completely different meal.
If you’re new to making pasta at home, this is the place to start. Once you’ve got this dough down, explore more Italian pasta ideas on our Recipes page or check out our World Pasta Day feature for easy weeknight dishes.
What flour is best for homemade pasta dough?
’00’ flour (doppio zero) is the best choice for fresh pasta. It’s milled much finer than plain flour, which gives the dough a silky, smooth texture and makes it easier to roll thin. You can use plain flour in a pinch and the pasta will still taste good, but the texture will be slightly chewier and the dough harder to work with.
Do you need a pasta machine to make fresh pasta?
No. You can roll pasta dough by hand with a rolling pin. It takes a bit more effort and the sheets won’t be quite as even, but the result is still excellent. A pasta machine gives you more consistent thickness and makes it easier to get the dough paper-thin for shapes like ravioli or lasagne sheets.
How long should you knead pasta dough?
Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should go from rough and shaggy to smooth and elastic. You’ll know it’s ready when it springs back gently after you poke it. Under-kneading gives you a crumbly dough that tears when you roll it.
Why does pasta dough need to rest?
Resting allows the gluten to relax after kneading. Without it, the dough is tight and elastic and it springs back every time you try to roll it and won’t hold its shape. Thirty minutes in the fridge is the minimum. You can rest it for up to 24 hours if you want to prep ahead.
Can you freeze homemade pasta?
Yes. Dust the cut pasta generously with semolina or flour, shape it into loose nests on a lined tray and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. It keeps for up to three months.
You can cook straight from frozen, but just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time. Uncooked dough can also be wrapped tightly and frozen, then thawed in the fridge overnight before rolling.
