Best Basic Pasta Recipes

BASIC PASTA

Steps:

• In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.

BASIC DOUGH FOR FRESH EGG PASTA

Steps:

• Put flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add eggs and yolks, and mix with hands or wooden spoon for a minute or so, until dough comes together. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.) If dough seems dry or crumbly, add 1 or 2 tablespoons cold water, but only enough to keep the dough together.
• Turn dough out onto a board and knead to form a ball. Flatten dough ball to a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour (several hours is fine).
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Knead each piece until smooth. Roll with a rolling pin or pasta machine as thinly as possible (but not quite paper-thin). Cut each sheet in half, making 8 smaller sheets. Dust dough sheets lightly with semolina to keep them from sticking. Stack 2 or 3 sheets, roll loosely, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide noodles or other desired shape. Continue until all dough is used. Gently fluff noodles and spread on a semolina-dusted baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to cook.

BASIC FRESH PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Mound the flour in the center of a large, wide mixing bowl. Dig a well in the center of the mound and add eggs and yolks. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. The dough will start to come together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.
• Use your fingers to continue to mix the dough. Press any loose bits of flour into the mass of dough. If needed, add another egg yolk or a tablespoon of water to absorb all of the flour. Once the dough comes together into a cohesive mass, remove it from the bowl.
• Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 4 to 5 more minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and uniform in color. Wrap the dough in plastic and set aside for at least 30 minutes (and up to 4 hours) at room temperature.
• Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly dust with semolina flour. Set aside.
• Cut off a quarter of the dough. Rewrap rest, and set aside. Use the heel of your hand to flatten the dough into an oval approximately the same width as your pasta machine, about six inches. Set the rollers to their widest setting and pass the dough through.
• Lay the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board or countertop and neatly press together into halves, so it's again about the same width of the pasta machine. Feed the pasta through again at the widest setting. Think of these first rollings as an extended kneading. Continue to fold the dough in thirds and roll it until it is smooth, silky and even-textured. Do your best to make the sheet the full width of the machine.
• Once the dough is silky and smooth, you can begin to roll it out more thinly. Roll it once through each of the next two or three settings, adding flour as needed, until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick.
• Once the pasta is about 1/4-inch thick, begin rolling it twice through each setting. As you roll, lightly sprinkle all-purpose or 00 flour on both sides of the pasta to prevent it from sticking to itself.
• Roll out pasta until you can just see the outline of your hand when you hold it under a sheet, about 1/16-inch thick for noodles, or 1/32-inch thick for a filled pasta. (On most machines, you won't make it to the thinnest setting.)
• Cut pasta into sheets, about 12 to 14 inches long. Dust the sheets lightly with semolina flour and stack on one of the prepared baking sheets and cover with a clean, lightly dampened kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• On a clean dry work surface, make a mound of the flour and, using your fingers, make a well in the center of the mound. Using a fork, break the shell of the eggs one by one and drop the eggs into the center of the well you made of the flour. With the fork, beat the eggs together. Again using the fork, slowly begin to fold the flour in towards the center of the well to incorporate the flour into the beaten eggs. As you mix the flour with the beaten eggs, it will begin to form a doughy mass. Work this mass using your fingers until it begins to lose its moist and sticky character.
• When the mass begins to feel uniformly dry, begin to work the dough using both hands: kneading with the palms of both hands, pushing from the center of the ball of dough outwards and folding the near edge inwards to begin the kneading cycle again. The kneading stage should take about 10 minutes by hand.
• After the dough has been fully kneaded, it is time to thin the dough into sheets suitable for cutting. A manual pasta machine works wonders at this stage. Cut the ball of dough into three equal pieces. Form these pieces, by hand, into equal rectangular shape to be passed through the rollers of the pasta machine. Set the cylindrical rollers at their widest opening, put a piece of dough in the space between rollers and crank the handle to pass the dough through. As the sheet of pasta comes out the bottom of the rollers it should be set on a dry cotton towel to rest while you begin on the next piece. Repeat the thinning process with the remaining pieces of pasta, thinning and then setting aside, consecutively so that each piece of pasta is equally rolled out. When all the pasta has passed through the first rolling stage, set the machine to the next setting to begin rolling the pasta thinner. Start the rolling process again, beginning with the first piece of dough and continue with the remaining pieces. As each is rolled thinner set it aside and continue onto the next.
• As you return to the first piece of dough, set the cylinders one setting closer. Continue in this fashion until the pasta dough has been rolled out as thinly as possible.
• As the sheets of dough rest, keep them on a cotton towel, to prevent sticking to the work surface. When they are all rolled out you are ready to cut the pasta into the desired shape. They can be cut using the cutting wheels of the rolling machine or by hand using a knife.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH (NO EGG)

Steps:

• Put flour in large mixing bowl, making a well in the center.
• Add wet ingredients to well and very slowly mix together with a fork, incorporating only a little flour at a time so it mixes smoothly and evenly. Trust me, the more patient you are with this the better it will turn out.
• Continue kneading by hand for about 10 minutes, let rest for a half hour covered with a towel. Repeat a couple times until dough is smooth and silky, and just slightly sticky.
• Shape by hand or with a machine.
• Note: Boiling fresh pasta takes significantly less time than dry pasta. Depending on the shape, cook for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

BASIC EGG PASTA

Steps:

• Pile flour onto a work surface and make a small well in the center; place eggs, egg yolks, olive oil, and salt into the well. Gently stir the egg mixture with a fork, gradually drawing in flour until dough comes together.
• Knead dough with hands until smooth and leathery, about 10 minutes.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap; let rest until malleable, 1 to 2 hours. Remove plastic wrap.
• Cut dough into four pieces; roll out with a rolling pin. Run flattened pieces through a pasta roller to create desired noodle shape.

BASIC BLUE CHEESE PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat on medium.
• Let thicken slightly and make sure cheeses are melted.
• Add fresh herbs, minced, of your choice-- in any amount you wish-- if desired.
• You may not want to add salt depending on the saltiness of your stock, but freshly ground pepper is nice.
• Use white pepper if you can find it.
• Serve over pasta or gnocchi.

BASIC PASTA WITH SEMOLINA (EGGLESS PASTA)

Steps:

• Place both types of flour in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix well.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add water a little at a time, stirring with your hands until a dough is formed.
• You may need more or less water, depending on the humidity in your kitchen.
• Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead it like bread for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Cover and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature before using.

A BASIC RECIPE FOR FRESH EGG PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Place the flour on a board or in a bowl. Make a well in the center and crack the eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth. Using the tips of your fingers, mix the eggs with the flour, incorporating a little at a time, until everything is combined. Knead the pieces of dough together - with a bit of work and some love and attention they'll all bind together to give you one big, smooth lump of dough! You can also make your dough in a food processor if you've got one. Just bung everything in, whiz until the flour looks like breadcrumbs, then tip the mixture on to your work surface and bring the dough together into one lump, using your hands. Once you've made your dough you need to knead and work it with your hands to develop the gluten in the flour, otherwise your pasta will be flabby and soft when you cook it, instead of springy and al dente. There's no secret to kneading. You just have to bash the dough about a bit with your hands, squashing it into the table, reshaping it, pulling it, stretching it, squashing it again. It's quite hard work, and after a few minutes it's easy to see why the average Italian grandmother has arms like Frank Bruno! You'll know when to stop -it's when your pasta starts to feel smooth and silky instead of rough and floury. Then all you need to do is wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour before you use it. Make sure the plastic wrap covers it well or it will dry out and ' go crusty round the edges (this will give you crusty lumps through your pasta when you roll it out, and nobody likes crusty lumps!

BASIC GARLIC AND OIL SAUCE FOR PERFECT PASTA (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to rolling boil, then add spaghetti.
• While that is working, heat anchovies with oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat. The anchovies will "melt" in the oil, use the tip of your spoon to break into small pieces.
• Lower heat and add garlic pieces and pepper seasonings; let garlic cook in anchovy oil, stirring frequently . . . watch carefully to avoid garlic over-cooking!
• When pasta is almost "al dente," dip out one cup of the water, and pour into the pan with the anchovy-garlic; stir in, then add parsley; set aside.
• Drain water from pasta; dump into warmed bowl, pour sauce over pasta, toss for ONE MINUTE.
• Serve immediately.
• ALTERNATIVE ADD-INS:
• Finely chopped broccoli instead of parsley.
• Bacon crumbles -- mmm!
• Use orecchiette pasta (bowl/shell shapes), then add 8 oz. sausage with the garlic, 2°C broccoli rabe; cook until sausage is no longer pink.
• Use fusilli (curly pasta) instead of spaghetti. Then: How about 2 teaspoons thyme & oregano with the parsley; once the garlic is cooked, add 2 thinly sliced jarred roasted red peppers. Pretty!
• Seafoody Linguine: Once the garlic is cooking: add 3 doz littleneck clams, cover skillet, steam until clams open (about 5 minutes) -- or if you live far from a fresh seafood market (like me!), use 3 or 4 cans of clam meat, skip the steaming part and go right to the table!

BASIC TORTELLINI PASTA

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
• Create a well with the flour and salt.
• Whisk together the three eggs, oil and water thoroughly.
• Add wet ingredients little by little to center of flour well, mixing gradually until dough becomes a ball.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until ball is smooth and elastic.
• Add more water if necessary.
• Allow to rest for thirty minutes in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap.
• After thirty minutes, cut dough into circles that are approximately 2 inches in diameter.
• Place 1/2 to 3/4 tsp of filling in center of dough circle, fold over into a half moon shape, and then join edges around your finger, forming a circle shape.
• Cook tortellini in 2-3 batches, in hot salty boiling water for 6 minutes or until firm.
• Drain, and then add to sauce!

FRITTATA (BASIC PASTA AND CHEESE)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together. Gently fold in the cheese, pasta and rest of ingredients. One at a time, in that order.
• In a nonstick pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the edges start to brown.
• Flip the frittata by sliding it onto a large plate or tray then carefully inverting it back into the pan. Continue to cook for 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Remove from pan then cut into wedges and serve. This is delicious served warm or at room temperature.
• (You may also add about 1/2 cup of leftovers such as cubed meat or diced sauted vegetables mixing and matching to suit your taste. Some of my favorites are ham and Swiss, or chicken and cheddar with a tablespoon or so of canned green chilies. Be creative, find your own then share the results).

BASIC WHOLE WHEAT PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Put it into a mixer with bread hooks or a food processor, and knead until really smooth.
• I suppose you could also do this by hand, but I haven't tried it!
• We've also substituted 1/4 of the flour with kamut, buckwheat etc. to add extra flavor, and the recipe suggested that chopped spinach, herbs, or tomato paste could be added.
• From [email protected] (astels).
• Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V4 #169 by Nancy Miller on Jul 1, 1997.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH RECIPE RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• Put 1 cup of flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a fork to combine. Form a well in the center of the flour. Add 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of oil to the well and whisk together to combine. Gradually begin to whisk in the flour with the fork from the side of the well. At the end, you will stir it in. The mixture will be crumbly. Add 1 tablespoon of water, sprinkling it over the dough. Mix well with the fork to incorporate all of the water. Add up to 2 tablespoons more water, but only enough to form the dough into a rough ball with your hand. It will not be perfect in shape. Work the dough on a lightly floured surface, pushing it with the heel of your hand. Work it for 10 minutes, or until the dough forms into an elastic, smooth ball. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough from the center of the ball according to the type of pasta you are going to make. Rolling always from the center and away from yourself. Rotate the dough frequently to maintain it's shape. For rectangular and square sheets of dough; 1/4 turn. Circular ones; 1/4 turn at first, a little less with each roll. Keep unrolled portion the dough covered by the bowl.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Place the flour, semolina and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine the ingredients.
• Add the egg all at once and process for 30 seconds, drizzling the oil through the opening in the lid. The dough should look like coarse, wet sand.
• Dust a work surface generously with semolina.
• Transfer the dough to the work surface and bring it together in a ball.
• Knead the dough for a good 3 or 4 minutes, using the heels of your hands to push it away from you again and again, and occasionally rotating the dough 180 degrees. The dough should appear smooth and silky when you are done; it should not be sticky.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Set up the pasta maker next to a work surface.
• Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet liberally with semolina.
• Sprinkle the work surface with semolina. You'll need to keep it dusted with semolina at all times so the pasta doesn't stick as you roll and cut it.
• When ready to roll out the pasta, cut it into quarters. Work with one quarter at a time and keep the remaining portions wrapped.
• Use your fingers to work the dough into a rough 3-by-4-inch rectangle. (The dough should have the texture of Play-Doh.).
• Use the heel of your hand to flatten the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch.
• Pass the dough through the highest (thickest) setting of your pasta machine.
• Fold it into thirds, as you would a business letter, then flatten it to 1/2 inch and pass it through the machine again. Fold, press and roll one more time.
• Set the rollers on the next-highest setting and pass the dough through twice. (You don't have to fold it.).
• Continue to lower the setting one increment at a time, passing the dough through twice each time, until your dough reaches the desired thickness.
• Setting 3 is good for fettuccine and lasagna sheets.
• Setting 2 is good for filled pastas, such as tortellini, ravioli and agnolotti, or for thinner lasagna sheets.
• Use plenty of semolina to keep the dough from sticking to itself as it falls into accordion folds while coming out of the rollers.
• If you're making filled pastas, make them as you go, one sheet at a time. (If you roll all the sheets beforehand, they will dry out and might tear as you try to work with them.).
• If you're not making filled pasta, use a knife to slice the sheets into lasagna noodles or use your machine's cutters to make fettuccine or spaghetti.
• Use plenty of semolina as you stack lasagna noodles (alternate the layers lengthwise and crosswise) or form piles of cut pasta, fluffing them with semolina so they remain separate.
• Transfer the finished pasta to the prepared baking sheet as you work.
• TO FREEZE: When you have finished rolling and cutting all the pasta, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for an hour or two, until the pasta is frozen. Wrap it in plastic or store in resealable food storage bags and freeze for up to a month. (It is a good idea to weigh the pasta and freeze it in portions.).
• MAKE AHEAD: The dough can be made a few days in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen. The uncooked pasta can be frozen in portions for up to 1 month.
• NOTE: Depending on the humidity, the size of your eggs and the brand of flour you are using, you might have to adjust the amount of oil you add to achieve the desired texture. Weighing the flour and the eggs rather than relying on our uneven American measuring methods leads to more consistent results.
• NOTE: To make saffron fettuccine, combine the oil with a half-teaspoon of saffron threads in a small bowl and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Allow the oil to cool, then add it and the threads to the dough.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Put the flour, eggs, and egg yolks in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Turn off the mixer, remove the paddle attachment, and replace it with the dough hook. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat the dough with the dough hook on medium speed until it forms a ball, about 5 minutes. Dust a flat work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the dusted surface and gently knead it for 20 to 25 minutes, until the ball begins to feel elastic and the surface of the dough feels smooth and silky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest for at least 45 minutes and up to overnight before sheeting it (any longer and the dough will discolor).

MY BASIC PASTA SAUCE { NO MEAT }

Steps:

• 1. Cut onion and fry in small amount of oil.
• 2. Smash the anchovies on a chopping board with the salt and roasted garlic till it is a past of sorts.
• 3. Then put the fried onions, anchovies paste with everything else in a large soup pot and cook very low and slow...this is one of the sauces that you'll want to cook all day, you want this to be very thick.
• 4. Taste for seasonings " salt & pepper "as you go.
• 5. With this sauce you won't miss the meat.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large pan, add the onions and garlic, cover and sweat on a low flame for a few minutes.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper to taste and Italian herbs.
• Cook, uncovered, on a high flame for about 20 mins or until liquid has reduced by half.
• Check seasonings.
• Blend in a food processor until smooth.

DARTHLAURIE'S INDISPENSABLE BASIC PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium pot, saute garlic in olive oil, if desired. If you choose not to, go on to step 2.
• Combine all the ingredients except for the red pepper flakes. Simmer over medium heat until sauce boils; smash tomatoes during simmering. Simmer until it reaches desired consistency (this will take longer without tomato paste).
• Add red pepper flakes in the last five minutes of cooking.
• Serve over favorite pasta or freeze.
• Tips: If sauce just isn't tasting right, add a tiny bit of sugar or salt. Roasted red peppers, onions, and mushrooms are particularly tasty additions. The longer you simmer the sauce, the tastier it becomes. Add more seasonings as needed since all measurements are approximations.

BASIC SAUCE FOR PASTA

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute' onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, oregano, salt, pepper, cheese sauce and water. Lower heat and simmer until it thickens; about 30 minutes.