Best Fresh Pasta Recipes

FRESH TOMATO, BASIL, AND GARLIC SAUCE OVER ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath. Cut a small "x" on the bottom of each tomato. In batches, place the tomatoes in the boiling water and blanch them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the skins are easy to peel away. Remove and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Peel the tomatoes and halve horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds, using your fingers to get them all. Roughly chop the peeled and seeded tomatoes. Set aside. (You can also use whole peeled canned tomatoes. Simply drain them, seed, and roughly chop).
• Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the thyme leaves, oregano sprig, and chili flakes and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes and the sugar and stir well. Lower the heat and cook slowly until the mixture is fairly dry, about 15 minutes.
• Cook the angel hair pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add the Parmesan and basil and toss well. Place in a large pasta bowl and garnish with Parmesan and basil sprigs.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Finely chop tomatoes, basil, parsley, and garlic, and mix together with oil (or pulse ingredients, including oil, in a food processor to blend).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, and toss it in a serving bowl with the raw sauce. Transfer to 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle with oil. Serve with cheese.

FRESH PASTA

Steps:

• Beat together the eggs, yolk and olive oil with a fork in a large spouted measuring cup.
• Combine the flour and a large pinch of kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. With the food processor motor running, gradually pour the egg mixture through the feed tube and let it run until the dough forms a ball around the blade. (If the dough is too sticky to form a ball, add a tablespoon or so of flour and process again. If it is too crumbly to form a ball, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process again.) Once the dough forms a ball, process until smooth and springy, 20 to 30 seconds.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times, until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (The dough can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped and refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature before rolling.)
• Anchor a pasta machine to your countertop or secure the pasta attachment to a stand mixer. Set the machine to the widest setting. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Wrap 3 of the pieces while you work with the fourth.
• Flatten the dough into a rectangle and lightly dust with flour. Roll it through the pasta machine at the widest setting. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and feed it through the pasta machine. Repeat the folding and feeding of the dough through the machine 2 more times. (Rolling and folding in this manner will help strengthen and smooth the dough.)
• Set the pasta machine to the next setting (one setting thinner than the widest). Flour the dough as necessary and feed it through the machine. Repeat, feeding it through one more time.
• Adjust the machine to the next thinnest setting and feed the dough through 2 times as above. Continue changing the setting and feeding the dough through 2 times for each setting until you have fed the dough through the second-to-last setting. The dough should be thin enough so that you can see your hand through it.
• If you are cutting your pasta into noodles: Stop rolling the dough through after you have gone through the second-to-last setting.
• If you are making filled pasta, like ravioli: Change the machine to the final setting and feed the dough through.
• Cut the dough in half crosswise and cover it with plastic wrap. Repeat the folding, rolling and cutting process with the 3 remaining pieces of dough. Cover each piece of dough as you finish. You should have 8 pieces of dough total.
• If you are cutting your pasta into noodles: Affix the cutting attachment to the pasta machine. Choose the desired setting and feed the dough through. Lightly toss the noodles with a little flour on a baking sheet to prevent sticking and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you process the rest of the dough. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes.
• If you are making filled pasta: Proceed according to your recipe's instructions.

FRESH EGG PASTA

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together flour and salt. Add eggs, yolks and oil and run the machine until the dough holds together. If dough looks dry, add another teaspoon olive oil. If dough looks wet, add a little flour until dough is tacky and elastic.
• Dump dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until very smooth. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge overnight. (If pressed for time, the dough can be used after a 30-minute rest; just note that it would be slightly harder to roll out.)
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces, keeping them covered with plastic wrap or a dish towel when not in use. (If you're rolling the dough out by hand, rather than using a pasta machine, cut it into 2 pieces instead.) Using a pasta roller set to the thickest (widest) setting, roll one piece of dough out into a sheet. Fold the sheet in thirds like a letter and pass it through the machine 2 more times on the same setting.
• Reduce the setting, and repeat rolling and folding the dough, passing it through the machine 2 or 3 times before going to the next setting. For pappardelle and fettuccine, stop rolling when the dough is about 1 or 2 settings wider than the thinnest one on your roller. For lasagna noodles, and for ravioli and other stuffed or filled pasta, go to the thinnest setting. (To roll dough by hand, see note below.)
• Shape the pasta. For pappardelle, cut rolled pasta into 1-inch-wide strips. For fettuccine, run the rolled sheets through the fettuccine setting on your roller. Place cut pasta on a flour-dusted sheet tray and cover with a dish towel while rolling and cutting the remaining dough. Make sure to sprinkle flour over the cut pasta before you place another layer on top. If not using immediately, cover the sheet pan with a dish towel to keep the dough supple.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, add fresh pasta and boil for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on thickness of the pasta. Drain well.

PASTA WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. , Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute carrots in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, broccoli, squash, green pepper and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes., Stir in pasta; sprinkle with cheese.

FRESH SEMOLINA AND EGG PASTA

Steps:

• Thoroughly sift together all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and pinch of salt. On a clean surface, make a mountain out of flour mixture then make a deep well in center. Break the eggs into the well and add olive oil. Whisk eggs very gently with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the sides of the well. When mixture becomes too thick to mix with a fork, begin kneading with your hands.
• Knead dough for 8 to 12 minutes, until it is smooth and supple. Dust dough and work surface with semolina as needed to keep dough from becoming sticky. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough with a pasta machine or a rolling pin to desired thickness. Cut into your favorite style of noodle or stuff with your favorite filling to make ravioli. Bring water to a boil in a large pot, then add 4 teaspoons salt. Cook pasta until tender but not mushy, 1 to 8 minutes depending on thickness. Drain immediately and toss with your favorite sauce.

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.

FRESH TOMATO PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic together, stiriing until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes, salt and wine and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
• Add the remaining ingredients, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove bay leaves from sauce.
• When cooled refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Use sauce as desired.

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.

FRESH PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides.
• Break the eggs into the well. Add the salt, and olive oil to the hollow center and gently mix together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape.
• With your hands or a bench scraper continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour.
• Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, set the dough aside, cover it with plastic, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out.
• Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface.
• If using a pasta machine: Flatten 1 of the of the dough pieces between your hands or with a floured rolling pin until it forms a thick oval disk. Dust the disk, the roller, and your hands with additional flour. Flour a baking sheet to hold the rolled out finished pasta.
• With the roller on the widest setting, pass the pasta through the machine's rollers a few times until it is smooth. Fold the dough over into 1/3, and continue to pass through a few more times until the pasta is smooth again. Begin adjusting the pasta machine settings to become thinner, passing the dough through a few times at each setting.
• If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.
• Flavor and color variations:
• Cook's Note: All color additions should be added to eggs before incorporating into the flour. Keep in mind that you will need to add a little bit of flour to your basic pasta recipe to compensate for the additional liquid added
• Spinach Pasta Dough (green hue): Blanch 8 ounces (about 3 cups) spinach leaves. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Press the spinach puree through a small strainer or chinois, removing the liquid before mixing with the eggs. Add 3 tablespoons spinach puree to the eggs before mixing. If the dough feels too sticky, add additional flour until a soft, silky dough is achieved.
• Tomato Pasta Dough (orange hue): Add 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste to the eggs before incorporating into the flour.
• Beet Pasta Dough (pinkish-red hue): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast 1 large beet in aluminum foil, about 45 minutes, or until tender. Peel the beet and puree in a food processor. Add the beet puree (about 4 tablespoons) to eggs before incorporating into the flour.
• Herb Pasta Dough (speckled): Mince 1/2 cup fresh herbs and add to eggs before incorporating into the flour.
• Squid Ink Pasta Dough (black hue): Add 1 tablespoon squid ink to the eggs before incorporating into the flour.

SUMMER FRESH PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook angel hair pasta at a boil until tender but still slightly firm, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water for later use. Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl.
• Place tomatoes in a bowl; season with sea salt and black pepper.
• Pour 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil over the tomato mixture and gently toss; set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
• Cook and stir sliced shallot in the hot oil until just becoming translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir garlic into the shallot; continue cooking and stirring 1 minute more. Remove the skillet from heat.
• Assemble the dish by adding the tomato mixture, the shallot and garlic mixture, and the prosciutto to the pasta; toss to combine. Use the reserved water from cooking the pasta to make it easier to mix.
• Top the pasta dish with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to serve.

FRESH TOMATO SHRIMP PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
• In the container of a food processor, combine the garlic, onion and oregano. Pulse until finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion mixture; cook and stir until fragrant and almost golden. Mix in the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes while the pasta is cooking, stirring occasionally.
• Mix in spinach until it wilts, then just before the pasta is done, stir in the shrimp. Cook until heated through. Toss with pasta in a large serving bowl, and mix in mozzarella cheese.

TOMATO AND FRESH MOZZARELLA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool; add to the bowl with the dressing.
• Add the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The pasta salad is best if served right away.
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FRESH TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
• Coarsely chop the tomato and transfer to a small bowl. Sprinkle the tomato chunks with basil, olive oil, and salt. Set aside.
• Once the water is boiling, stir in the rigatoni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander, and then return the pasta to the pot.
• Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and toss to mix.

PASTA WITH FRESH HERBS, LEMON AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or pasta bowl, combine the herbs, lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
• When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. A few minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the water. When the pasta is just about al dente, remove a half cup of the cooking water and add to the bowl with the herbs. Drain the pasta and peas, toss with the herb mixture and the cheese, and serve.

FRESH PASTA

Steps:

• Put the flour in a food processor with ¾ of your egg mixture and a pinch of salt. Blitz to large crumbs - they should come together to form a dough when squeezed (if it feels a little dry gradually add a bit more egg). Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead for 1 min or until nice and smooth - don't worry if it's quite firm as it will soften when it rests. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 30 mins.
• Cut away ¼ of the dough (keep the rest covered with cling film) and feed it through the widest setting on your pasta machine. (If you don't have a machine, use a heavy rolling pin to roll the dough as thinly as possible.) Then fold into three, give the dough a quarter turn and feed through the pasta machine again. Repeat this process once more then continue to pass the dough through the machine, progressively narrowing the rollers, one notch at a time, until you have a smooth sheet of pasta. On the narrowest setting, feed the sheet through twice.
• Cut as required to use for filled pastas like tortellini, or cut into lengths to make spaghetti, linguine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle. Then, dust in semolina flour and set aside, or hang until dry (an hour will be enough time.) Store in a sealed container in the fridge and use within a couple of days, or freeze for 1 month.

QUICK AND EASY FRESH EGG PASTA

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl; push into a mound and make a well in the center. Place egg, water, and olive oil into the well; mix together, slowly incorporating the flour mixture until dough is combined.
• Turn out dough onto a floured work surface; knead until ball forms, 5 to 10 minutes. Divide in half; form into balls. Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap; rest dough until malleable, about 30 minutes.
• Remove plastic wrap. Roll out dough balls; cut into desired shapes with a knife or pasta roller.

FRESH PASTA WITH PARMESAN BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pasta: You can prepare the dough either using a stand mixer or by hand.
• Using a stand mixer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, add the flours and mix to combine. Add the eggs and mix on medium speed until the dough come together and forms a ball. If the dough is dry, add a little water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Reduce the speed to low and mix until the dough is smooth, about 6 minutes. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• By hand: On a wooden table or in a bowl, create a volcano shape with the flours. Then make a large hole in the middle. Break the eggs inside of the volcano. Whip the eggs with a fork to create a uniform color (until you can't see the difference between egg yolk and egg white). Then, little by little with the tips of your fork, start to incorporate the flour, starting from the center and moving out (never break or pass beyond the volcano). If the dough is dry, add a little water, 1 teaspoon at a time. When the mixture is uniform, use your hands and knead the dough until smooth. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
• Flour the table and roll out the dough until very thin (until you can just see your hands through the dough). For pappardelle, roll the dough up into a log, lightly flouring the dough as you roll it. Slice into about 1-inch-thick slices. Unroll the slices and lay out the strips flat onto a floured sheet tray until ready to cook.
• For the sauce: When ready to cook the pasta, bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook the pasta for 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a pan, bring the vegetable stock to a simmer. Add the butter and cooked pasta. Season it with freshly milled black pepper and salt. At the very end, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano little by little, stirring it in as you go. Garnish with fresh herbs and more cheese.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Gently squeeze ingredients in the bag to combine. Add shrimp. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and move shrimp around in the bag to coat in the marinade. Place in a tray or plate so shrimp are in a single layer. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Place a heat-proof skillet on one side of the grill to heat with the grill. Thread shrimp onto metal skewers.
• Place shrimp skewers onto the hot grate and grill until the shrimp turn white and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill.
• Meanwhile, pour 2 teaspoons olive oil into the hot skillet and cook onion, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in wine and allow to reduce, about 4 minutes. Stir in cream. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked pasta and shrimp to the skillet and stir to combine. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

FRESH EGG PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor combine the flour, salt, eggs, oil and 4 tablespoons water and process until the mixture begins to form a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is too dry. Process 30 seconds more to knead it. Remove the dough from the processor and let it rest, covered with an inverted bowl, at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Set the smooth rollers of a pasta machine at the highest number. (The rollers will be wide apart.) Divide the dough into 4 pieces, flatten 1 piece into a rectangle, and cover the remaining pieces with an inverted bowl. Dust the rectangle with flour and feed it through the rollers. Fold the rectangle in half and feed it through the rollers 6-8 more times, folding in half each time and dusting with flour if necessary to keep it from sticking. Turn the dial down one notch and feed the dough through the rollers without folding. Continue to feed the dough through the rollers without folding, turning the dial lower one notch each time, until the lowest notch is reached. Roll the remaining pieces of pasta dough in the same manner.
• Use the blades of a pasta machine that will cut 1/4-inch wide strips. Feed one end of a sheet of pasta dough through the blades, holding the other end straight up from the machine. Catch the strips from underneath the machine before the sheet goes completely through the rollers and put the cut strips lightly across floured jelly-roll pans or let them hang over the top of straight-backed chairs or on hangars. Let the pasta dry for 5 minutes, before cooking.