Fresh Pasta
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta”
— Frederico Fellini
Fresh pasta may be one of my favorite things on the planet. It’s not difficult to do. There are people who are masters and that takes ages. But to accomplish fresh pasta at home you can get REALLY good results on your first try if you are willing to get your hands dirty. That is kind of the most fun part.
Dried pasta from a box is already good. I’m not here to knock it. It can be made very quickly, it holds up on a shelf for a long time, and it’s cheap. I’m not making pasta from scratch every time I want some carbs. But when I want some thing special or someone to feel special I put effort into a pasta dough. The best part is that it’s very simple and the people who eat it typically have a revelation as to why it’s so much better.
These two recipes are a little different than our previous. The recipes are the exact same, minus the pasta. I wanted to be able to compare them directly. The sauce, the basil, the cheese is all the exact same in each dish.
Regular Recipe
Credit: Michael Martin
Yield: 2-4 Servings (Depends on amount of Pasta)
Time: 25 Minutes
Ingredients
Dried pasta of your choice
1 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 Medium Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Oregano
Parmesan
Equipment Needed:
Sauce Pan/Stock Pot
Frying pan or Non Stick
Strainer
Method
Pasta
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta while the sauce cooks
Add the pasta and cook as directed on packaging or until al dente while making the sauce
Before your drain the pasta, reserve about 1/2 c of the water from the pot
Sauce
For the sauce begin with your onions, sauté them in a pan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat
While the onions cook, mince your garlic and add once the onions are translucent
Add the red pepper flakes and garlic to your onions and continue cooking for 1-2 mins (be careful to not burn the garlic)
Open your can of tomatoes and pour the can into a bowl
Crush the tomatoes with your hands to the consistency you desire
Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic and bring to a simmer
Add salt and pepper to taste (optionally ad a pinch or two of sugar)
Finish
In the same pan as your sauce add the pasta and reserved cooking liquid
Toss to coat the pasta and simmer for 1-2 min
Plate your pasta and sauce in a bowl
Top with fresh basil and Parmesan
Full Measure Recipe
Credit: BA’s Best Fresh Pasta Dough
Yield: 4-6 Servings of Pasta
Time: 45 Min
Ingredients
Pasta
3 Eggs, beaten to blend
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
Sauce
1 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 Medium Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Oregano (Optional)
Parmesan
Equipment Needed:
Sauce Pan/Stock Pot
Frying pan or Non Stick
Pasta roller or rolling pin
Method
Pasta
Make a mound of your flour on a clean work surface with a well in the center
Beat your eggs in a separate bowl before adding to the center of the well
Add oil and salt to the eggs
Stir the egg mixture while slowly incorporating flour into the middle
Once a shaggy dough forms begin to kneed with your hands for 10 minutes
***All of the above steps can be done in a stand mixer with a dough hook
Once dough is supple and smooth tightly wrap in plastic wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes
Cutting Pasta:
Use a pasta roller or rolling pin to create sheets of about 1/8'“ or less, cut to desired shape
Use a pasta extruder with walnut-sized balls of dough
Roll ropes of dough to about 1/4” and cut the rope to piece about 1/2” in length, use a gnocchi board to roll each piece into a gnocchi or cavatelli shapes
Dust cut pasta with semolina or all purpose flour on a clean surface or cookie sheet and cover with a towel
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil
Boil the pasta for 60-90 seconds or until al dente
Reserve about 1/2 c of the water the pasta has cooked in before draining
Drain pasta and finish in sauce
Sauce
For the sauce begin with your onions, sauté them in a pan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat
While the onions cook, mince your garlic and add once the onions are translucent
Add the red pepper flakes and garlic to your onions and continue cooking for 1-2 mins (be careful to not burn the garlic)
Open your can of tomatoes and pour the can into a bowl
Crush the tomatoes with your hands to the consistency you desire
Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic and bring to a simmer
Add salt and pepper to taste (optionally ad a pinch or two of sugar)
Optional: add oregano
Finish
In the same pan as your sauce add the pasta and reserved cooking liquid
Toss to coat the pasta and simmer for 1-2 min
Plate your pasta and sauce in a bowl
Top with fresh basil and Parmesan
