Making homemade pasta is one of those things that sounds like it belongs to people who have herb gardens, expensive aprons, and deeply emotional opinions about olive oil. But guess what? You too can channel your inner Nonna—even if your kitchen is the size of a shoe.

Whether you're rolling up your sleeves or outsourcing the work to your stand mixer, this pasta dough is silky, versatile, and fully customizable (hello, spinach fettuccine).

🕒 Time Breakdown

• Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 min rest so the dough can find itself)

• Cook Time: 20 minutes to cut and roll the pasta, 2–4 minutes to cook (yes, homemade pasta cooks faster than your group chat replies)

• Servings: About 4 (unless you’re emotionally eating—then maybe 2)

🎩 You’ll Need:

Basic Dough:

We highly recommend using a scale to weight your flour. If you don't have a scale 200 grams is approximately 1.6 cups.

• 200 grams all purpose flour (or "00" flour if you’re feeling fancy, which we highly recommend)

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp Diamond Kosher sale (if you don't have this use plain kosher but reduce to 1/2 tsp)

• 2 TBSP olive oil (optional, but makes the dough easier to work with)

If you're using your fresh pasta for different recipes you can increase the amount by keeping the same ratio. If you want to half the recipe it's 100 grams flour, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 TBSP oil. If you want to increase the amount (300 grams flour, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3 TBSP oil).

🌀 Mixing: Hand or Stand (choose your adventure)

👋 Mixing by Hand: Rustic Vibes Edition

1. On a clean surface, make a flour volcano with a crater in the middle.

2. Crack in the eggs, sprinkle salt, and drizzle in olive oil.

3. With a fork, swirl the eggs, gradually pulling in flour from the edges like you're casting a carb spell.

4. Once it's too thick to fork, use your hands to knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Bonus points for getting flour in your hair.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it nap for in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to an hour.

⚙️ Using a Stand Mixer: Hands-Free Glory

1. Toss all ingredients into the bowl.

2. Mix with the dough hook on low speed until it comes together (2–3 mins).

3. Increase to medium and knead for another 5 minutes until smooth.

4. Wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes refrigerated, or up to an hour.

🌿 Optional Flavor Enhancements (Because Plain is for Quitters)

Spinach Pasta (Green Goddess Energy)

• Steam 1 cup fresh spinach, squeeze out excess water, and blend into a purée.

• Mix spinach in with the eggs. You may need to add a little extra flour if the dough feels too wet.

• Follow the rest of the recipe as usual.

Other options:

• Beet juice for a Barbie pink dough.

• Squid ink for goth pasta.

• Herbs (like basil or parsley) chopped fine and mixed into the dough for those “I garden in linen” vibes.

🔄 How to Roll Out Pasta Dough

   (AKA: Turn that dough baby into silky, slurpable strands)

You’ve mixed it, kneaded it, and let it rest. Now it’s time to flatten the dough—aka where things start looking like actual pasta and less like a stress ball.

🖐 Rolling By Hand: The OG Workout Plan

Don’t have a pasta roller? No worries. All you need is a rolling pin and a can-do attitude (and maybe a strong biceps situation).

1. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Keep the others wrapped up like tiny dough burritos while you work.

2. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin (no one wants sticky dough drama).

3. Roll the dough from the center outward, rotating occasionally to keep the shape even.

4. Aim for paper-thin. You should be able to almost see your hand through it. Thicker dough = chewy noodles = pasta shame.

5. Once it’s thin, dust it lightly with flour, fold it gently into thirds like a business letter, then slice into your pasta shape of choice.

6. Unfold the noodles and toss them in a bit of flour so they don’t cling to each other like exes at a wedding.

💪 Pro tip: If your arms feel like you’ve just arm-wrestled a gladiator, you’re doing it right.

⚙️ Rolling With a Pasta Machine: Because You're Fancy Like That

1. Clamp that baby to your countertop like a pro.

2. Take ¼ of the dough and flatten it into a rough rectangle with your hands.

3. Feed it through the widest setting (usually "0" or "1") while cranking slowly.

4. Fold it in thirds (like a love letter), turn it 90 degrees, and run it through again. Repeat 2–3 times. This is called laminating the dough, and it makes your pasta supple and bougie.

5. Gradually reduce the roller setting one level at a time, feeding the dough through once or twice per setting. Stop when it’s as thin as you like (usually setting 5 or 6 for fettuccine or spaghetti).

6. Cut into noodles using the machine’s attachment, or dust with flour, fold, and hand-cut into thick ribbons like a true pasta poet.

🎶 Optional soundtrack: Italian jazz, Dean Martin, or the sound of you whispering “mama mia” to yourself as you crank.

Both methods work—choose your pasta destiny. Whether you're hand-rolling like a Tuscan grandma or letting the machine do the work, you're just a few floury steps away from homemade noodle bliss. 🍝✨

🔥 Cook It

Boil in salted water for 2–4 minutes. If your pasta floats and looks like it’s smiling, it’s done.
Toss with sauce. Or butter. Or just stare at it proudly before devouring.

🧄 Sauce Pairing Ideas:

• Garlic butter + Parmesan: minimal effort, maximum joy

• Creamy mushroom sauce: for your forest fairy era

• Tomato basil with chili flakes: classic with a kick

📝 Funny Little Sidebar:

🎭 Signs You’ve Made It (Homemade Pasta Edition):

• You refer to pasta dough as “her.”

• You’ve posted a pasta pic to Instagram with the caption “mangia!”

• You’ve dramatically shouted “That’s amore!” after tasting a noodle.

• Your kitchen looks like a flour bomb exploded and you’re too proud to clean it up.

Final Thoughts

Homemade pasta is easier than it looks, way more delicious than the store-bought stuff, and possibly the most wholesome flex you'll ever pull. So go ahead—flour that counter, roll up your sleeves, and make some carbs with soul.

You’ve earned it, chef.