The Ultimate Cheat Sheet to Make Perfect Homemade Pasta

Pasta is one of the most popular snacks that most of us enjoy after a hard day’s work. Ready-made pasta is tasty but is laced with preservatives that do more harm than good. A healthier alternative is to make noodles and pasta at home. Contrary to the common notions, making pasta can be quite simple and easy.  All you need is some flour, eggs, and water and you can easily prepare healthy and hygienic pasta at home. If you are a beginner and not quite sure about making pasta from the scratch, we are here to help you out. We share some pasta-making essentials that you can follow to prepare perfect pasta without any hassles.

Choosing Fresh Ingredients is the Key

Flour, salt, egg, and olive oil are the only ingredients you need to make perfect and silky homemade pasta. With expertise, you can customize the dough by adding different ingredients and herbs to the pasta dough. Ingredients such as basil, parsley, black pepper, tomato spinach, or saffron not only add to the taste of the pasta but also make it healthy. However, there are certain essential factors you need to consider when choosing ingredients for the dough.

Flour

There are specifically three different kinds of flour-semolina, all-purpose and high-protein. Though you can use all-purpose pasta for preparing the dough, you can use semolina for pasta with a silky texture. Semolina creates a rough surface which also helps the sauces to cling better to the noodles.

Eggs

Another essential ingredient that can’t miss out on when making pasta is eggs. However, you need to ensure that you use the egg yolk and not the whites for preparing the pasta. The reason is egg whites are mostly water and will make your pasta bland. Yolks have a combination of water, protein, and fat which helps in making the dough colorful and adds to the flavor of the pasta.

Salt

Salt is an essential ingredient for adding flavor to pasta. However, ensure that you avoid using sea salt when preparing the dough. You can add more salt to the pasta so that you don’t need to add extra salt when boiling the pasta.

Secrets to Make the Perfect Dough

We share some essential factors that you need to keep in mind to help you make perfect homemade pasta without much effort. Read on.

Prepare Smooth Dough

Pasta is all about the dough, which makes it important to ensure that you prepare a smooth, and well-worked dough. Ensure that the dough is supple and strong so that you don’t need to re-fold the dough when you put it in the pasta-making machine.

Kneading is Essential

The key to getting the perfect dough is kneading. When preparing the pasta dough, ensure that you knead the dough for at least 8-10 minutes. Divide the dough into small portions and knead the portions well to ensure that you get an evenly prepared dough. If the dough is smooth and elastic to touch, your half work is done.

Set the Dough Aside, but Don’t Let it Dry

When you have prepared a smooth and soft dough, ensure that you keep it aside and let it rest. Cover the pizza dough when it rests in the fridge or else the dough will become dry. If the dough becomes dry and forms a crust, it will be difficult for you to roll the dough.

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Looking for an Easier Alternative?

Preparing the dough for noodles and pasta is quite easy provided you follow the steps mentioned above. However, if you don’t have the time to knead the dough and prepare pasta, you can get a Noodle and Pasta Maker. The smart kitchen appliance helps you prepare healthy pasta automatically without any hassles. All you need to do is place the ingredients in the Noodle and Pasta Maker and your pasta will be ready in minutes.