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I really enjoy sharing simple, quick and easy-to make recipes here.  This recipe fits some of that criteia (the ingredients are certainly simple and the technique is not difficult) - but it’s a lot of work – that, in my estimation, is worth it.

Homemade pasta is just so different from the store-bought stuff.  flavor aside (and there’s plenty of benefit here), the giant difference is the texture.  After hearing advice to cook noodle “Al Dente” for years, the entire experience takes a different turn when you are using fresh noodles and the description suddenly makes a whole lot more sense.

The other benefit is the amount that one can consume.  I find that the fresh stuff is so filling that it feeds twice the amount of people as the store-bought stuff.  For example, a pound of store-bought pasta may feed 3 hungry people while a pound of this feeds 6.  Just make sure to warn your diners in advance that this stuff is far more filling and to wait a few minutes before diving into seconds – you’ll easily fill-up on far less pasta than you normally will.

I weigh my ingredients when making noodles like these.  Similar to baking, this ensures a more accurate measurement of your ingredients.  You can easily multiply or cut this recipe in half (this will feed 4-6 people):

• 18 ounces of flour
• 9 ounces of gently beaten eggs (this is generally about 5 if you are buying groceries)

I get things started in the food processor.  I use the plastic blade and pour my flour in and turn the machine on.  Pour the eggs in a slow but steady stream – they should all be in the bowl within 10-15 seconds.  I generally have to stop the blender a few times to mix things up – and sometimes remove larger ‘balls’ of pasta that form so the rest can be incorporated.

If your mixture does not easily ball together, add a small bit of water (emphasis on small).  If it’s too sticky, add a bit of flour.  You shouldn’t need a lot of either.

Once the dough is worked together like this (I try to blend for 30-60 seconds at most), I roll it in a loose ball and cover it with a damp cloth for 30 minutes (or more; it’s not an exact science).

Once it’s done resting, remove the ball and cut into quarters (for this size of batch).  Keep dough that you’re not working on covered.

I work each small ball as flat as I can between my hands before rolling out with a rolling pin (or wine bottle) on a floured surface.  You can leave the sheets whole for lasagna or ravioli - but I generally place it under a damp cloth and work the remaining dough balls and wait to cut it all at once (although one sheet at a time).

A good hint: roll out the dough again just before slicing it – this resting often makes one more good roll easy.

Fresh dough can be frozen once cut (unless of course you plan to use it whole) and you can cook it from frozen, which is why I typically make a larger batch.  I haven’t experimented with drying it yet – the thought of the eggs calls for some more research before proceeding.

Cook in a LOT of well-salted water at a full boil (it should taste like the ocean).  Put a small bit of that water in your pasta sauce to help the starches bind to the sauce.  You’ll find that fresh pasta can cook in 2-3 minutes so test it as you go (keeping in mind that noodles of different thicknesses will cook at different rates).

This is a case where all of the extra work is, to me, worth it.  It’s super simple and I suspect that my technique will improve with time and make this even easier/ quicker.  The flavors and texture are far superior to anything I’ve bought and I’m looking forward to adapting the recipe further (i.e. adding dehydrated mushroom powder to my flour) to alter the results further.  I also anticipate a pasta-roller/ slicer will be in the nearish-future as it would save a LOT of time hand slicing noodles.

Any tips, tricks or other recipes for homemade noodles out there?