Wanderbrush

How I made homemade pasta dough as a beginner (and you can too!)

Ever since I was a kid, there’s one food group I’ve always loved—pasta. It’s the kind of love that runs deep, the type that’s woven into the fabric of my childhood memories. Growing up, the smell of pasta cooking in the kitchen was synonymous with comfort, family, and a sense of home.

I vividly remember the hectic school nights when my parents would whip up a simple but satisfying meal of spaghetti and meatballs. The sound of the marinara sauce simmering on the stove, the smell of the meatballs taking their full, flavorful form, and the way the spaghetti strands twirled around my fork—it was always enough to make the chaos of homework and busy evenings melt away. Then there were more relaxed nights when my dad would make chicken or shrimp alfredo, and the ingredients seemed to come together effortlessly as he cooked. 

These meals, these moments, shaped my love for pasta—whether it was a comforting bowl of spaghetti, a creamy plate of alfredo, or even just a simple serving of buttered noodles. Pasta, to me, has always held these warm memories. So after my work team took part in an Italian cooking class as a team building activity before the holidays, I had a desire to learn how to make my own pasta from scratch. 

It seemed simple enough—eggs, flour, and salt. What could possibly go wrong? I’d seen countless TikTok videos of people effortlessly kneading together perfect balls of pasta dough, so I figured I’d give it a try on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I began with double zero (’00’) flour, inspired by a tip I read online that claimed it gave the dough more stretch. We had some King Arthur double zero flour lying around from when my boyfriend made pizza dough, so I decided to put it to good use. I measured out a cup of flour and spread it in a mound on my wooden cutting board, then created a well in the center with the measuring cup.

Next, I cracked two eggs into the well and added a generous pinch of salt. Using a fork, I scrambled the eggs gently, swirling the yolks and whites into a smooth mixture. As I worked, I began to slowly incorporate the surrounding flour, little by little, until the mixture was too thick for the fork to handle. At that point, I switched to my hands, diving in to knead the dough.

In a cautious move, I made two batches of dough just in case the first one turned out a disaster. Kneading felt like a slow but steady rhythm, almost meditative. I worked the dough for about 5 minutes, folding and pressing until it was smooth, firm, and bounced back when poked. Looking back, I would have kneaded the dough for another few minutes to help achieve that smooth, silky ball of dough.

At this point, I was feeling pretty confident. I wrapped the dough in a damp towel and set it aside to rest for 30 minutes. The dough felt silky and promising, and I could already imagine it turning into delicate sheets of homemade pasta.

When the 30 minutes had passed, I unwrapped the dough, which had relaxed and softened into a smooth mass. I dusted the countertop with flour and rolled out the dough, taking care to not press too hard. The first few attempts were a bit thick, but with each roll, the dough stretched thinner and thinner. Looking back, I would definitely invest a bit more time rolling the dough out thinner and allowing the sheets to dry for a bit. My noodles turned out to be a tad thick, but this is just a learning point for my next attempt. 

It was a little more challenging than the TikTok videos had let on, but the sense of accomplishment as the dough became smoother and more supple made it all worth it. Soon, I had long sheets of pasta, ready to be cut into spaghetti. I rolled up the sheets from both sides and carefully cut them into thinner spaghetti noodles. I finally came out with a large plate of noodles ready to be cooked. 

As I dropped the freshly cut pasta into boiling salted water, I couldn’t help but smile. The effort was clear in each tender strand of pasta that swirled in the pot. My first attempt at homemade pasta had been a learning experience, but the reward—a bowl of warm, perfectly cooked spaghetti with a simple sun dried and spinach tomato cream sauce—recipe to come soon. Maybe it wasn’t effortless, but it was a triumph all the same.

Simple Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup double zero (’00’) flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 2 large eggs
• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the flour: On a clean, flat surface (like a cutting board), mound 1 cup of flour. Use the measuring cup or your hands to create a well in the center of the flour.
2. Add the eggs: Crack the two eggs into the well. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the eggs.
3. Scramble the eggs: Using a fork, gently scramble the eggs within the well, slowly working in the surrounding flour.
4. Combine the dough: Once the eggs and flour begin to come together, switch to your hands to knead the dough. Work it until it’s smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.
5. Rest the dough: Wrap the dough in a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
6. Roll out the dough: After resting, dust your countertop with a little flour. Roll out the dough as thin as possible using a rolling pin or pasta machine.
7. Cut the pasta: Once you’ve rolled the dough out to your desired thickness, use a knife or pasta cutter to slice it into your preferred pasta shape (like fettuccine or tagliatelle).
8. Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness. Fresh pasta cooks quickly!
9. Serve: Drain the pasta and serve with your favorite sauce, like a simple butter and parmesan sauce or a rich tomato sauce.