How to Make Pasta

Are you ready to learn how to make pasta?

After you have made the pasta dough recipe, and let it rest you are ready to roll out the fresh pasta dough.

A long rolling pin and fairly large work space is essential. (A large wooden board or marble slab is ideal.)

Lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour. Dust the dough round with flour also.

Always begin with the rolling pin placed at the center of the dough round, roll the dough away from you, stretching it as you roll. Work quickly or the pasta will crack and dry.

After each roll give the dough a quarter turn to keep the circular shape.

If the dough is sticking to your working surface, dust it with a little flour.

Pull and stretch the dough instead of rolling it. To stretch it, place the dough on top of the rolling pin and pull carefully.

Once the dough covers a large area, let it hang over the counter to stretch more.

In a few minutes the dough will look smooth and should be very thin, about 1/8 inch thick, about the thickness of a dime.

If the dough is to be used for string pasta, spread it on a clean tea towel to dry for approximately 30 minutes.

(For filled pasta such as ravioli or tortellini, use the dough immediately.)

Now the dough is ready to cut into shapes of your choice.

How to make fettucine, tagliatelle, or any flat noodle:

Roll up the dough like a jelly roll and cut in even widths to desired shape, approximately ¼ inch thick.

Cook immediately or let dry for a few days before storing.

Now you know how to make pasta, find other Italian recipes...