There is nothing like homemade pasta. It’s delicious, slightly chewy, and will take your pasta game to a whole new level. Making it from scratch might seem intimidating but I promise, it's so much easier than you think it is. The ingredients for the dough are simple, flour, salt, water and olive oil.
My boyfriend and I make pasta from scratch every Sunday, it's one of our "Sunday traditions" and its so much fun. We always joke about how we feel like Kramer and Newman in that episode of Seinfeld where they are making sausages. That show was gold.
THE DOUGH
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Put flour and salt in large mixing bowl, combine.
Make a well in the center.
Add wet ingredients to well and very slowly mix together with a fork, incorporating only a little flour at a time so it mixes smoothly and evenly.
BE PATIENT!
Continue kneading by hand for about 10 minutes.
Let rest for a half hour covered with a towel.
Repeat a couple times until dough is smooth and silky, and just slightly sticky.
Shape by hand or with a machine. I made spaghetti and fettuccine noodles. **Note: Boiling fresh pasta only takes about 30 seconds to 2 minutes to cook. I suggest waiting until the sauce is done to boil your pasta.
BOLOGNESE SAUCE
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced (less if you are not a garlic lover)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounce)
1 can tomato paste (6 ounce)
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
*Optional* 1⁄2 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Directions:
In a pan with large sides, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add chopped onions and carrots and saute until they begin to soften (about 5 mins).
Then add all herbs (dry basil, oregano, thyme, bay leaf) and crushed red pepper .
Mix well and add a bit more olive oil if you require it.
Add minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
Let simmer for a minute or two.
Add the can of tomato paste, mix well and cook for a minute or two.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes.
As sauce begins to bubble, stir the tomato paste into the crushed tomatoes.
Add a pinch of salt to taste.
Reduce heat to low, and simmer.
Once you are happy with the sauce, you are ready to make your pasta. Drain pasta and place in large serving bowl, top with sauce and add some pepper, fresh basil or parsley on top to serve. I also added dollops of Miyokos Mozzerella cheese on top which made it extra delicious!
