Homemade Pasta, Ravioli Dough

With so many varieties and options of pasta available on the market, why would someone want to make their own pasta? The answer is quite simple. It’s just not the same as homemade. When large companies make a product, a whole lot of research and experimentation goes into making a great tasting and presentable product. However, an equal amount of research goes into making this product last longer (either on the shelf or in the fridge), withstand shipping and handling rigors, and stand up to the mishandling of consumers. Extra binders, preservatives, and stabilizers are used just for this purpose. When you make your own pasta at home, you completely cancel out the need for all of this junk and reap the rewards of fresh, delicious and satisfying pasta in the comfort of your own home. Growing up, one of my favorite comfort foods was chicken noodle soup which we called “lapsha” made with homemade, hand-cut pasta. It started with a chicken bone broth made with our very own pasture-raised chickens. I would watch, mesmerized, as my mother’s experienced hands swiftly hand mixed the egg-based noodles, then roll out the dough until it stretched to the length and width of our family dinner table (we were a large family of 8 kids) and was thin enough to see through it. The large sheet of dough was then cut in half, rolled and precisely cut into beautiful pasta strings. We would dust the strings of dough with flour to prevent them from sticking together. Just about that time, the rich bone broth would bubble violently, signaling the need to baptize the pasta in its hot pool. These childhood memories have greatly influenced me to go on a quest to find the perfect pasta dough.

Homemade Pasta, Ravioli Dough

 

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Prep time

2 hours 30 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

2 hours 38 mins

 

Even with readily available pasta to purchase, nothing quite tops making your very own. The most exceptional ravioli can be made using this dough. Adding the optional sourdough starter not only increases the digestibility but adds a pleasant taste to the pasta.

Author: Welcome2OurTable.com

Recipe type: main dish

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

• 1 pound All-purpose flour (*see note for adding whole grain)
• 10 egg yolks
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) milk
• 1 ounce (3 Tablespoons) olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) sourdough starter (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine flour and salt in a shallow bowl.
2. Make a well in the center and add yolks, milk, olive oil and if using, sourdough starter.
3. Mix together, bringing the flour toward the center by hand or fork. The dough will seem very tight. Once it feels too tight to mix any longer, cover and let rest 20-30 minutes.
4. Once the gluten has relaxed, knead the dough to make a uniform dough.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until completely relaxed. You can check by pressing your index finger into the dough and if the dough does not spring back but instead leaves a deep impression, then it's ready.
6. Set up your pasta machine (I use a hand crank one) to the lowest setting for rolling out the dough.
7. Section off 1-2" strips, flatten with your hand so that it fits into your pasta roller.
8. Keep rolling the dough by setting the dial to a higher number with each time. I usually go up to number 7, it's up to your preference of how thick you may like it.
9. Attach the pasta cutter attachment and run the rolled out dough through it. If planning to make ravioli, just place the rolled dough on the counter, fill, moisten the edges with a little water and cover with another rolled out piece of dough. Stamp out your ravioli shapes by either using a cookie cutter or just cutting them into squares.
10. Cook in salted, boiling water 2-4 minutes, depending on how thick your pasta is.

Notes

I usually add 4 ounces of soft white wheat for a wholesome pasta.

3.5.3251

Photo Step-By-Step

Combine flour and salt in a shallow bowl.
Make a well in the center and add yolks, milk, olive oil and if using, sourdough starter.

Mix together, bringing the flour toward the center by hand or fork. The dough will seem very tight. Once it feels too tight to mix any longer, cover and let rest 20-30 minutes.
Once the gluten has relaxed, knead the dough to make a uniform dough.

Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until completely relaxed. You can check by pressing your index finger into the dough and if the dough does not spring back but instead leaves a deep impression, then it’s ready.

Set up your pasta machine (I use a hand crank one) to the lowest setting for rolling out the dough.

This dough is a pleasure to work with as it requires no additional flour when rolling or cutting.

Section off 1-2″ strips, flatten with your hand so that it fits into your pasta roller.

Keep rolling the dough by setting the dial to a higher number with each time. I usually go up to number 7, it’s up to your preference of how thick you may like it.

Attach the pasta cutter attachment and run the rolled out dough through it. If planning to make ravioli, just place the rolled dough on the counter, fill, moisten the edges with a little water and cover with another rolled out piece of dough. Stamp out your ravioli shapes by either using a cookie cutter or just cutting them into squares.

Cook in salted, boiling water 2-4 minutes, depending on how thick your pasta is.