Fresh pasta: How to make the best

You love Italian cuisine, whether it’s Favuzzi or Cipriani products, but you’ve always wanted to learn how to make your own fresh pasta. Nothing could be easier. All you need is patience and time (plus flour, eggs, water and accessories).

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Why make fresh pasta?

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Firstly, it tastes better and is quick to make. You just have to take your time and you’ll love it. The satisfaction of creating your own pasta from scratch is unmatched.

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What accessories do you need to make the best fresh pasta?

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• A Marcato pasta machine. The centrepiece, renowned for its quality all over the world, starting with Italy, where it is produced. 10-year guarantee
• Accessories for fettuccine and tagliolinis for the Marcato machine
• A dryer for storing your pasta (Tacapasta)
• A gnocchi board, useful for many other pasta shapes
• A notched wheel for making pretty farfalle shapes and ravioli
• A dough cutter
• A small brush for cleaning

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The Marcato pasta machine, is ti quality?

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The Marcato, it’s probably one of the best machines on the market, Massimo Vincelli from Conserva, told me that it was really a high-end kit that we find. The machine is made in Italy, and it allows you to make, with the starter kit, 3 kinds of pasta: Lasagna, fettuccine and taglionis.

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But what is Marcato?

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Since 1930, Marcato has been the world leader in the production of machines and accessories for fresh pasta. The work, passion and ingenuity of Otello Marcato has given birth to the range of products recognized today around the world. Marcato products are designed above all for lovers of things done to perfection, and who seek to rediscover the pleasure of eating healthy homemade products. What’s more, Marcato’s guide to making pasta is superbly well done and comes in several languages, including English.

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As I said, several accessories are easy to find for the machine in Italian specialty shops like Quincaillerie Dante, and even Amazon.

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What do I need to make my fresh pasta?

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Ingredients for making fresh pasta (serves 6)

• 500 g soft wheat flour (type 00 from Italy such as Favuzzi or Caputo for example)
• 5 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 100 g flour (to work the dough)
• Water

For a better dough

• 250 g soft wheat flour
• 250 g durum wheat flour (or semolina / durum wheat semolina)
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
• Water

* If you want the very yellow pasta you get in Italy, there’s no secret: it comes from eggs. You need hens that are fed corn. It’s quite rare in Canada, surprising with all the corn we produce.

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How to make fresh pasta (The method)

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You can watch this video or follow our instructions below.

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The method

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1. Pour the flour into a large bowl or square.
2. Add the eggs in the middle.
3. Mix with a fork to incorporate the ingredients into the flour.
4. Knead the dough with your hands until it is completely smooth.
   • If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if it is too sticky, add a small amount of flour.
   • A perfect dough should never stick to your fingers.
   • If necessary, continue kneading the dough by hand.
   • Divide the dough into small pieces.
5. Set the machine’s control knob to 0 so that the two smooth rollers are fully open.
6. Insert a piece of dough into the rollers by turning the crank clockwise or after starting the motor.
7. Lightly flour both sides of the pasta sheet and fold it in half.
8. Pass the pasta sheet through the smooth rollers several times, until it is long and evenly shaped, to obtain perfect fresh pasta.
9. Cut the pasta sheet in half and lightly flour each piece on both sides.
10. Roll the sheet once for each number until you get the desired thickness. For Fettuccine, this is 5.
11. Cut the pasta sheet crosswise into pieces about 25 cm (10 inches) long and sprinkle with flour.
12. Insert the crank or motor into the cutting attachment and pass the pasta sheet through the rollers to cut it.
13. Open the Tacapasta and, using the central rod, scoop up the pasta and transfer it to the rods.
14. The pasta dries in around 1 to 2 hours, depending on temperature and humidity, and can then be stored in suitable containers.

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Do not hesitate to try these different kinds of fresh pasta.

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Marcato machines are available at Quincaillerie Dante.

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Did you like this fresh pasta recipe? Visit our recipes section to add variety to your menus.