For years I kept the pasta maker that was passed down from Ryan’s grandmother stashed away in the back of our pantry where it was easily forgotten. The whole process of homemade pasta making seemed intimidating and tedious and the pasta maker remained untouched for the longest time. Homemade pasta had been near the bottom on my long list of recipes to try. Then all of the sudden last year, the idea of making my own pasta intrigued me. I finally tried it and oh my goodness, homemade pasta takes pasta to a whole new level. Spelt flour has been a favorite to bake with for some time now and I also love it in this pasta. It gives the pasta a slightly nutty flavor without having an overwhelming wheat flavor. Realistically, fresh homemade pasta will not be the new normal around here, but it is a special treat once in a while. It does take some time, but it’s really not as much work as I had expected. There are two methods to making the dough- by hand or with a mixer or food processor. From my experience, I’ve had consistently better results when I make it by hand.
First, make a well in a mound of flour and fill with the lightly beaten eggs and olive oil. Use a fork to gradually incorporate the flour, starting in the middle and working outwards.
Knead the dough together by hand until the dough is smooth and flexible. Form the dough into a ball and allow to rest.
Make flat sheets of pasta through one side of the pasta machine.
Then cut those sheets into strips of noodles with the other side.
You have pasta!
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Spelt Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole spelt flour (10 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3-6 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Make a mound of flour and sprinkle the salt across the top. Use a spoon to create a well in the center of the mound.
- In a liquid measuring cup, lightly whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and 3 tablespoons of water. Pour the mixture into the well. Using a fork and a circular motion, gently incorporate the flour starting from the center and working outwards until all of the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough with your hands, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary, until you can form a soft ball of dough. Continue to knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and flexible. Form the dough into a ball and cover with a glass bowl or plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest and relax for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
- Secure pasta machine to the edge of a countertop. Divide dough into quarters. Take one of the quarters and keep the remaining three quarters covered. Flatten and shape the piece of dough into a rough rectangle. Start with the rollers on the thickest setting (this is #1 on my pasta machine) and roll the dough through the machine. Fold the dough into thirds towards the center of the rectangle. Roll the dough through the machine again starting with the open end of the dough. Fold and repeat once more. Continue rolling the pasta through the machine, gradually adjusting to the thinner settings. I like to roll the dough twice through at each setting and I stop at #4 on my pasta machine. After #3, the dough becomes quite long and I cut the dough in half to make the length more manageable.
- Choose the size noodles you would like from the opposite side of the pasta machine and roll the thin sheets of pasta through the machine to cut into noodles. Allow pasta to dry on a pasta rack.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the remaining quarters of dough.
- To cook the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir immediately to avoid sticking. Boil 2-4 minutes, until pasta floats to the top and is tender.
Notes
very slightly adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals
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Thao @ In Good Flavor says
I love a nice inviting bowl of noodles, and these homemade noodles are lovely. I just found your blog on BlogHer and wanted to say your photos are beautiful.
Emily says
Thanks for stopping by for a visit, Thao!
Renee says
Absolutely agree on better results when making it by hand! The photos are gorgeous!!
Lu @ Super Nummy Yo! says
This is so impressive and beautiful!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Pasta always tastes so much better when it’s made from scratch & I can imagine your spelt pasta tastes divine!
Kate says
this looks delicious! what kind of pasta maker do you have? i’ve been interested in purchasing one, and would love to know if you are happy with yours 🙂 thanks!!
Emily says
Thanks, Kate! I have a vintage Hoan Pasta Maker that was handed down to me by my husband’s grandmother. I have also used this one, which is very similar: http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-167711/Atlas+Marcato+Pasta+Machine
Kate says
very helpful, thanks so much for your response!
Kim says
Just used this recipe as a first time pasta maker- with my pasta maker that was a gift from my Mom. It turned out perfectly and is drying as I type! 🙂 How long do you let it hang on the drying rack before boiling!?
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe and great photos!
Emily says
Hi Kim! I usually just hang it on the rack until I’m ready to use it. If you make it in the morning, it can be left on the drying rack until dinner. If you make it right before dinner, you can cook the pasta even before it is fully dry. If you want to make the pasta for future use, I would recommend swirling the pasta into little nests and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. You can freeze the “nests” of pasta and cook the pasta directly from the freezer. So glad to hear you tried the recipe. Hope you loved it!
Janine says
Awesome advice, thanks!