Buying pasta is simple and it’s not even really that expensive, so why would you bother making your own? And of course, why would you even try it without a pasta machine? Well the truth is that homemade pasta is even cheaper to make than shop bought pasta and it’s just a whole lot more delicious (and nutritious since there are no additives). Plus you can try new shapes or styles of pasta and even create your own signature pasta look with different natural colourings or flavourings.

Well the truth is that homemade pasta is even cheaper to make than shop bought pasta and it’s just a whole lot more delicious (and nutritious since there are no additives

Here’s a simple guide to perfecting pasta making without breaking a sweat:

The recipe

• 2 cups of plain white flour
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• 3 large eggs

How simple is that? In terms of equipment, have a bowl ready, extra flour for your surfaces, a rolling pin and a floured baking sheet at the ready.

The method

• On a clean kitchen surface, mix your flour and salt together.
• Make a well in the middle and add your three eggs.
• Use a fork or whisk to gradually start combining the ingredients together, until it forms a ball (or use a food processor or just your hands).
• Once the mixture has come together in a ball, start to knead the dough by folding it into itself. In other words, flatten it out, fold it over & knead. Repeat until the ball of pasta dough becomes
  smooth & elastic.
• Place the ball in a bowl, cover and leave to rest for about 30 minutes.
• When you remove the pasta ball from the bowl after it has finished resting, sprinkle flour over it and also over your work surface to prevent it from sticking everywhere.

Making your own pasta without a machine

• Divide your dough into 4 equal size sections and begin with one section.
• Use a rolling pin to roll the dough as thin as you possibly can. During this process, keep flouring your dough and surface to prevent any sticking.
• Roll your dough into a thin rectangle. It should be 1 – 2mm thick. (You should be able to see your hand through the pasta sheet). When this happens, your pasta is ready to cut.
• Flour your rectangle once more and then roll up it up from one end to the other. Once you have your rolled up the pasta, cut across the width of it in thin strips. (a few millimetres apart)
• Unravel the sliced pasta and you will see that you have instantly made tagliatelle or if you slice it thinner, fettucine or even spaghetti. And if rolling isn’t your thing, you could always make your own version as thick, thin, wide, short or as weird as you would like it. It’s all in your creativity.
• Place your pasta strips onto your floured baking tray, cover and start with the next section until you have done all 4 sections and your pasta is ready to cook. (You can dry your pasta on coat hangers and store in an airtight container for use later, or you can even freeze the dried pasta for up to 3 months. If you dry or freeze your pasta, it will take longer to cook than if you cook it straight away). We say it’s best to cook your pasta pronto, pronto!

Cooking your pasta

This is the easy part. On the stove, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt the water and then when it’s boiling rapidly, add your pasta strips and boil for 4 to 6 minutes until its cooked al dente. All you need to do now is add your sauce (this pesto cream sauce is a favourite of ours) and voila – easy homemade pasta without any stress, expensive machines or costly gadgets.