Did you just add ‘learn to make pasta from scratch’ to your list of 2024 New Year’s resolutions? Get started with these 10 PIATTO™ fresh pasta recipes—complete with video guides! From the ridiculously easy (we’re talking to you, Roman Style Gnocchi) to the decidedly more complicated Tortellini Bolognesi—you’ll learn to master them all!
Easy Pasta to Make for Beginners
#1 Semolina Gnocchi alla Romana
If you can make cream of wheat or polenta, you can make this pasta! The famous ‘Gnocchi alla Romana’ are semolina dumplings shaped into discs. No special tools required, but a simple round cookie cutter will help you make them more attractive.
#2 Gnocchetti (Little Flour and Water Gnocchi)
While we tend to think gnocchi by definition includes potatoes, it’s not so in Italy. There is a long tradition of flour and water gnocchi (or ‘little gnocchi’) as we find in this super easy pasta recipe for gnocchetti. Simply combine fine breadcrumbs with flour and hot water. After a brief knead and rest, you can stretch the dough into long ropes and cut the pasta in pieces about the size of a pinto bean.
Intermediate Pasta Making
The following fresh pasta recipes are not difficult by any means. However, you will have to ‘master’ a few simple concepts:
- Use Pasta Flour: to create the best texture and avoid the pasta ‘breaking’ during cooking
- Knead Long Enough: about 10 minutes, until the pasta is elastic and ‘springs’ back when you press on it.
- Invest in a Pasta Roller: these range from simple hand crank models (most affordable) to sophisticated automatic machines and extensions which work with stand mixers. Of course, you can learn to stretch the pasta with a rolling pin like an Italian Grandma 😉 but most of you will want to use a machine.
Which Pasta Machine to Choose?
Hand Crank Pasta Machines
Here are two ‘Made in Italy’ brands that are quite popular among Italians. Both of these brands offer affordable, hand crank machines that will allow you to stretch any type of pasta dough and cut several (affiliate links below).
Affordable 'Made in Italy' Hand Crank (Manual) Pasta Machines Marcato ► https://amzn.to/3tuia4X Imperia ► https://amzn.to/48iEb5B
FYI: Our Italian Grandmas have been using the same Imperia pasta roller for decades, and it’s the model you see below.
Stand Mixer Pasta Roller/ Cutter Extensions
Personally, we prefer a stand mixer pasta roller/cutter extension. These extensions leverage the powerful motor from a stand mixer to turn any roller/cutter attached into an electric powered pasta machine—no hand cranking required!
Find out more about why we like stand mixer pasta roller/cutter extensions in this article about how to make pasta with a stand mixer. You can even mix and knead pasta with the stand mixer, however we typically do this by hand and use the stand mixer extensions to stretch the pasta.
Without further ado, let’s review more fresh pasta that you can learn to make from scratch in 2024!
#3 Pici Pasta
Every culture with a tradition of pasta making has some variation of this pasta. In Italy, there is pici (of Tuscany) and ciriole (of Umbria)— thick and long handmade noodles that perfectly hug pasta sauce.
Technically, this pasta can be made without a pasta roller. It’s easy enough to stretch the dough thin enough with a rolling pin, cut the pasta into strips and then stretch the pasta with the palms of your hands. However, many people prefer to stretch the pasta initially with a pasta roller. Certainly, you will want to use pasta flour to make pici pasta—it is prone to breaking when made with flours less adapted to pasta.
#4 Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta
Tagliatelle is the traditional go-to pasta for many traditional Italian pasta recipes. Learn how to make it from scratch at home.
#5 Fresh Potato Gnocchi
Ah, here they are! Those fluffy, cloud-like bites of pasta that go perfectly with almost any kind of sauce. If you follow our tips (don’t knead the dough too much, use the right flour), you’ll learn how to make fresh gnocchi like a pro in no time.
#6 Spinach Pasta (Green Pasta)
Spinach pasta dough is no harder to make than any other pasta dough. However, you will want to remember to squeeze the blanched spinach well to remove the water. You may need extra flour to balance the extra moisture! A classic use of spinach pasta dough in Italy? Bolognese Lasagna!
Advanced Pasta Making: Filled Pasta!
No pasta making is rocket science 😉 However, filled pasta do have more steps due to the need to create the filling and fold the pasta in a way minimize breakage and leaky filling. Here are some filled fresh pasta recipes you’ll want to tackle in 2024!
#7 ‘Tortelli’ Mantovani (Buttercup or Butternut Squash Ravioli)
This squash recipe from Mantova, Italy is a real treat! The perfect balance of all five tastes and filled with some unexpected ingredients! Although they are called ‘tortelli,’ they are formed like ravioli. If you master them, you’ll be on your way to making any other kind of ravioli.
#8 Agnolotti (Meat and Truffle Ravioli)
These tiny ravioli of Umbria combine a few classic regional flavors: fine meats and truffle!
#9 Tortellini Bolognesi (Bolognese Tortellini Recipe)
Due to their small size and particular shape, tortellini might be considered a more ‘advanced’ pasta. However, they are totally worth the effort. This is the most famous tortellini recipe in Italy, though recipes vary from region to region and family to family.
#10 Chiacchiere (Angel Wings, Bugie..)
This too, is pasta! These famous carnival cookies are nothing more than sweet and flavored (then fried) pasta. They are made in a variety of shapes and go by a variety of names throughout Italy. This is one of our favorite recipes.
Tools to Use
Amazon Affiliate Links;
Italian ‘Made in Italy’ Pasta Flours We Love
► Gnocchi and Pasta Flour: https://amzn.to/4689LC3
► Semola Flour: https://amzn.to/3F9Mdi7
‘Made in Italy’ Hand Crank Pasta Machines
These are the most affordable models of pasta roller/cutter machines as they are hand crank.
►Marcato: https://amzn.to/3tuia4X
► Imperia: https://amzn.to/48iEb5B
Pasta Roller and Cutter Extensions for Stand Mixers
Personally, we love these stand mixer extensions and use them regularly. They are ergonomic and the powerful stand mixer motor makes the job easy.
► KitchenAid Pasta Roller (Set of 3): https://amzn.to/3tO8Bby
► Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (Pro): https://amzn.to/43cPHww
► Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (Artisan): https://amzn.to/3p15WhO
Pasta Work Surfaces
► Stainless Steel Work Surface / Pastry Board: https://amzn.to/3xaiFQf
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