Comfort, in this crazy time, is what we’re all craving. Nothing delivers it like a big plate of pasta.
Naturally, dried pasta was the first edible item to disappear off supermarket shelves. That leaves most of us, having eaten up our reserves, dreaming about spaghetti carbonara, tagliatelle alla bolognese, or a pan of saucy, cheesy lasagna.
Here’s the good news: You can make pasta at home — even if you’ve never tried it before, and even if you don’t have eggs or a pasta machine.
All you need is a pound of flour. Really! Flour plus water in the right proportions equals dough. And you can use a rolling pin to roll it out on a floured board — just as they did in the old days.
Rolling out pasta dough by hand is the subject of one of last year’s big cookbooks, American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta, by Los Angeles chef Evan Funke. Pasta machines, even manual ones, are a no-no in Funke’s world. (He created a hashtag about what people should do with their pasta machines that, ahem, cannot be repeated in a family publication.)
Anyone who has cooked from the book knows that the LA chef seriously geeks out on fresh pasta. The level of strict adherence to traditional methods he advocates is almost comical. I’ve taken the key precepts of his method (mostly involving kneading the dough and letting it rest) and adapted them for mortals.
Our adaptation is much less precise and much less demanding than Funke’s, but still results in a very good handmade pasta — even when it’s made from just flour and water.
In Italy, the egg-based dough that most Americans associate with fresh pasta was reserved for special occasions, the chef tells us in his book. “Eggs were once a precious ingredient,” he writes, “and only the wealthy could afford them in their daily pasta.”
Well, suddenly eggs are once again precious. If you don’t have any, but you have a pound of all-purpose (or better yet, 00 flour), try our adaptation of Funke’s method for sfoglia di acqua e farina — flour and water dough. At the pasta school he attended in Bologna, that’s the first dough students learned, because it is easier to roll out than egg dough.
With that, you can make cavatelli — little hollow logs that are easier to fashion than many other shapes because they don’t require rolling the dough into a thin sheet first. Cavatelli are traditionally adorned with sauces of mushrooms and sausage, or broccoli and garlic. But they’re also wonderful with pesto. In case you don’t have the ingredients on hand for the traditional basil-and-pine nut type, below you’ll find our recipe for one made with parsley and walnuts. Pesto is forgiving, though; it’s easy to swap herbs and nuts for whatever you have on hand.
Or you can make farfalle, also known as bow tie pasta. (It means “butterflies” in Italian). Rolling out the dough to a very thin sheet with a rolling pin requires some skill and patience, but forming it into bow ties with your fingers is fun — and kids will love helping. Farfalle sings with just about any sauce, and becomes positively luxurious dressed up with butter, ham (of any kind), peas (frozen ones work great), a touch of cream and grated Parmesan.
We are also including a basic recipe for egg pasta that uses whole eggs. You can use that for a richer version of farfalle, or cut it into wide pappardelle strips, which are spectacular sauced with a ragù bolognese.
For the purposes of this story, I revisited the basic ragù from Marcella Hazan’s The Classic Italian Cookbook and fell in love with it all over again. If you have a pound of ground beef, a can of tomatoes and three hours to let the sauce simmer, you’re nearly there. Its other ingredients are very basic: chopped onion, carrot, celery, a little olive oil and butter, a cup of white wine, and a cup of milk. It is easy and forgiving, and if you have to leave out the celery or swap red wine for white (or use water instead), it should still be delicious.
If you do have a pasta machine you like to use to roll out the dough, by all means do that. It’s certainly easier to get thinner sheets that way. Cut into thin fettuccine or tagliatelle strips, it is wonderful simply tossed with grated Parmesan.
Don’t worry — if you do pull out the machine, we won’t report you to chef Funke.
Former Dallas Morning News restaurant critic Leslie Brenner, now a restaurant consultant, writes about cooking at cookswithoutborders.com.
Flour and Water Pasta Dough
Note: Like many grocery items these days, flour’s availability on supermarket shelves can be spotty. Until the supply chain stabilizes, consider a swap with a neighbor who might need something you have, like canned tomatoes. You can each leave the item to be swapped on the other’s doorstep, so no contact necessary.
1 pound all-purpose or 00 flour (plus more for dusting)
7/8 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
You’ll need a clean work surface to make the pasta dough; a granite countertop or built-in butcher block is ideal. A bench scraper and water spray bottle are helpful but not essential.
Sift the flour onto your work surface and make an 8-inch-diameter well in the center. You should be able to see the work surface in the middle, and the well’s walls should be high enough to contain the water.
Pour the water into the well. Working from the interior edge of the well, use a fork to incorporate a bit of the flour at a time, stirring with the fork until the dough in the middle is the consistency of pancake batter. Clean off any flour mixture stuck to the fork and add it to the dough.
Scrape any remaining flour from the work surface into the dough. (This is easiest using a bench scraper, if you have one.) Working in a clockwise motion, cut the dough together as though you are making biscuits: scrape, fold and cut. Continue working the dough until a shaggy mass forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Parts of the mass will be rather wet, while other parts will be floury.
Knead the dough: With both hands, pull the far end of the dough toward you quickly and energetically, fold it over itself, then push it away from you using the heels of your palms. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat the kneading for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is a compact mass. The dough will be slightly tacky.
Wash, but don’t dry your hands and continue kneading the dough until it is relatively smooth with a cellulite-like texture, 3 to 5 minutes more.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, smoothing out any air pockets. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Unwrap the pasta dough and halve it with a sharp knife, using a sawing motion. Cover one half loosely with plastic wrap. On a lightly floured surface, knead the other piece of dough energetically for 3 to 5 minutes, until it is soft and smooth all the way around. If at any point the dough feels too dry, spray it and your hands with water until it loses its dryness. (Alternatively, you can wash your hands without drying them.) If you are closing the round ball and find the folded end is not sealing, spray or sprinkle a little water there to help it along. Once you have a soft and smooth ball, set aside and repeat the process with the other piece of dough.
Wrap both balls tightly in plastic wrap, smoothing out any air pockets, and set aside to rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, before rolling.
Makes 2 12-ounce dough balls, for 6 servings total. Either use both to make 6 servings of handmade cavatelli or farfalle, or use one to make three servings of one or the other.
Source: Adapted from American Sfoglino by Evan Funke with Katie Parla
Handmade Cavatelli
Making this shape can be a little tricky at first, but continue and you will get the hang of it. Meanwhile, it doesn’t matter if they are not beautiful; they will catch the sauce nicely and be delicious.
1 recipe (2 12-ounce dough balls) Flour and Water Pasta Dough
Use a knife to cut off a small piece of dough. On a lightly floured board, use both hands to roll it into a long rope about half an inch thick.
Cut the rope into 3/4-inch lengths. Place one of the lengths on the work surface, and use two fingers to press the dough into the work surface while you drag the dough toward yourself, encouraging the dough to curl around itself into the shape of an open hollow log with finger depressions. Repeat with all the remaining dough, placing the pasta pieces on a lightly floured baking sheet as they are completed.
Makes enough cavatelli for 6 servings.
Cavatelli with Parsley-Walnut Pesto
Feel free to substitute pine nuts or pecans for the walnuts, or fresh basil leaves for the parsley; the recipe is very forgiving.
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped Italian parsley, including stems
1/2 cup walnut pieces
2 or 3 garlic cloves
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup extra virgin oil
1 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus additional for serving
1 recipe fresh cavatelli
Place the Italian parsley, walnut pieces, garlic cloves, salt and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process or blend until very smooth. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl, stir in the Parmesan and set aside.
Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the cavatelli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. When they’re nearly done, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water into the pesto and stir it in to loosen it up.
Drain the cavatelli and add it to the bowl with the sauce (or use a spider or strainer to transfer it). Toss gently to coat, and serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan.
Makes 6 servings.
Handmade Farfalle
You’ll need a rolling pin and a large, clean work surface to roll out and cut the pasta dough. A granite countertop or built-in butcher block is ideal. Use flour for dusting sparingly. Too much of it dries out the dough and makes it more difficult to work with. Always roll it away from and toward yourself, rather than side to side; this will allow you to make a more even, round sheet.
The idea is to roll out the pasta very, very thin, which requires some patience. Evan Funke suggests measuring thickness using a stack of Post-it Notes. For both the cavatelli and the farfalle, the goal is to roll it out the thickness of 7 Post-it Notes. If yours is a little thicker, don’t worry; just strive to get it as thin as you can.
To cut the pasta for farfalle, a fluted pastry wheel is required to get a zigzag edge. You can still make this shape without a fluted wheel; just use a sharp knife for straight edges. The bow ties won’t have zigzag edges, but they will still be cute.
1 recipe (2 12-ounce dough balls) Flour and Water Pasta Dough
Flour for dusting
Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin lightly. Unwrap one of the dough balls, place it on the work surface, and use your palm to flatten it into a thick disc, about 6 inches in diameter. Roll it into an elongated oval. Rotate the oval a quarter-turn, then roll it into a circle. Rotate another quarter-turn, then roll it into an elongated oval. Continue rolling and rotating until you have a very thin, large sheet of pasta. When you think it is thin enough, continue rolling more.
Use a fluted pastry wheel to cut the dough into 2 1/2-inch strips, then use a knife to cut the strips crosswise into 2 1/2-inch squares. Place a piece of plastic film over the squares so they don’t dry out while you work on the bow ties.
Place a square on the work surface and use your fingers to form two or three horizontal pleats. Then pinch the center to form a bow tie. Press the center so that the thickest part becomes nearly as thin as the rest of the bow tie. Continue with the rest of the pasta squares, placing the farfalle on a lightly floured baking sheet as they are completed.
You can use partial squares or scraps to form more farfalle, even if they are not perfect.
Repeat with the other dough ball.
Makes enough farfalle for 6 servings.
Farfalle with Ham and Peas
This recipe works with just about any kind of ham you have on hand — including thin-sliced prosciutto or slices or cubes of deli ham. If you don’t have cream, you can omit it and use a little extra butter instead, or use half-and-half and cook the sauce a bit longer to reduce.
To adapt this recipe using 1 pound of dried farfalle, simply cook the pasta longer, until it is al dente.
4 to 6 ounces sliced prosciutto or 6 to 8 ounces deli ham
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup cream
1 recipe Handmade Farfalle
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
If using sliced prosciutto or thin-sliced deli ham, cut the ham into 1-inch squares. If using thick-cut deli ham, cut it into small dice. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or skillet. Add the prosciutto or ham and cook over medium heat about 15 seconds, then add the peas and cook until they are heated through, about a minute. Add the cream, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat for the moment.
While the cream is thickening, bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Add the farfalle and cook about 3 minutes, until the center of the bow ties are cooked through and tender.
While the pasta is cooking, return the sauce to medium heat. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Cook it briefly, tossing it gently in the sauce. Remove from heat, add the Parmesan, tossing gently again, then turn it into a serving bowl. Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Fresh Egg Pasta
12 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 3/4 cups), plus additional for dusting
4 large eggs
Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, making sure to capture every drop of the whites. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs, drawing the flour in from the sides of the well. Continue doing so until the eggs are incorporated into the flour. Continue beating with the fork until the dough starts to come together.
Turn the dough ― along with the stray bits ― onto a lightly floured board, and push the bits into the dough as much as possible. Knead the dough a few minutes, until all the bits are incorporated and the dough is uniform and pretty smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Form it into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic film and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Unwrap the pasta dough and halve it with a sharp knife, using a sawing motion. Cover one half loosely with plastic wrap. On a lightly floured surface, knead the other piece of dough for 3 to 5 minutes, until it is soft and smooth. If at any point the dough feels too dry, spray it and your hands with a little water. (Alternatively, you can wash your hands without drying them.) Once you have a soft, smooth ball, set it aside and repeat the process with the other piece of dough.
Wrap both balls tightly in plastic wrap, smoothing out any air pockets, and set them aside to rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, before rolling.
Makes approximately 2 9-ounce dough balls, for 4 to 5 servings total.
Handmade Pappardelle
Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap one of the dough balls, place it on the work surface and use your palm to flatten it into a thick disc, about 6 inches in diameter. Roll it into an elongated oval. Rotate the oval a quarter-turn, then roll it into a circle. Rotate another quarter-turn, then roll it into an elongated oval. Continue rolling and rotating until you have a very thin, large sheet of pasta. When you think it is thin enough, continue rolling more. It should be about 18 inches in diameter.
Leave the pasta sheet where it is for 5 to 10 minutes, until it is dry to the touch. Then flip it over and let it dry 5 to 10 minutes on the other side.
Using a sharp knife, cut the pasta sheet in half, then cut each half into 3/4-inch (or a little wider) ribbons. If your pasta isn’t super-thin, give each ribbon another roll, making it even longer, before placing it on a lightly floured baking sheet.
Repeat with the other dough ball.
Makes enough pappardelle for 4 to 5 servings.
Pappardelle with Ragù Bolognese
The Ragù Bolognese is very loosely adapted from Marcella Hazan’s The Classic Italian Cookbook: The Art of Italian Cooking and the Italian Art of Eating.
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced small
1 pound ground beef
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 recipe handmade pappardelle
Finely grated Parmesan for serving
In a Dutch oven or other deep pot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the onion is just translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and cook gently for 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef, crumbling it in the pot with a fork. Add the salt, stir and cook only until the meat has lost its raw, red color. Add the wine, turn the heat up to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the wine is evaporated.
Turn the heat down to medium, add the milk and the nutmeg, and cook until the milk has evaporated, stirring frequently.
When the milk has evaporated, add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly. When the tomatoes have started to bubble, turn the heat down until the sauce cooks at the laziest simmer, just an occasional bubble. Cook, partially covered, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, and adding a little water when necessary. Taste and correct for salt.
Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pappardelle, and cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
When the pasta nearly done, stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water into the ragù. Remove about a cup of the ragù and reserve for another use. Use tongs to transfer the pasta into the sauce, and let it cook briefly, tossing gently in the sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with grated Parmesan.
Makes 4 to 5 servings.