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Classic Italian Fresh Egg Pasta

This Classic Italian Fresh Egg Pasta yields silky, springy sheets ideal for tagliatelle, fettuccine or delicate stuffed forms. Originating in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, fresh pasta combines simple pantry ingredients—flour, whole eggs and extra yolks—in a tender, pliable dough that cooks in just minutes. Handworking the dough on the counter develops gluten for chew, while resting under plastic wrap allows hydration and elasticity. Rolling through a pasta machine or by hand creates thin, ever-so-translucent sheets that beg for butter, olive oil or your favorite sauce. The recipe balances precision—measuring flour and eggs—and intuition—adding flour or water by feel—guiding home and professional cooks alike. Perfect for weekend projects or special dinners, these fresh noodles elevate simple sauces, herbs and seasonal ingredients into something extraordinary. Transform your kitchen into a trattoria with each forkful of vibrant, handcrafted pasta.

Main | Italian | Dairy-Free | Nut-Free | Soy-Free | Vegetarian | Fresh Pasta | Pasta Machine | Pot | Rolling Pin | All-Purpose Flour | Egg | Boiling | Kneading | Mixing | Rolling | Weekend
Time to complete

Prep

20min

Cook

2min

Wait

30min

Total

52min

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings (about 400g cooked pasta))

Main

  • 255 g (9 oz; about 2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 large whole eggs (110 g; 4 oz)
  • 4 large egg yolks (70 g; 2.5 oz)
  • 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
Nutrition Information (per 100g)
  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 4.0
  • Protein: 6.0
  • Carbohydrates: 22.0
  • Fiber: 1.0
Directions

Make the Dough

  • 1. On a clean work surface, mound flour and form a 10 cm (4 in) well. Crack whole eggs, add yolks and salt into the center. Using a fork, beat eggs and gradually incorporate flour until a sticky dough forms.

Knead

  • 2. Gather dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by pressing heel of hand forward and rotating 45° until dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, about 5–8 minutes.

Rest

  • 3. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax gluten.

Roll & Sheet

  • 4. Cut dough into quarters. Flatten one piece with a rolling pin to 1.25 cm (½ in) thickness. Pass through pasta machine on widest setting 3 times, folding each pass. Gradually reduce thickness one notch at a time until desired translucency.

Shape & Cut

  • 5. Dust sheets with flour, fold gently, and run through cutter attachment or slice by hand into 3–5 mm (⅛–¼ in) noodles. Unfold strands and form nests.

Cook & Serve

  • 6. Bring 4 L (1 gal) salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook 1½–2 minutes until al dente. Drain, toss with sauce, and serve immediately.
Cookix's Secrets

Dusting

  • Dust sheets and nests with semolina or flour to prevent sticking.

Flavored Dough

  • Mix in 1 tsp dried herbs (oregano, basil) or grated Parmesan for aromatic twist.

Flour

  • Use ’00’ flour for an even silkier texture and finer chew.

Hand-Rolling

  • Use a tapered rolling pin to roll sheets by hand if you don’t have a pasta machine.

Hydration

  • If dough feels too dry, mist with water; too wet, dust with flour sparingly.

Resting

  • Resting the dough prevents spring-back and makes rolling smoother.

Spinach Pasta

  • Blanch, purée and incorporate 100 g fresh spinach into the dough for vibrant green noodles.

Stuffed Pasta

  • Cut sheets into squares and fill with ricotta-spinach mixture to make ravioli or tortellini.

Whole Wheat

  • Substitute half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for nuttier flavor and more fiber.