The Basics of Fresh Pasta and Its Benefits over Dried Ones

You'll be surprised to hear us admit it: you can make pasta in your kitchen right now. Do you have eggs and flour? Beat the eggs, slowly adding the flour and a pinch of salt, and you will have silky smooth fettuccine in under thirty minutes.

But if you search for recipes online, you will probably end up confused about how to make pasta. Different recipes require different amounts of flour, water, and eggs. They give different directions, telling you to mix it by hand or use a mixer. Some even tell you to knead it for a while, while others will say to rest the dough! No wonder pasta makers are frustrated!

Making the perfect pasta is not a simple task. Every recipe differs slightly from the next, even when all the ingredients are the same. You need to consider how long you should knead the dough and what temperature you should keep it at. You need to consider different resting times for different types of dough. And you need to adjust for different ingredients or even slight differences in equipment.

So, how do you know which method will produce an excellent result? If you try everything, that's how! You'll make batch after batch of pasta, trying out new combinations and techniques until something works. Your kitchen will become filled with floury dishes and too-doughy bowls. If you're really dedicated, you might even blog about it!

The Benefits of Fresh Pasta

1. It Is More Tender

The longer you knead a dough, the more gluten (or protein) you develop. You may not have heard of gluten before, but it's what gives pasta its springy texture. That's why durum wheat flour is used to make pasta, as it contains a lot of gluten.

But too much gluten can make your pasta hard, lumpy, and sticky. As you knead and work the dough, your gluten develops. Think of it like a muscle. When you exercise, it becomes stronger. When you overwork a muscle, however, you will pull a muscle and be left in pain.

2. It Takes Half the Time to Cook

Of course, most of us don't have hours to spend making pasta. Instead, we want to get dinner ready and eat it so we can go back to work. By cutting the time to half, we can get our pasta and eat it, too. But we have to be careful not to cut our pasta too thin.

3. It's Easier to Work With

The longer you knead the pasta, the tougher and stickier it will be. It's best to work quickly and stop kneading before your dough becomes too elastic. But it's not just about kneading. Rolling out your dough is also important. If you're using dried pasta, you need to use a rolling pin.

With fresh pasta, you can use your hands to gently roll it out. The dough will still be elastic, but it won't be as stiff. That means you're more likely to be able to roll it out to its full potential, giving you thinner pasta.

Conclusion

While it can be a little tricky, making fresh pasta is generally much easier than making dried pasta. It's also healthier, more tender, and less sticky. So, give fresh pasta a try next time you're craving Italian cuisine. You won't regret it!