Life
9 Homemade Pastas That Would Make any Italian Grandmother Proud
In theory, homemade pasta sounds like a good idea. Romantic, even. You’ll put on some music, pour yourself a little wine, and — like magic — you’ll end up with beautiful, golden sheets of dough. Tortellini or lasagna, pappardelle or fettuccine — it doesn’t matter. You can do it all, and you’ll put Mario Batali to shame.
This is not usually how pasta making goes. If you’re like us, you end up elbow-deep in flour. There are strings of spaghetti drying on your chairs, your doorknobs, your clothes hangers — and if you don’t have a pasta roller, you probably tried MacGyvering it with a bottle. The good news? Homemade pasta is easier than you think, if you know which shapes to make and the tricks to get you there. So grab a rolling pin (or last night’s wine bottle) — we’re going to make our nonnas proud.
Image: Crepes of Wrath
Ricotta Gnocchi
It’s small. It’s adorable. It’s stuffed with cheese. You can’t help but love gnocchi — and the best part? You can leave your rolling pin in the drawer. Just mix eggs, cheese, flour, and salt and cut into bite-sized pieces. Thanks, Steamy Kitchen!
Image: Steamy Kitchen
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Once you’ve mastered ricotta gnocchi, step up your pasta game with sweet potato. It’ll add just two more steps — boiling and mashing your potatoes — but it’ll give your pasta a heartier flavor. Wandercrush breaks it down.
Image: Wandercrush
Lasagna
Next up? Learn how to roll out your pasta dough (by machine or hand) until it’s thin enough that light passes through. Then, cut it into wide slices and turn it into Crepes of Wrath’s decadent short rib lasagna.
Image: Crepes of Wrath
Fettuccine
After you’ve got your basic dough down pat, feel free to shake things up. Kitchen Confidante adds spinach for a bright, springy pasta.
Image: Kitchen Confidante
Pappardelle
Wider than fettuccine but narrower than lasagna, pappardelle is the perfect, everyday pasta to have on hand. Five and Spice serves hers with a zesty puttanesca sauce.
Image: Five and Spice
Ravioli
So you can make your dough and roll it. Now, let’s get folding. Lady and Pups stuffs her fresh ravioli with bok choy and pork — but if you’re short on time, you can cheat with wonton wrappers. We won’t tell.
Image: Lady and Pups
Strozzapretti
You might not want to mention this pasta in public — the name literally translates to “priest stranglers” — but it’s downright delicious. Our friends at Wild Greens and Sardines roll their dough into a corkscrew shape.
Image: Wild Greens and Sardines
Tortellini
Tortellini is everything you could want in pasta, all wrapped up in a tidy package. Cut your dough into circles, and then head over to The Kitchn for shaping tips.
Image: The Kitchn
Orecchiette
These “little ears” are as forgiving as they are adorable. Simply cut into small slices and press your thumb in the center. Bonus: the cup-like shape is ideal for holding sauces. Thanks, Adventures in Cooking!
Image: Adventures in Cooking
