There’s something truly rewarding about making fresh pasta at home. The dough comes together with just a few ingredients, but the texture and flavor are on another level compared to dried pasta. Using fine Italian semola flour gives the pasta a beautiful bite and silky texture that works perfectly for homemade tagliatelle. Once you try these homemade pasta, it’s hard to go back.
For years, I made pasta using all-purpose flour, but recently I started using fine Italian semola flour and absolutely loved the difference. It gives the pasta a wonderful texture with just the right amount of bite while still staying tender. The pasta hold their shape beautifully and pair perfectly with everything from a simple butter sauce to a rich meat ragù.
Making homemade pasta is also a fun kitchen project. I enjoy watching the dough transform as it passes through the pasta machine, becoming smoother and thinner with each roll. There is something satisfying about turning a small ball of dough into a plate of fresh pasta that the whole family can enjoy.
If you’ve never made pasta from scratch before, don’t be intimidated. Once you try it, you’ll see that it’s easier than it seems, and the flavor and texture make it well worth the effort.
How to make homemade pasta
Begin by placing the Italian semola flour on a clean work surface or in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and extra yolk, if using.
Using a fork, gradually incorporate the eggs into the flour until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth, elastic, and firm. At first, the dough may seem dry, but continue kneading, as semola absorbs moisture slowly. If needed, lightly dampen your hands while kneading to help the dough come together.
Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting time relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to roll out.
Roll the pasta
Cut the dough into smaller pieces, keeping the remaining pieces covered while you work.
Flatten one piece slightly and pass it through the pasta machine on the widest setting. Fold the dough in half and repeat a few times until the sheet is smooth and even.
Gradually reduce the thickness setting, passing the dough through each level until you reach your preferred thickness for tagliatelle.
Cut the tagliatelle
Lightly dust the pasta sheets with semola flour to prevent sticking. Run them through the tagliatelle cutter attachment.
Arrange the pasta into small nests or lay it flat on a lightly floured tray until ready to cook.
Cook and serve
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly, usually in just 2–3 minutes.
Drain and serve immediately with your favorite sauce.
Hope you will try this homemade pasta recipe. Share your photos on Instagram and tag me so I can see how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Recipes you may like to try with homemade pasta
This Mushroom Pasta is a creamy, comforting dish with golden mushrooms, garlic, and Parmesan, perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
This Chicken Alfredo Pasta is a rich and creamy pasta recipe made with tender chicken and a silky Parmesan sauce for a comforting family meal.
Pasta Primavera is a fresh and colorful pasta dish loaded with seasonal vegetables and a light, flavorful sauce perfect for any time of year.
For more recipes check our full collection of Pasta Recipes.
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Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
I think you are doing your readers a great disservice by positioning home-made pasta as infinitely superior to dried. In Italy — the olympus of pasta wisdom — they treat the two as fundamentally different foods rather than simply different versions of the same thing. Each has distinct ingredients, textures, and specific sauce pairings. Dried pasta is strictly made from durum wheat semolina and water, which gives it a firm, structured bite. Homemade or fresh pasta traditionally uses regular wheat flour and fresh eggs, creating a more tender, delicate texture. Dried pasta is extruded through bronze dies at commercial facilities to create a rough, porous texture that holds onto thick sauces. Homemade pasta is kneaded and rolled by hand or local machines, often cut into rustic shapes. Dried pasta is the undisputed champion of everyday Italian households because it pairs beautifully with quick, oil-based or tomato-based sauces. Homemade pasta is typically reserved for weekends, holidays, or heavier, rich sauces (like a classical Ragù Bolognese). Because of its firmness and elasticity, dried pasta is favored for robust, highly textured sauces like carbonara, puttanesca, or seafood.: Fresh, delicate dough easily absorbs butter, cream, and cheese. It is also the standard for stuffed pastas (like ravioli or tortellini) and hearty meat sauces where the pasta’s softness complements the richness of the dish. The false dichotomy you put forward would make cooks who use dried pasta for what it does best feel that they are presenting inferior or second best. That is simply not true.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective. You’re absolutely right that fresh and dried pasta are different products with their own traditions, textures, and ideal sauce pairings. My intention was simply to encourage readers to try making fresh pasta at home and experience something different, not to suggest that dried pasta is inferior. I’ll keep your feedback in mind and look at clarifying that distinction in the post.