Making homemade pappardelle is simple and fun and takes just around 30 minutes! Plus, you don’t even need a pasta machine, though it could be handy for consistent results. To make this recipe, you only need flour and eggs, but I have also included instructions on how to add a special floral, herby twist that looks gorgeous and adds a delicious, delicate flavor to the pasta. Following my tips, I’m sure that in no time you will master the art of pasta making and will surprise your family and friends with different variations of this pappardelle pasta. Plus, you might also enjoy making green pasta dough or pink pasta dough.
Watch the homemade pappardelle video
How to make the classic homemade pappardelle
Make the dough: Start by placing the flour on a clean working surface or in a bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs. Beat them with a fork and then start incorporating the flour until you obtain a thoroughly combined mixture.
Tipo “00” Flour: This is fine-powder flour perfect for making pasta. If you can’t find “00” grade pasta flour, you can use all-purpose flour. Eggs: Use large, room-temperature eggs.
For the floral pasta variation:
A selection of your favorite fresh herbs: Thyme, sage, basil, nettle, etc. A selection of edible flowers (optional)
Next, knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic – knead it, shaping, pulling, and stretching the dough to develop the gluten. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook. If it sticks to your hand when touched, add a little flour and knead till smooth – a little goes a long way, so add the flour sparingly. The process takes a while so be patient – it is a necessary step so that the pasta becomes smooth and silky, not lumpy and dry. Roll the dough: You can use only a rolling pin (or a glass bottle) for the whole process or, if you have a pasta machine, you can use that too. With a rolling pin: Roll the dough out and stretch it into thin sheets. If needed, cut it into a few pieces, and work on them separately (while working on one, keep the rest covered so they don’t dry). Sprinkle lightly with flour as needed so it’s not sticky. The pasta sheets should become slightly translucent and you should be able to see your hand underneath. Using a pasta machine: First, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is thin enough to pass in a pasta machine on level “0” (the widest setting). Feed the dough through the “0” setting, folding it in half and feeding it 2-3 more times until it forms a regular shape. Sprinkle lightly with flour to stop it from sticking. Then, feed it through thinner and thinner settings on the machine until the sheet is thin and translucent. Cut into pappardelle: Fold the pasta sheets a couple of times and then cut with a knife into long, wide pasta ribbons of about 1 inch (2.5 cm). The pappardelle is now ready to cook or freeze.
For the floral pappardelle
The key is the pasta “lamination” – a layer of herbs and edible flowers is sandwiched between two, thin layers of pasta dough. Make and roll out the dough as usual. It’s best to have two or an even number of thin, long sheets of pasta of similar size. Stretch one thin sheet on your work surface and arrange your fresh herbs and edible flowers on it. Then, carefully lay another sheet on top, and with the help of a rolling pin, carefully roll over so that the two sheets of dough get stuck together. If using a pasta machine, you can pass the dough through it again to help better laminate the herbs. Finally, fold the laminated pasta sheet a couple of times and cut into 1-inch ribbons.
Floral pappardelle serving tip
To cook the pasta, put it in boiling water (or boiling salted water) and cook for 3 minutes. As it’s very fresh, it cooks very fast – it’s ready when it rises to the top of your saucepan. Then, combine it with homemade basil pesto, easy mushroom ragù, or your favorite pasta sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy! If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
