Pappardelle Pasta

I've made Pappardelle twice before, once using my mom's homemade pasta recipe and another time using a similar recipe that has some helpful photos and even a video. I like making Pappardelle because it's simple - make the dough, roll the dough, and then cut it with a knife and you're done! It pairs perfectly with a thick bolognese sauce.

For pasta recipes like this one, I like to use my Marcato Atlas 180 pasta roller. I bought this pasta machine without any cutting attachments, specifically just for rolling out pasta sheets. It is wider than the more well-known Atlas 150 so it's perfect for lasagna noodles and sheets of pasta for ravioli or hand cutting. I also have a KitchenAid pasta roller, although I have not used it in a long time - when making small amounts of pasta I really prefer to hand crank them.

The recipe below is the one I used most recently and it yields the perfect amount for my small family of 4. As always, make sure your eggs are room temperature before you start mixing your pasta dough.

Pappardelle Pasta

Recipe courtesy Emilie Raffa

 

Make homemade pappardelle pasta from scratch with only two ingredients: whole eggs and 00 flour. Hand-cut for wide, silky ribbons that pair perfectly with Bolognese, mushroom ragù or basil pesto. 

 

For timing, the process is broken up into 3 parts: making the dough, rolling the dough into pasta sheets, and cutting the pasta into noodles. Tips shared below for using a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, food processor and doing it by hand. 

 

300 g Tipo 00 Flour*

3 large eggs, room temperature* 

1 large egg yolk, room temperature

Olive oil*

Semolina flour, for dusting

 

*Note: For the Tipo 00 flour, I recommend Molino Grassi or Caputo. For the eggs & yolk, the total combined weight (cracked) should be 185 g. Because egg size varies, make up the difference, if needed, with an extra egg yolk or olive oil. Olive oil makes the dough more soft, supple and satisfying to work with. 

Step #1: Make The Dough

There are 3 different ways to make pasta dough: by hand, in a stand mixer or with a food processor. Choose one of the following options below.

The Traditional Way (by hand):

1.     Add the flour to a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add the eggs and yolk.

2.     Whisk together with a fork, and then combine with the flour. When the texture becomes stiff, finish by hand to form a rough dough. If dry bits of flour remain after a few minutes of mixing (be patient, it’s a dry dough) add a few drops of water or olive oil to bring the dough together. 

3.     Form the dough into a ball, cover with an upturned bowl or with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes- it will be easier to knead.

4.     Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. Do this by folding the dough over itself, pushing it forward with the heel of your hand, turning slightly as you go. I literally rock the dough back and forth (watch the video). The texture will be very stiff at first- it’s not bread dough. But rest assured, by the 2 minute mark it will start to soften. Keep kneading until the dough is soft, malleable and has a talcum-like finish. It should “bounce back” slowly when poked.

5.     Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Stand Mixer Instructions:

Fit the machine with the dough hook. Add the flour and eggs to the bowl. Mix until combined. Knead on speed #1 or #2, about 4-5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Food Processor Instructions:

Add the flour and eggs to the bowl. Pulse several times until the dough comes together. Remove the dough to your work surface and let rest for 1 minute. If the dough is a bit sticky after resting, add a sprinkle of flour. Knead by hand for 1-2 minutes (the food processor does most of the kneading for you). Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step #2: Roll The Dough Into Pasta Sheets

This can be done using a KitchenAid stand mixer with the roller attachment, with a hand crank pasta machine or by hand with a rolling pin.

1.     Dust your work surface with semolina flour. Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough into a 6-8inch oval patty. Keep the remaining doughs covered in wrap otherwise they will dry out. 

2.     If using a KitchenAid stand mixer, set the pasta roller to #1 which is the lowest/widest setting. With the machine running, send the dough through the roller. Now, send it through again (so, 2x total). Note: if using a hand crank pasta machine instead, refer to the manufacture’s specific instructions for rolling the dough (the settings might differ but the rolling process is the same). You can also use a rolling pin to roll the dough as thin as you can, about 1/16 inch (1-2 mm).

3.     Continue to roll the dough through settings #2-4, (2x) on each setting. Do not pull on the sheet as it comes through the roller; just guide it along gently. If at any point the dough becomes sticky, dust with semolina flour. I keep my work surface dusted with semolina at all times. This way I can coat both sides of my pasta sheet easily and quickly while I work.

4.     Your pasta sheet is ready when it’s beautifully thin and somewhat translucent (you should be able to see your hand underneath). Don’t worry if the ends are not perfectly straight; you can always trim them with a knife.

5.     To finish, dust the pasta sheet generously with semolina, fold it in half, and place onto your floured sheet pan. Cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat the rolling process for the remaining 3 doughs.

Step #3: Cut Pappardelle Pasta 

1.     Before cutting, I like to dry my pasta sheets ever so slightly. This firms up the final texture giving the strands a more “leathery” finish, rather than a soft and doughy feel (this will prevent the pasta from sticking together later on). 

2.     To Semi-Dry: drape the pasta sheets over the back of a chair for about 10-15 minutes or so. Keep your eye on the time; you don’t want the sheets to dry out completely. You will be able to feel the difference.

3.     To Cut: take a pasta sheet and cut it in half. Trim the ends, if you like. Run the sheet through your desired pasta cutter attachment to create strands. Alternatively, cut the dough by hand.

To Store: Arrange the pasta flat on a sheet pan dusted heavily with semolina flour. Doing so will keep the pappardelle’s broad and flat shape- it won’t curl. Cover with plastic wrap and hold at room temperature if cooking within 1-2 hours. Alternatively, refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 12 hrs. It’s best to cook homemade pasta on the same day it’s made, otherwise it might oxidize, discolor and stick together if chilled past 24 hrs.

To Freeze: Allow the pasta to air-dry, uncovered, for up to 20 minutes before freezing. This helps to prevent sticking. Portion into Ziploc bags and freeze, up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, no need to defrost first.

To Cook: Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling water. Make sure to generously salt it first. Cooking time will depend on the pasta’s thickness. For pappardelle, plan on 5-7 minutes for al dente (soft but with a bite), but taste it first to be sure it’s ready. When finished, use tongs to transfer the pasta directly into the sauce.

Pasta Tools

During the summer of 2024 I decided I wanted to start making homemade pasta more often. I also wanted to invest in some high quality pasta tools that are made in Italy. I started following various Instagram accounts of people who make all sorts of amazing pasta shapes. Of course, Pasta Grannies are my favorite to watch, but I enjoy watching younger chefs as well. I never buy cookbooks anymore but I came across one that I knew would be helpful and purchased it - Pasta Every Day by Meryl Feinstein. A quick look at her Instagram page will tell you why I bought her book - the photographs alone are stunning.

In mid-June I purchased a Divina Cavatelli Pasta Maker, which makes quick work of something that could otherwise be done by hand. This is a fun little pasta machine that suctions to your countertop or table and is perfect if you have a young helper - kids have a lot of fun doing the work of turning the crank!

Divina Cavatelli Pasta Maker

At the same time, I ordered a Marcato Otello pasta machine that can only be used to roll out pasta/lasagna sheets, cut fettuccine and cut tagliolini. You cannot use a motor or any attachments with it. I love the simplicity and old style of this machine. Although I was initially looking for a quieter motorized pasta machine (quieter than my KitchenAid), I much prefer to hand crank my pasta sheets rather than use my KitchenAid roller attachment. The distinct sound from the machine cranking away instantly brings me back to being in my Grandma Filomena's basement when I was younger while she was making pasta. It is one of my favorite soothing sounds in the world (besides the ocean!) and is much preferred over the loud noise from a motor.

Marcato Otello Pasta Machine

I had a 28" wide x 22" deep dough board that I bought a few years ago. This was a great board but after using it many times, there were a few things about it that I really disliked - the board stuck out from the countertop because of where the lip is placed, which also decreased the usable surface area on top (the board is reversible so the lip is on both sides of it). I also could not open my kitchen drawers that are underneath my 1" thick countertops when using this board because the 1.5" lip blocked the drawer from opening, so I could not keep the board out all the time if I wanted to. I used it and put it away so it was not sticking out or blocking anything else in the kitchen. I also wanted something a bit wider and deeper that would go all the way back to the backsplash, with a lip that was the correct size to sit flush with the countertop edge and not stick out and also not block my drawers from opening. After looking around at various custom made boards, I found one that was exactly what I was looking for on Southridge Woodworks' Etsy page and website. I reached out with the size I had in mind (32" wide x 24" deep) and ordered a custom reversible maple board from him. This was a bit of an investment, including a high shipping cost because of the size and weight, but I knew I'd love it and that it would suit my needs much better than my first board, which I passed on to one of my sisters who recently asked me where I got it from.

My old dough board

My new dough board

For smaller tasks, such as making gnocchi, this 14" x 24" Maple Serving Board works very well. I put a slightly damp kitchen towel under it to keep it from moving. I also use this when I make biscuits, pie dough, sugar cookies, french bread, etc. I store it in a cabinet and if the large, heavy dough board is not needed, I reach for this one. However, this board is not useful when kneading pasta dough (it moves too much for kneading) or making spaghetti (it's too small).

Maple Serving Board

Making gnocchi on the maple serving board

As I watched more and more videos, I noticed how many people hand cut their pasta. This eliminates the need for expensive pasta cutter attachments. I researched pasta knives and did not find much, so I'm not sure what most people use. I ended up buying a Berti Pasta Knife from ThatsArte.com when they had a Black Friday sale. This knife is made in Italy and is quite beautiful. As its name implies, it will only be used for cutting pasta. The first pasta I cut with it was Pappardelle, which I served with bolognese, and it was delicious! I wasn't sure if my boys would like it because it's a little more difficult to pick up with a fork since it's so wide, but they said it was the best homemade pasta I've ever made! I also used this knife to cut ricotta gnocchi, which I served with butternut squash sauce, and it was even more delicious!

Berti Pasta Knife

Hand-cut Pappardelle

Hand-cut Ricotta Gnocchi

After using my pasta knife a few times, I realized that I was limited in how much pasta I could cut at a time, depending on how wide my pasta sheets came out. I've never been good with rolling pins, so I am not ready to use a mattarello and roll out my own thin pasta sheets (I don't think I'll ever be that skilled). Instead, I purchased a Marcato Atlas 180 machine with only the roller - no attachments (the only attachments available for the Atlas 180 are fettuccine and tagliolini, which I already have on the Otello and if I want to make either of those I would use the Otello since it is much nicer), simply because I want to use the Atlas 180 when I will be making pasta that I will hand cut, fill (ravioli), or when making lasagna sheets. This machine can produce 180mm wide sheets of pasta versus the standard 150mm from most machines. I had a hard time finding this without the cutter attachments but I bought it from Bed Bath & Beyond for $65 which seemed like a good deal considering the price of the alternative small commercial pasta machines that can produce even wider 210mm sheets - the cheapest of which was $659 for the manual version and $1,789 for the electric version! Those are quite large and heavy and more suited for culinary school, restaurant use or daily home use. Since this is something I only do once or twice a month for my own small family of 4, I'm quite happy with my economical choice. This is something I definitely could have done without since I already have other machines that can roll out pasta sheets, but for the minimal price, I think it's worth it to be able to produce wider pasta sheets, and if I ever decide I want to use a motor with it, I can purchase one. The benefit of the motor is you can produce pasta faster, use both hands to feed the dough through and catch it on the other side, and with the motor attached to the pasta machine, the machine does not need to be clamped to a table or countertop. Not having to clamp it down would be my biggest reason for wanting a motor. The downside is having to listen to the sound of the motor!

Marcato Atlas 180 Pasta Machine (roller only)

Now that I had a wider pasta sheeter, I needed a few tools to make more shapes by hand and filled shapes. I purchased a set of brass pasta wheels and a brass round ravioli stamp. These brass tools are made in Italy and they're expensive but they cut dough really well and keep the filled pasta closed much better than a ravioli mold does - I received this mold as a bridal shower gift almost 10 years ago and I've never used it. A note about brass tools - you're not supposed to use dish soap on them, or even wet them. I'll simply wipe or brush off the flour when I'm done using them, just like how I clean my pasta machines (don't ever wash those either!).

Pasta Wheels

Round Ravioli Stamp

I had my eye on this olive wood gnocchi board for months, but it was out of stock for a while, so instead I ordered a gnocchi board with a garganelli rolling pin from a woodworker in Canada. I wanted a small rolling pin, but the only one he sells comes in a set with other items I do not need, so instead I bought a dumpling pin to use with pasta dough when a large rolling pin is not needed. To assist in the gnocchi making process, I bought a potato ricer, which I've read also helps make the creamiest mashed potatoes.

Walnut Gnocchi Board & Garganelli Rolling Pin

Maple Dumpling Pin

Potato Ricer

To keep my new small pasta tools together and in good shape (and not in a drawer knocking up against all other kinds of kitchen tools), I bought this beautiful pasta tool case made by a lady in Canada. I asked if she could use a custom fabric for mine, as I love fabrics that look like the colorful ceramic tiles found in Italy. She let me know which website she orders her fabric from so I could pick one out. After looking at tons of options and narrowing them down, I decided on a pretty majolica tile print with my favorite colors (turquoise and blue) that reminds me of my trip to the Amalfi coast - an easy choice! She happened to show a picture of my case on her Instagram stories so I got a sneak peak of it before it arrived! It was even prettier in person and fits my tools nicely.

Photo from Amore e Limoni's website

Fabric I chose for my pasta tool case

My custom made case!

My case and pasta tools

The last item I wanted was a pretty Deruta pasta serving bowl. I have a few inexpensive bowls that are pretty plain but I wanted something special that was made in Italy. I found two with aqua/teal colors in them that I loved and waited over 6 months until they went on sale before I bought them for myself. One is Deruta Colori Aqua/Teal and the other is Deruta Ricco Mediterraneo. I also really love this Vecchia Deruta bowl, but it is similar in style to other small pieces of Italian ceramics I have, while the two that I bought are very different and unique.

This is a great start on some high quality pasta tools that I've been slowly collecting over the past year and a half. I try to avoid paying full price for anything if I can, and luckily I found good discounts on almost all of these items, with the exception of the two handmade items from Canada and the custom dough board. Depending on how often I use them and how much I like them, I may eventually add a few more small tools when I can snag a good deal on them, but for now I'm set with everything I've been looking at buying. Now I just need to find the time to use them!

Of course, you can make pasta with nothing but a rolling pin and your hands (or, depending on the type - just your hands!), but I consider these tools a worthwhile investment. I also love supporting small businesses, especially handmade items and items made in Italy. Since they are all made very well and I always take good care of my kitchen items, I'll be able to pass them down to my sons one day. The biggest benefit of my new hobby (aside from it being therapeutic for me) is I'll be feeding my family healthy, delicious homemade meals and instilling in my sons a love of homemade pasta, just like my grandma and mom did for me.

My grandma Filomena serving homemade spaghetti at her annual Grandchildren's Christmas Party

My mom making homemade spaghetti in 2019

My mom cooking homemade spaghetti on Christmas, many years ago

Easy Gluten-Free Basque Cheesecake

It's always been my tradition to make some sort of cheesecake for Easter dessert, which is oftentimes the only time of year I make it. This year I hadn't decided which recipe I was going to make yet. I called my sister Paula to talk about some of the other items on our dinner menu and she asked if I could make this gluten-free cheesecake. I had never heard of Basque cheesecake before so naturally I started looking up recipes and learning about it. It looked easy and it intrigued me so I decided to make it.

Basque cheesecake originated at La Viña in San Sebastián, Spain in 1990 and has apparently become wildly popular. It is recommended to enjoy it with a glass of Pedro Ximénez, which is a sweet sherry wine.

This cheesecake has no crust, which makes it super easy to make. You line a springform pan with parchment paper and then put the batter right in it. It helps to put the springform pan on a large baking sheet to make it easier to get in and out of the oven. Let it cool down completely before refrigerating for a few hours, or even better - overnight.

Most of the recipes for this type of cheesecake use flour - this one uses cornstarch instead, which makes it gluten-free. It is recommended that you sift whichever one you use.

As with any cheesecake recipe, make sure you let your ingredients come to room temperature before mixing them - not just the cream cheese, but the eggs and whipping cream as well. Also, remember not to over-mix the batter - too much air mixed into the batter can cause cheesecake to crack or sink. It doesn't matter as much for this recipe, as it is supposed to look pretty rustic in appearance, and the top burns and caramelizes anyway since it is baked at a higher temperature than cheesecake normally is, but it will make a difference in the overall texture of the cheesecake.

This cheesecake was very easy to make. I baked it for about 58 minutes and it only started to brown on top in the last 20 minutes or so. Next time I will bake it for a little less time as the center is supposed to be a bit like custard. It was really good though and is a great option if you don't like or don't want crust. I also love that I could easily remove the parchment paper from the cooled/refrigerated cheesecake and serve it on a plate or cake stand, rather than having to cut it on the bottom of the springform pan like I usually do.

Easy Gluten-Free Basque Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy Cooking with Manuela Blog

 

The easiest cheesecake you will ever bake, impossible to mess up, with a rustic, lightly burned top, cracked middle, and the same dense and velvety consistency as the classic cheesecake. And it’s gluten-free!

 

24 oz (3 8-oz packages) regular cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Pinch of salt

¼ cup cornstarch (or all-purpose flour or all-purpose GF flour), sifted

 

 

Preheat oven to 400˚. Line an 8″ or 9″ springform pan with two sheets of overlapping parchment paper, pleated and creased to fit the pan.

 

In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar, and beat with a handheld mixer (or stand mixer) until smooth and creamy. Add the large eggs, one at a time, while beating after each egg, until combined. Add the vanilla and heavy cream and mix to combine. Add salt and cornstarch and mix until combined.

 

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan. Level and bake in the lower third of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the edges are set. The middle might still be slightly jiggly, but that’s okay; it will set completely when cooling. If you notice the top is darkening too soon, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

 

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature. The top will deflate and sink in, and that’s okay. Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 2 hours. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh berries or your favorite chocolate, fruit, or caramel sauce.

Mordino Cheesecake

One of my favorite cheesecake recipes to make comes from a family friend, Kathy Mordino. This cheesecake is made with ricotta, cream cheese and sour cream and it's delicious! It doesn't have a crust (just a thin dusting of graham cracker crumbs) which makes it very simple to make. You can easily make this gluten-free by eliminating the graham cracker crumbs or finely chopping pecans or almonds and using those crumbs instead - this is what I just did with pecans in a small food processor and it worked perfectly.

Remember to let the cream cheese and eggs come to room temperature first so the batter is not lumpy. I let the ricotta and sour cream sit out for a while as well. Also, check the cheesecake after 1 hour to see if it's done. Mine cracked as it cooled down and deflated - this is not a big deal, it's very common and will still taste great.

This recipe makes a lot of batter, so I bake it in a 10" springform pan so it does not overflow (I also have a 9" pan and this recipe overflowed in it!). I put the pan on top of a cookie sheet which makes it easier to take in and out of the oven but also prevents a mess.

I usually serve this with a bowl of cherry topping on the side so people can put them on top of their slice of cheesecake if they wish. Another delicious alternative is a raspberry sauce to drizzle on top.

Mordino Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy Kathy Mordino

Delicious!  (Better if not frozen)

 

Graham cracker crumbs – 2 crackers

1 pound ricotta cheese

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1½ cups sugar

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup corn starch

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup margarine, melted

1 pint (2 cups) sour cream

 

Grease 1 spring-form pan.  Dust with graham cracker crumbs.  Put ricotta cheese in large mixing bowl.  Add cream cheese.  Beat at high speed until creamy.  Beating at high speed, blend in sugar, and then add eggs.  Reduce speed to low and add corn starch, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Add melted margarine and sour cream.  Blend at low speed.  Pour into prepared pan.

 

Bake at 325° for one hour and ten minutes or until firm around edges.  Turn off oven and let it stay in oven for two hours.  Remove cheesecake from oven and cool completely.  Chill.