Pasta Della Nonna - Fresh Pasta 4 Ways

Get the Products/Ingredients needed to make La Pasta della Nonna HERE.

Pour the semolina onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Add the water little by little, a few tablespoons at a time. Begin to mix with your fingers, catching any water that tries to escape from the sides.

Keep adding the water while trying to form a uniform ball of dough. The dough will be crumbly at first but will begin to come together after 5-7 minutes of kneading.

Once you have obtained a uniform ball of dough and the dough no longer sticks to your hands, keep kneading with the heels of your hands for an additional 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft but firm enough to hold an indentation. The end result should feel somewhat like playdo- damp to the touch but not sticky. If the dough feels too wet, dust it and your work surface with extra semolina. If the dough feels too dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time and knead it through.
    

To make in a stand mixer:
        
Add the semolina to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the water a little at a time until fully absorbed. Continue mixing on low speed for 5-6 minutes. The dough will be crumbly.

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until the dough is soft and smooth, about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to collect any small crumbs of dough.

Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. After the dough has rested, roll it out to the desired thickness. Keep any dough that is not in use under a damp towel to prevent drying as you roll out the rest of the dough.

To roll out the dough by hand cut the dough into 10 pieces and roll one piece at a time into a 1/2 inch thick rope. While rolling keep your fingers together and spread them apart to lengthen the rope.

To make the Orecchiette:

Cut off 1/4 inch pieces from the rope. With a serrated knife like the Nonna Knife (link here), press down on the piece of dough with your left index finger on the tip. Drag the piece of dough toward you while applying moderate pressure.

Keep the dough on the knife and turn the piece of dough inside out over your left thumb so that the dough side is exposed.

To make the Cavatelli:

Cut off a small piece of dough and roll one piece at a time into a 1/2 inch thick rope. While rolling keep your fingers together and spread them apart to lengthen the rope.

Cut off 1/4 inch pieces from the rope. With a serrated edge knife, like the Nonna Knife, press down on the piece of dough with your left index finger on the top. Drag the piece of dough towards you while applying moderate pressure.

To make the Capunti:

Cut off 1 1/2  inch pieces from the rope. Drag the piece of dough towards you while applying moderate pressure with your 3 middle fingers, creating the look of an empty pea pod.

To make the Fusilli:

Cut off 1 inch pieces from the rope and place a bamboo skewer in the center of each piece lengthwise.

Using the palm of your hand gently roll each piece of dough so that it is  loosely wrapped around the skewer. Be careful not to lose the spiral shape.

Pull the fusilli off the skewer.

Place all the pasta on a cotton tablecloth making sure none of the pieces are touching one another. The pasta is now ready to be cooked, dried or frozen.

To cook the pasta fresh:

Drop the pasta into generously salted boiling water until the piece begin to float to the top of the water and are al dente, about 5 minutes.

To dry:

Leave the pasta to dry on a flat surface, preferably lined with a cotton tablecloth. Make sure none of the pieces are touching one another. Dry overnight and transfer to bags or containers. Store in the refrigerator for 1 week.

To cook from dried:

Drop the pasta into generously salted boiling water until the piece begin to float to the top of the water and are al dente, about 7-10 minutes.

To freeze:

Place the pasta on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Transfer them to a plastic bag and freeze for 2-3 months.

To cook the pasta from frozen:

Drop the frozen pasta into generously salted boiling water until the piece begin to float to the top of the water and are al dente, about 5 minutes.

Toss with your favorite sauce and enjoy!