Step #1: Make Pasta Dough
- There are several ways to make fresh pasta dough. The food processor method is the fastest. To accomplish this, place the flour, eggs, and olive oil in a food processor that has a metal blade attached. Process to form dough, about 15-20 seconds. After removing to your work surface, cover for five minutes with an overturned bowl.
- Form dough into a ball by kneading it for one to two minutes (don’t worry about technique, the food processor takes care of most of the kneading for you), cover again, and let rest for thirty to sixty minutes to allow the gluten to relax. In the following step, use this time to set up your workstation.
Tip: No food processor? No problem. For detailed directions and a video on making pasta dough by hand, see Beginner’s Guide to Fresh Homemade Pasta Dough.
Ingredients & Equipment (You Will Need):
- Make space. To roll out the dough, you’ll need a sizable, clear surface—a kitchen table works well for this. Don’t forget this advice. Rolled out pasta sheets can measure up to 3ft. long.
- Lasagna noodles need to be thin (but not too thin!). The correct thickness is approximately . 60- 1 mm thick. Should the noodles be excessively thin, they will absorb all the sauce, resulting in a dry lasagna. If the noodles are too thick, they won’t cook properly. Fresh pasta absorbs more liquid than regular dried pasta. Remember that.
- Different pasta machines/attachments have different settings. Please follow the specific instructions that came with your pasta machine to achieve the desired thickness for your pasta dough. For example, setting #4 or #5 on the Kitchen Aid, which is recommended for lasagna noodles, is not the same thickness as setting #5 on the Marcato Atlas hand-crank pasta machine.
- Think ahead. When your lasagna noodles are ready, what will you do with them? Cook them immediately away, or freeze them for a later time? Make a plan before you start. Homemade lasagna is a project. Jump to my storage options below for ideas.
How to Store Lasagna Noodles
- At Room Temperature (1 hr. ): Spread the lasagna noodles in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. To prevent them from drying out, cover with another parchment paper sheet. Layer and repeat, ending with parchment paper on top. For up to one hour, store the item at a moderate room temperature while securely covered with plastic wrap. Alternatively, use an airtight container.
- To refrigerate for 12 hours, place lasagna noodles between parchment paper layers as previously mentioned. Chill up to 12 hours. Fresh pasta tends to oxidize and discolor after this timeframe. Oxidation will not effect the taste.
- To Freeze: Place lasagna noodles in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper and freeze for one month. Freeze up to 1 month. Defrost before using; they are easier to handle without breaking.
