One of our favorite recipes for making fresh pasta at home.  Simple ingredients but it does require a pasta roller unless you have hands ready to roll and curl hundreds of shells.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lb ricotta

Directions

  • Mix all ingredients together (using your hand, a spoon, or a mixer - my son uses a food processor).
  • Apply a liberal amount of flour to your counter.
  • Knead dough in a ball a few times, then leave it on the floured counter to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Roll out dough to a quart inch thickness.
  • Using a knife, make quarter-inch long strips.
  • If you have the cavatelli pasta roller - feed the strips through the roller at a quick pace.
  • If you are rolling by hand, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces.  Flat each piece by pressing your thumb in the center and drawing it back to you causing the dough to circle your thumb.  Reapply flour frequently.
  • Cook in a boiling water bath until the pasta floats.  Top with your favorite sauce (marinara, pesto, etc.) and a liberal amount of parmesan cheese.
  • Freeze for another day in small quantities.