This recipe has been sitting in the “queue” for a while and I am glad that I finally got the chance to publish it. So, what’s the story this time you’ll ask? It is quite simple actually. As pretty much everyone else I know, I have a pasta machine. And, as pretty much everyone else I know, I’m not using it to make pasta. I’ve used it for fondant, gumpaste, even playdoh but not pasta, no. Why? Well, I don’t have a better answer than the fact that  I was intimidated. I thought, it will take SOOO much time and it would be SOOO difficult, and it will be SUUUCH a tedious job that I avoided making homemade pasta as the plague.

 Then, one day, I simply decided to give it a try and you know what, it turned out that it took NO time, it WASN’T difficult or tedious at all, BUT it was the most DELICIOUS pasta I’ve ever made that I’ve been hooked ever since.

The recipe is  extremely easy to make, does not require ton of products and I recommend it for all levels of experience with cooking. The only thing you absolutely need is the pasta machine.
My pasta machine is similar to Atlas Pasta Machine w/Motor Set – Made in Italy
. For some reason my Atlas model is not for sale anymore, but mine also includes the electric motor, that is why I am recommending this model. I don’t think it was that expensive when I bought it, so you might want to shop around for a better price. However, I highly recommend buying pasta machine with detachable electric motor. Once you start making pasta you will appreciate the electric motor, trust me.

For the pasta dough you will need:
5 eggs
4 1/2 cups of flour
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil

1. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs with a fork ( or you can use your mixer if you have one). gradually add the oil, salt  and flour. Mix well until you get a dough ball.You will feel the dough being very elastic and dense, that is normal. Don’t be surprised it is not very big, it is enough for a huge amount of pasta.

2. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 min at room temperature.

3.Get your pasta machine ready according to the instructions, make a small ball of dough and flatten it with your hands enough to go through the pasta machine. Turn the pasta machine on and start from the first setting going up to 5 ( or 6, depending the pasta you want to make).

4.I wanted to make spaghetti, so I used my spaghetti cutter for the pasta machine. If you have other attachments for different type of pasta( like linguine etc), you can use them as well. After you make your dough sheet ( which is perfect  for lasagna by the way) get the pasta sheet through your pasta attachment and voila, you have pasta!

5.  Get the pasta in the middle of the length, if you have a pasta rack, let it dry on it. If you don’t ( like me), then you can use paper towels to dry it. Just make sure you sprinkle some flour on top of the pasta so it doesn’t stick together. Let it dry around 30 min then proceed as with regular pasta.

After your pasta is ready you can :
– use it right away
– store in the refrigerator ( in a storage bag) for up to 7 days
– freeze in a freezer bag for up to a month ( for best results)

I made a huge pot of spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce, for this occasion and  believe it or not, it was gone in a flash.

This is a great recipe to add to your collection- it is easy to make, it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, it is completely homemade and delicious. It is a great way to make that Valentine’s day last minute meal extra special.

Pair with red wine and good company.