How To Make Homemade Pasta When You Only Have A Rolling Pin

A pasta maker can bring you that much closer to making delicious pasta from scratch without much effort. Using a machine speeds up the preparation and ensures the dough mixes evenly, with options like the The Philips Pasta maker able to mix the dough with less cleanup. 

But, what if you don't have a pasta machine? Rest assured, you can still make homemade pasta when you only have a rolling pin, says Chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner of Jasper's Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri as well as the host of the Live! From Jasper's Kitchen radio show who spoke with Food Republic.

All you have to do is arrange the flour on a flat surface and form it into a shape that resembles a carved out mountain. Add the liquid ingredients — typically a combination of water, eggs, and oil — into the center of the flour mound. Then, slowly mix the wet and dry ingredients to help the flour absorb the moisture consistently and get to rolling.

Chef Mirabile Jr. shared, "When using a rolling pin to make pasta, start by dividing the dough into manageable portions to prevent sticking. Flatten each portion, and roll it out as thin as possible, aiming for a translucent sheet without tearing."

There are a few other simple tricks that can further elevate your hand-rolled pasta dough. After mixing and kneading, give the dough a chance to rest. This allows ample time for the flour to hydrate and absorb the wet ingredients.

Rest the dough by placing it in a bowl covered with a wet cloth or wrap the dough in plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. The dough will become softer, which will make it easier to roll out without cracking when you're using a rolling pin. You could also leave the dough in the fridge overnight on a Sunday, for example, for an easy weeknight pasta recipe to kick off the week.

As for the best way to shape your homemade pasta into strands or ravioli squares, our expert Chef Mirabile suggested, "Dust the dough with flour as needed to avoid sticking, and once it's thin enough, cut it into your desired shapes, such as fettuccine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle, using a sharp knife."