How to cook fresh pasta

For all the time and effort it takes to do it pasta cooking fresh pasta from scratch is actually faster—and easier—than boiling the box of noodles in your pantry.

The techniques for cooking fresh and dry pasta are similar (in a large pot of boiling water, seasoned with salt), but the amount of time each takes to cook varies: Where the average box of dry pasta suggests about 10 minutes of cooking. , fresh pasta usually only takes two to five minutes.

Pasta bowl with green sauce — cooking homemade pasta it takes less time than a box of dry pasta from the store.

Here are three factors I keep in mind when cooking fresh pasta

1) Form: The way the pasta is shaped affects its cooking time. Thinner, thinner strips like tagliatelle will take less time to soften (about two minutes) than thicker pieces like cavatelli (about three to five minutes). Stuffed pasta it generally takes two and a half to four minutes on a gentle wave. (Softer cooking helps prevent bursting of stuffed pasta and cheese-based toppings.)

2) Freshness: Although I don't recommend drying fresh pasta completely (more on that below), it's perfectly fine to store a few shapes on the counter or in the fridge for a few hours, or in the freezer for up to a few months, before boiling. Of course, the longer the pasta dries, the longer it will take to cook; Similarly, frozen and frozen pasta will also require more time in the water.

3) Sauce: If you're using a cooked sauce—meat sauces, cream sauces, and most tomato and vegetable sauces—you should finish cooking the pasta, whether fresh or dry, in the sauce to allow the pasta to fully absorb its flavor. . For fresh pasta, I recommend removing the pasta from the boiling water a few moments before cooking to account for that extra minute in the sauce. There are, of course, exceptions: pasta accompanied by raw sauces (such as pesto and raw tomato sauces) or that will be used for pasta saladsas well as gnocchi and stuffed pasta, should be boiled before frying.

My best tip for determining readiness? Always taste test your pasta while it is cooking. Fresh pasta should be tender (not mushy; not “al dente”), with a nice chew – and, most importantly, should be cooked in YOUR consent.

Homemade cheese ravioli — Stuffed pastries like ravioli it can be refrigerated for up to three hours before cooking.

Should I dry the fresh pasta or cook it right away?

It would be reasonable to assume that because boxes of dried pasta line the market, fresh pasta can—and should—be stored the same way. But fresh pasta tastes better when it's fresh. Fresh, completely dried pasta is often hard and brittle. It's the inherent moisture in fresh pasta that gives it its distinctive texture, and without it, pasta loses its softness and chewiness.

Of course, not all of us have the luxury of cooking fresh pasta right after it's made. I'm sure I'm not the only one who saves labor-intensive cooking projects like fresh pasta for when I have extra time, like on a weekend afternoon—well before it's time to sit down to dinner.

The good news is that most fresh pasta will keep for several hours, either at room temperature or uncovered in the refrigerator. Shapes that fall into the former category are what I like to call “hand-formed” pasta (like cavatelli and orecchiette) and “short” pasta (small unfilled egg pasta like farfalle and garganelli). These should be placed in a single layer on one baking sheet lined with parchmentpulverized into mass semolina flour to prevent adhesion; I recommend drying no more than four to five hours. Stuffed pasta such as ravioli can be stored, also in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, uncovered in the refrigerator for up to about three hours. (Check occasionally to make sure they're not sticky or soggy—if they are, you can blanch them and freeze them.) For long ribbon noodles, on the other hand, I recommend cooking them immediately or freeze them if you plan. to eat later (more on that below).

For those looking for a long-term storage solution, choose the refrigerator. Freezing fresh pasta locks in its color and texture: Cook a batch of freshly made fettuccine alongside one frozen a week ago and you'll be hard-pressed to tell the difference. To do this, arrange your fresh pasta on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and refrigerate, uncovered, until the pieces are set, about 25 minutes. Then, shake off the excess flour, transfer to a freezer bag and return to the freezer for up to three months. (The sooner you cook it, the fresher it will taste.) Cook the pasta straight from frozen—no need to thaw—and add about a minute to its typical cooking time.

Place the buckwheat flour nests in a pan, ready to cook — Freeze pasta for long-term storage.

How do I keep my homemade pasta from sticking together before cooking?

One of the most common challenges when making fresh pasta occurs with the simplest shapes: long ribbons. If you haven't yet been touched by a tangled mass of stuck-together fettuccine, congratulations, you're already a pasta-making pro. However, I've had my fair share of frustrations with sticky notes, so I have two tips for you:

After rolling the pasta sheet through your machine, let it dry for five to 10 minutes on one side, then dust generously with flour before cutting into strips.
Cook or freeze the pasta immediately after cutting to avoid clumping or, conversely, dry and brittle noodles.

After all, pasta is a simple food and cooking it should be simple too. And with these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to enjoying yourself fresh pasta every night of the week.

Cover picture (Golden Durum Cake) by Raymond Prado.