Forget about expensive pasta machines, your hands are the best cooking tool of the season. It's time to make your own homemade pasta - with your hands.
Italy gave us the Renaissance, fashion and – most importantly – an infinite number of shapes for homemade pasta. While the world thinks you need a degree in mechanical engineering to make perfect drills, we reveal the secret of Francesco Mattana. Get ready for a culinary meditation where your fingers are the main stars. Nothing pasta machines, no rollers, just you, flour and a pinch of Italian temperament. Are you ready for flour under your nails?
The basis of everything: Homemade pasta dough that doesn't disappoint
Before we get into shaping, we need to lay the foundation. Forget about eggs. For these shapes, we need a semolina dough, which is firmer, more rustic, and won't cave in under the weight of the sauce.
Recipe for the perfect pasta dough:
-
- 400 g durum wheat flour (semolina)
- about 200 ml of lukewarm water
- pinch of salt
Sift the flour into a small bowl, make a well (yes, like that volcano in elementary school) and slowly add the water. Knead for at least 10 minutes. If your triceps aren't burning, you're probably not doing it right. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Wrap it in foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This is time for your first glass of prosecco.
View this post on Instagram
1. Orecchiette: “Ears” that hear all your secrets
Translation: Little ears. This pasta comes from sunny Puglia. Traditionally made by grandmothers on the streets of Bari with such speed that they could be mistaken for robots.
Procedure: Cut a small piece of dough, roll it into a thin snake, and cut off a piece the size of a hazelnut. Using a knife with a rounded tip (or your thumb), press the dough and pull it towards you to curl it. Then simply “excuse” it over your thumb. The result? The perfect cup for turnip top sauce or a simple tomato base.
2. Gnocchetti: Small but mighty
Translation: Little gnocchi. Don't confuse them with those potato dumplings you buy at the store. These gnocchetti (often called malloreddus in Sardinia) are made with just flour and water.
Method: Roll the dough into a rope again, cut into small pieces, and push them with your thumb over a cutting board or simply over the back of a fork. This texture isn't just there for decoration—it's there to catch every drop of your favorite sauce. Ironic, right? So much effort for something you'll eat in ten minutes.
3. Foglie d'ulivo: Olive leaves without olives
Translation: Olive leaves. If you want to look truly sophisticated at your next dinner party, olive leaves are your ticket to the world of haute cuisine. They're long, elegant, and visually stunning.
Method: Form a small roll that is pointed at both ends. Press and pull with the flat part of a knife to flatten it into a leaf shape. They look so natural that your houseplant would almost adopt them. They go best with light, summery sauces.
4. Casarecce: Homemade, with style
Translation: Homemade (meaning “made at home”). This is a shape for those who like a bit of chaos but still want to maintain style. Casarecce are slightly curved and have a channel in the middle that acts as a magnet for the hub.
Method: You'll need a thin wooden dowel or even a clean knitting needle (if you're in the "granny core" phase). Wrap a piece of dough around a toothpick and roll it slightly, then pull the toothpick out. You'll get a perfect, slightly curled shape that screams, "Yes, I made this myself and no, it wasn't hard."
5. Fusilli al ferretto: Drills for true connoisseurs
Translation: Fusilli on a small iron rod. Forget those industrial drills from the box. Fusilli al ferretto are the aristocracy of handmade pasta.
Method: Similar to casarecchi, you use a thin metal or wooden rod (ferretto). You wind a long roll of dough diagonally around the rod and roll it on the table with your palms so that it stretches and presses against the rod. The result is a long, hollow drill that will charm even the most demanding guests. Is this food or an art installation? Both.
Why is handmade pasta better than store-bought?
Making pasta by hand is the ultimate “flex” for the modern housewife (or the one who likes to post aesthetic videos on TikTok). Your first orecchiette may not look like Francesco Mattana’s, but remember: in Italy, imperfections are what give character. Now, hurry to the kitchen before your enthusiasm is replaced by a home delivery order!
