The Pasta Shape That's One Of The Easiest To Make For Beginners

If you love pasta and enjoy cooking, there will invariably come a time when you'll want to start making it at home. First comes making sauces from scratch, but the true foodie flex is when you start making fresh pasta from scratch. Italian grandmothers make it look easy, but the process of making homemade pasta that's so good that you don't go back to the store-bought kind is a nuanced one.

In a detailed chat on all things pasta, chef Joe Isidori, co-founder of Black Tap and owner of Arthur & Son's in New York gave us several valuable tips on pasta-making for beginners. Isidori hails from a family of chefs and restaurateurs who have been serving up classics like chicken parm and penne alla vodka since the 1950s. When asked what pasta shape is the easiest for beginners to make, he unequivocally points to gnocchi.



"For beginners, gnocchi is hands-down the best and easiest pasta to make at home. The beauty of gnocchi is that you don't need any fancy machines or special ingredients," says the chef. The pillowy pasta made from flour and potato (and sometimes ricotta cheese) doesn't require all the tedious flattening of the dough and is also easy to cook.

Gnocchi with brown butter and sage is one of the tastiest and easiest fresh pasta dishes you can make. It won't take you long to get your gnocchi game on point, so we also got some additional tips from Isidori on making other types of pasta from scratch. Easy beginner pasta worth bragging about Gnocchi dough isn't like the dough used to make other pasta shapes like penne or farfalle.

Instead, it consists of flour and mashed potato, though Joe Isidori recommends substituting spuds with ricotta. "Just grab some all-purpose (AP) flour, eggs, salt, and use ricotta cheese instead of potatoes. Ricotta keeps it light and much simpler to work with," he explains.

Once the ingredients are mixed into a dough, roll it into thick ropes and cut into 1-inch pieces. You can then give the raw gnocchi pieces texture by rolling them on a fork so the sauce can cling better to the succulent pasta. Another shape that forms the perfect bridge between gnocchi and more conventional pasta varieties is cavatelli.

Made from a flour and water mixture, the dough is similarly shaped into ropes and cut into small segments. These are then shaped into hollow, oval noodles using a pasta board (or, once again, the back of a fork) and boiled. Unlike gnocchi's pillowy and fluffy texture, cavatelli is chewy with a satisfying al dente bite.

Despite a relatively similar process, the two noodles are different enough to double your pasta-making bragging rights. When making fresh noodles from scratch, you can simplify the rest of your recipe with canned foods that easily elevate your pasta dish . Use your hands to knead the dough and don't forget to rest it "I'm a firm believer in making pasta dough by hand.

There's something really satisfying about the process — it connects you to the food," says Joe Isidori. While it may seem intimidating to first-timers, pasta dough doesn't need too much kneading. Per Isidori, "You want to work the dough until it's smooth and elastic, but don't overdo it.

" Gnocchi dough is even easier to knead since it requires less gluten formation in order to keep the pieces soft and not chewy once cooked. Resting is a step that may seem too simple to be important but is crucial. Consider resting fresh pasta dough anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours, depending on how long of a break you want.

Longer rest times will require the dough to be refrigerated. Then you can proceed to roll it out into the desired shape. For gnocchi with ricotta cheese, use a shorter resting time of 15 minutes in the fridge for better pliability.

The right flour for fresh pasta is also easier to work with Considering it is the primary ingredient in any pasta dough, the quality of flour is crucial to how the final dish turns out. "For most fresh pasta, 00 flour is the best. It's super fine and creates silky, delicate pasta," explains Joe Isidori.

"Doppio zero," or 00 flour is made exclusively from the endosperm, which is the soft, innermost part of the wheat kernel. In addition to giving the pasta great texture, it's also simpler to work with since the fine consistency makes it easier to stretch out without tearing. For best results, choose Italian-made 00 flour .

You can also use this super-fine flour to make from scratch what the Pasta Queen, Nadia Munno, refers to as Italy's greatest invention – the Pizza Margherita. The egg is another important ingredient that adds richness and structure to pasta noodles. The yolk packs deep flavor, while the mostly water egg whites help make the dough pliable.

"[Four] eggs to about 8–9 ounces of flour is a safe starting point. The texture can vary based on humidity or the size of your eggs, so adjust as you go," is Isidori's advice for beginners. When it comes to gnocchi and cavatelli, which are heartier varieties of pasta, you can use regular all-purpose flour.

Salt and olive oil add flavor and richness to fresh pasta Because of the added ricotta cheese and seasoning, gnocchi is flavorful enough to enjoy with just a little herb and butter or a simple tomato sauce, making it one of the best comfort foods to freeze ahead for a quick weeknight dinner . However, regular fresh pasta needs additional touches to ensure that every noodle enhances the dish it is used in. In this regard, Joe Isidori turns to two kitchen staples.

"You definitely want to incorporate salt and olive oil into your dough. Salt is a no-brainer for flavor, and olive oil adds richness and improves the dough's texture. It gives the final pasta a nice mouthfeel, so don't skip these ingredients," he points out.

Isidori also emphasizes the important role pasta water plays, saying, "When boiling fresh pasta, your water should taste like the sea — that's the rule. Always use sea salt or kosher salt; avoid iodized salt because it can leave a metallic aftertaste." Since fresh pasta is boiled for a much shorter duration, it's common practice to salt the pasta water more heavily so the noodles can absorb sufficient flavor.

However, this also means you need to be extra careful about over-salting when using the same pasta water to finish cooking your pasta dish..