Homemade Extruded Pasta (KitchenAid Attachment)
There’s nothing quite like fresh, homemade pasta, and with an extruder, it’s easier than you think! This recipe for extruded pasta creates a perfectly tender and flavorful base for any sauce, bringing that authentic Italian touch to your table. It’s a simple yet rewarding process that your family will love, making weeknight dinners feel extra special.
While dried pasta has a long history, fresh extruded pasta truly gained popularity with the invention of more accessible home pasta extruders. Before that, families in Italy often relied on hand-rolling pasta for everyday meals. Extruders revolutionized pasta making, allowing for a wider variety of shapes and making the process quicker and more consistent, bringing the joy of fresh pasta to more homes around the world.
Make it Easier (Shortcuts):
- No Rest Dough: While resting improves texture, if you’re truly short on time, you can extrude the pasta immediately after mixing. The pasta might be slightly less pliable but will still work.
- Pre-Portioning: For quicker extrusion, pre-cut all your dough into small, feedable pieces before starting the extrusion process. This way, you can continuously feed the machine without interruption.
Add More Flavor (Enhancements):
- Herbed Pasta: Add 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or rosemary to the dough mixture along with the flours for an aromatic pasta.
- Roasted Garlic Infusion: Roast 2-3 cloves of garlic until soft, mash them into a paste, and add them to the egg mixture. This will subtly infuse the pasta with a sweet, savory garlic flavor.
Serving Suggestions & Drink Pairings:
- Classic Marinara & Parmesan: Toss with a simple, vibrant marinara sauce and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Pair with a medium-bodied Chianti or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
- Brown Butter Sage Sauce: Serve with a rich brown butter and sage sauce, perhaps with some toasted walnuts for crunch. This pairs beautifully with a light-bodied Pinot Noir or an unoaked Chardonnay.
- Pesto Perfection: Lightly coat the freshly cooked pasta with a homemade basil pesto. A refreshing Prosecco or a light-bodied Rosé would be an excellent match.
Recipe Variations:
- Whole Wheat Extruded Pasta: Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier, healthier pasta. You might need a little extra water as whole wheat absorbs more liquid.
- Spinach Pasta: Blanche 2 cups of fresh spinach, squeeze out all excess water, and purée it. Replace 1-2 eggs with the spinach purée in the recipe (adjusting water as needed) for a beautiful green pasta.
- Pepper Pasta: Add 1-2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper or white pepper to the dough for a subtle spicy kick. For a vibrant red hue, you could add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the liquid ingredients.
Homemade Extruded Pasta (KitchenAid Attachment)
Learn to make perfect homemade extruded pasta using your KitchenAid stand mixer and pasta attachment. This simple recipe yields tender, fresh pasta, ideal for any sauce, and elevates your home cooking.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs approximately 200-225 grams, or about ¾ to 1 cup liquid volume
- 1 cup about 120 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup about 160 grams fine semolina flour (durum wheat semolina is ideal for pasta)
- 1 pinch about ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons 15-30 ml cold water, only if needed
Instructions
- Prepare the Mixing Bowl: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs and salt.
- Whisk Eggs: Using a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and salt on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until well mixed and slightly frothy.
- Add Flours: Remove the whisk attachment. Add both the all-purpose flour and semolina flour to the egg mixture.
- Initial Mixing: Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Mix on low speed (Speed 2) for 1 minute until the flours are mostly incorporated and the mixture looks shaggy and crumbly.
- Knead the Dough: Continue mixing with the dough hook on medium-low speed (Speed 3) for 5-7 minutes. The dough will look crumbly initially but should gradually come together into a shaggy ball. It should feel firm but slightly pliable. If the dough is too dry and not coming together, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it just forms a cohesive, firm dough. Avoid adding too much water, as this can make the pasta sticky.
- Rest the Dough: Transfer the dough from the mixer bowl. Gently press it together to form a rough ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to extrude.
- Set up Extruder: While the dough rests, prepare your KitchenAid stand mixer with the extruded pasta attachment, selecting your desired pasta die (e.g., spaghetti, rigatoni, macaroni).
- Extrude Pasta: Once rested, unwrap the dough. Cut the dough into smaller pieces (about golf ball size) that will fit easily into the hopper of your extruder. Turn the mixer to medium speed (Speed 4-6, depending on your machine and desired extrusion speed) and feed the dough pieces into the attachment. As the pasta extrudes, gently guide it and cut it to your desired length using a knife or the built-in cutter, if available.
- Dry Pasta (Optional): As you extrude, lay the fresh pasta on a lightly floured baking sheet, a pasta drying rack, or hang it to dry slightly. This prevents sticking. For best results, allow the pasta to dry for 15-30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fresh pasta and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta, so taste frequently.
- Serve: Drain the pasta and toss immediately with your favorite sauce.
Notes
Dough Consistency is Key: The dough should be firm and relatively dry. If it’s too wet, it will stick in the extruder. If it’s too dry, it won’t extrude smoothly. Adjust with tiny amounts of water or flour as needed.
Keep Dough Covered: Only take out small portions of dough at a time for extrusion, keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Storage: Fresh pasta can be cooked immediately, or dried completely (several hours to overnight, depending on humidity) and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.