Nonna Never Needed a Box: 16 Homemade Pasta Shapes You Can Roll at the Kitchen Table With Flour and Eggs

Before pasta came in a box, it came from a wooden board, a rolling pin and a grandmother’s hands. In Italian kitchens, many nonnas still make homemade pasta every Sunday, and most of the shapes need nothing but flour and eggs, or semolina and water. A batch for four costs less than two dollars and takes about 20 minutes of hands-on work, plus a short rest. You do not need a pasta machine for most of these. Clear the table, dust it with flour and let the kids help. Here is how to make the dough and the simple shapes anyone can roll..

Basic Homemade Pasta Dough: The One Egg Rule

Italian cooks remember one simple rule: about 100 grams of flour (a heaping 3/4 cup) for every large egg. Make a well of flour on the board, crack the eggs in the middle and stir them with a fork, pulling in a little flour at a time. Knead until smooth and springy, then let it rest so it rolls out easily. This one dough makes tagliatelle, pappardelle, ravioli and more. Ready to get your hands floury?

You will need: 300 g (about 2 1/3 cups) 00 flour or all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional), extra flour for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Pile the flour on a board and make a deep well in the center. 2. Crack in the eggs and add salt and oil. 3. Beat the eggs with a fork, slowly pulling in flour from the sides. 4. When it gets shaggy, knead with your hands 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. 5. Wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature. 6. Roll and cut into your favorite shape.

Homemade Pasta With Semolina and Water

In southern Italy, many shapes are made with no eggs at all, just semolina flour and warm water. This dough is firmer and a little rough, which is perfect for shapes you press with a knife or your thumb, like orecchiette and cavatelli. It is also the cheapest homemade pasta you can make. Did you know pasta could be egg-free?

You will need: 300 g (about 1 3/4 cups) semolina flour (semola rimacinata), 150 ml (about 2/3 cup) warm water, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Mix semolina and salt in a bowl or on a board. 2. Add the warm water a little at a time. 3. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and firm. 4. Wrap and rest 30 minutes. 5. Cut off a piece and roll into a rope. 6. Shape as you like and keep the rest covered.

Homemade Pasta Ribbons: Hand-Cut Tagliatelle

Tagliatelle are the long golden ribbons of Emilia-Romagna, classic with a slow meat ragu. Roll the egg dough thin enough to almost see your hand through it, dust it well with flour and roll it up loosely like a jelly roll. Slice across into ribbons about 1/4 inch wide, then shake them out into little nests. No machine needed.

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, semolina or flour for dusting, salted water. Sauce: 2 cups meat ragu or 4 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup Parmesan.

How to make it: 1. Roll the rested dough into a thin sheet. 2. Dust with flour and let it dry 10 minutes. 3. Roll it up loosely. 4. Cut into 1/4 inch strips. 5. Shake out into nests. 6. Boil 2 to 3 minutes and toss with sauce.

Fettuccine Cut With a Knife

Fettuccine are a little thicker and narrower than tagliatelle, and they are perfect with creamy sauces. Cut them the same way with a sharp knife. Fresh homemade pasta cooks fast, so have your sauce ready before the water boils. Toss with butter and Parmesan and you have the simplest, richest dinner. Alfredo or butter and cheese?

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, flour for dusting, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup pasta water, black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough a little thicker than for tagliatelle. 2. Dust and roll it up loosely. 3. Cut into 1/4 inch strips. 4. Boil 2 to 3 minutes. 5. Toss with butter, cheese and pasta water until creamy. 6. Finish with pepper.

Wide Pappardelle for Sunday Ragu

Pappardelle are the widest ribbons, about an inch across, and they come from Tuscany, where they are served with hearty sauces like wild boar or beef ragu. Cut them with a knife or a fluted pastry wheel for pretty edges. Their wide shape holds chunky sauce better than any boxed noodle.

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, flour for dusting, 3 cups beef or mushroom ragu, Parmesan, fresh parsley.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into a thin sheet. 2. Dust well with flour. 3. Cut into strips about 1 inch wide and 8 inches long. 4. Toss with more flour so they do not stick. 5. Boil 3 minutes. 6. Toss with warm ragu and top with Parmesan.

Maltagliati: The Badly Cut Scraps

Maltagliati means badly cut, and it is how Italian grandmothers used up every last scrap of dough. Cut the leftover edges into rough diamonds and odd shapes. They are wonderful in bean soup or minestrone. No waste, and nobody minds the uneven shapes. Do you hate wasting food as much as nonna did?

You will need: Leftover egg pasta dough scraps, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, 4 cups broth, Parmesan rind, rosemary.

How to make it: 1. Cut dough scraps into rough diamonds. 2. Cook onion and garlic in oil 5 minutes. 3. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, rind and rosemary. 4. Simmer 15 minutes. 5. Add the pasta and cook 3 minutes. 6. Serve with olive oil and Parmesan.

Orecchiette: Little Ears From Puglia

Orecchiette means little ears, and in Puglia women still shape them by hand outside their front doors. Cut a rope of semolina dough into small pieces, drag each one across the board with a butter knife so it curls, then flip it inside out over your thumb. The rough side grabs sauce. The classic pairing is broccoli rabe and garlic.

You will need: 1 batch semolina and water dough, 1 bunch broccoli rabe or broccoli, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, pinch of chili flakes, 4 anchovies (optional), Pecorino.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into 1/2 inch ropes and cut into small pieces. 2. Drag each piece with a butter knife, then flip it over your thumb. 3. Boil the greens and pasta together 4 to 5 minutes. 4. Warm oil, garlic, chili and anchovies in a pan. 5. Add the drained pasta and greens. 6. Toss and top with Pecorino.

Cavatelli: The Easiest First Shape

Cavatelli look like tiny hot dog buns, and they are the best shape to start with. Cut a semolina rope into small pieces and press each one with two fingers, pulling toward you so it curls into a little shell. Kids get the hang of it in minutes. They are great with pesto or a quick tomato sauce. Who would help you roll these?

You will need: 1 batch semolina and water dough, 1 cup basil pesto, 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, pasta water.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into thin ropes. 2. Cut into 3/4 inch pieces. 3. Press each with two fingers and drag to curl. 4. Boil 4 to 5 minutes until they float and turn tender. 5. Toss with pesto and a splash of pasta water. 6. Add tomatoes and Parmesan.

Malloreddus, Sardinian Gnocchetti

These small ridged shells from Sardinia are made from semolina dough, often colored with a pinch of saffron. Roll each little piece across a gnocchi board, a fork or even a clean sushi mat to give it ridges. They are usually served with a sausage and tomato sauce. A good rainy-day project for the whole family.

You will need: 1 batch semolina and water dough (add a pinch of saffron to the water), 8 oz Italian sausage, 1 onion, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, Pecorino.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into thin ropes and cut into small pieces. 2. Roll each piece across a fork or ridged board. 3. Brown the sausage and onion. 4. Add tomatoes and simmer 20 minutes. 5. Boil the pasta 5 to 6 minutes. 6. Toss with the sauce and Pecorino.

Pici: Hand-Rolled Thick Spaghetti

Pici are thick, chewy noodles from Tuscany, rolled by hand one at a time from a simple flour and water dough. No two are exactly the same, and that is the charm. Roll each piece under your palms into a long rope. In Siena they are often served with garlicky tomato sauce or breadcrumbs fried in olive oil.

You will need: 300 g all-purpose flour, 150 ml warm water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinch of salt, semolina for dusting. Sauce: 4 tablespoons olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, chili flakes.

How to make it: 1. Mix flour, water, oil and salt and knead 8 minutes. 2. Rest 30 minutes. 3. Roll into a thick sheet and cut into strips. 4. Roll each strip under your palms into a long rope. 5. Dust with semolina and boil 5 to 7 minutes. 6. Toss with the garlic tomato sauce.

Farfalle: Pinch Your Own Bow Ties

Homemade bow ties are pretty and easy. Cut a thin sheet of egg dough into small rectangles with a fluted pastry wheel, then pinch each one in the middle. They are perfect for pasta salads and creamy sauces, and children love making them. For more ideas once your pasta is ready, see our pasta night recipes for the family table.

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, flour for dusting, 1 cup frozen peas, 4 oz ham or prosciutto chopped, 3/4 cup cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough thin. 2. Cut into 1 by 1 1/2 inch rectangles with a fluted wheel. 3. Pinch each in the middle to make a bow. 4. Let dry 15 minutes. 5. Boil 3 to 4 minutes, adding the peas at the end. 6. Toss with ham, cream and Parmesan.

Easy Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli

Ravioli feel fancy, but they are just two thin sheets of dough with a spoon of filling in between. Ricotta, spinach and Parmesan make the classic filling. Press out the air around each mound, seal the edges and cut with a knife or wheel. Make a big batch and freeze some for a busy night. Butter and sage or red sauce?

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup cooked spinach squeezed dry and chopped, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 egg yolk, nutmeg, salt. Sauce: 4 tablespoons butter, 8 sage leaves.

How to make it: 1. Mix ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, yolk, nutmeg and salt. 2. Roll two thin sheets of dough. 3. Spoon small mounds of filling on one sheet. 4. Cover with the second sheet and press out the air. 5. Cut and seal the edges. 6. Boil 3 to 4 minutes and toss in sage butter.

Homemade Pasta for Broth: Tortellini

Tortellini come from Bologna and Modena, where families gather before Christmas to fold hundreds of them. Cut small squares of thin dough, add a tiny ball of filling, fold into a triangle and wrap the corners around your finger. They are traditionally served in a clear chicken or beef broth. A true holiday project.

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, 4 oz ground pork, 2 oz prosciutto, 2 oz mortadella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 egg, nutmeg, 8 cups chicken broth.

How to make it: 1. Cook the pork, then grind with prosciutto and mortadella. 2. Mix with Parmesan, egg and nutmeg. 3. Cut thin dough into 1 1/2 inch squares. 4. Add a little filling, fold into a triangle and wrap around your finger. 5. Simmer in broth 3 to 4 minutes. 6. Serve the broth and pasta together.

Fresh Lasagna Sheets for Sunday Lasagna

Fresh lasagna sheets make the most tender lasagna you will ever eat, and there is no need to boil them first if your sauce is a little loose. Roll the egg dough thin and cut it to fit your pan. The layers bake into soft, silky folds. Make it on Saturday and Sunday dinner is ready to bake.

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, 4 cups meat sauce, 2 cups ricotta, 1 egg, 3 cups shredded mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, fresh basil.

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough thin and cut into sheets to fit a 9 by 13 inch pan. 2. Mix ricotta and egg. 3. Spread sauce in the pan and add a layer of sheets. 4. Add ricotta, mozzarella and sauce, then repeat. 5. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan. 6. Bake covered at 375 F for 25 minutes, then uncovered 15 minutes.

Rolling Out Homemade Pasta: Pin or Machine

Grandma used a long, thin rolling pin, but a hand-crank machine makes thin sheets easier for beginners. Start on the widest setting, fold the sheet in thirds and roll it again a few times, then go thinner one notch at a time. Keep the sheet well floured. With a pin, roll from the center out and turn the dough often. Pin or machine at your house?

You will need: 1 batch egg pasta dough, flour or semolina for dusting, a long rolling pin or a pasta machine.

How to make it: 1. Cut the rested dough into 4 pieces and keep them covered. 2. Flatten one piece with your hand. 3. Roll on the widest setting, fold in thirds and roll again 2 or 3 times. 4. Roll through each thinner setting once. 5. Dust with flour between passes. 6. Cut into your shape right away.

How to Dry and Freeze Homemade Pasta

Fresh pasta keeps well if you store it the right way. For long noodles, dust them with semolina and twist into loose nests, then let them dry 30 minutes before freezing on a tray. Short shapes can be frozen on a floured sheet pan, then moved to a bag. Cook them straight from the freezer and add a minute or two. Filled pasta like ravioli should always be frozen, not dried.

You will need: Fresh homemade pasta, semolina or flour for dusting, sheet pans, parchment, freezer bags.

How to make it: 1. Dust the pasta with semolina. 2. Shape long noodles into nests or spread short shapes on a tray. 3. Air dry 30 minutes. 4. Freeze on the tray until hard, about 1 hour. 5. Move to labeled freezer bags. 6. Cook from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.