I realize that, when I started to post pasta recipes, I started with more difficult types (like my Pumpkin Ravioli or Cheese Tortellini). I wanted to try making a plain noodle for once, so luckily, I found some leftover pasta dough in our freezer and got to work!
I was especially craving penne alla vodka (because, duh, it’s so good) but I had absolutely no idea how to even make homemade penne. I decided to make garganelli noodles instead because they’re much much easier to make at home. I know I say this on every pasta recipe post but don’t be intimidated! Anyone can make these at home with a little effort.
Garganelli noodles look and feel very much like penne, as they’re both tubular noodle shapes. Unlike penne, garganelli noodles are traditionally made with an egg-based dough, which is what I had on hand anyway. They also have a very visible seam, from rolling the pasta squares around itself. They can be made into ridged noodles using a garganelli or gnocchi board, but I decided to make mine smooth (since I don’t have the right equipment, haha).
Once you roll out your pasta dough and cut out your squares, you basically just roll the dough over a pencil or chopstick to connect them. And that’s it! I would recommend letting the dough squares dry out slightly before shaping them to prevent them from collapsing. You also want to make sure you roll out the dough thin but not too thin. You don’t want it to break when you work with it, but you also don’t want it to be too thick and doughy when you cook it.
You can pair this pasta with any sauce that you prefer. We used the vodka sauce from Half Baked Harvest and it was so delicious and went perfectly with this noodle shape. You can also make a big batch of these and freeze them to be used later. An easy and delicious dinner option for later!
Homemade Garganelli Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 beaten egg, for egg wash
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, or on any clean work surface, make a mound with the flour. Create a well in the center and add the eggs, salt, and olive oil.
- Use a fork to beat the wet ingredients. Begin to incorporate the flour closest to the center, but make sure the well stays intact. Once dough starts to come together, pour about 1/3 cup of water into it. Add more water based on feel: it should be soft and tacky but it shouldn't stick to your fingers.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 3-5 minutes or until soft and smooth.
- Wrap the dough completely in plastic wrap. Refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to rest.
- Flour your work surface. Take 1/4 of the dough out (keep the rest well covered and in the fridge). Flatten into a small rectangle and lightly coat with flour.
- If using a pasta machine: Set the maker to the widest setting. Run the dough through 2 times. Reduce the setting by one and run the dough through again. Repeat until you get the desired thickness (probably around 3 or 4). You want it to be thin, but you don't want it to be impossible to work with.
- If using a rolling pin: Roll the 1/4 portion of dough until it is as thin as possible, but not too thin that it'll break.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough ribbons into small squares. Let squares dry for 10-20 minutes.
- Fold a corner of a square over a pencil or chopstick. Start rolling the chopstick toward you, applying enough pressure to seal the tube, but not too hard so that it sticks to the chopstick. Apply some egg wash to seal if needed. Repeat for the rest of the pasta dough.
- Let the noodles dry for 15 minutes before cooking. You can let the pasta dry overnight and then store them in a Ziploc bag the next day. You could also freeze the noodles, transfer them to a Ziploc, and keep in the freezer until needed.
- When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the pasta noodles into the water and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until tender. This timing will depend on how thick your noodles end up being.
- Pair with your favorite sauce and enjoy!
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