Eggless Pasta Dough

Recipe by Brian Levy
Not Yet Reviewed

With just three ingredients — durum flour, water, and salt — this is the simplest and humblest of pasta doughs. The fine grain and high gluten content of durum flour yields pasta with a firm bite and smooth texture. In this recipe for eggless pasta, hot water hydrates the flour quickly and salt increases elasticity, resulting in a silky dough that’s easy to roll and holds its shape. This just-happens-to-be-vegan pasta dough is especially suited for hand-shaped, unfilled pastas, such as orecchiette, cavatelli, and trofie, which benefit from a well-defined shape and a bit of surface coarseness. 

Prep
30 mins
Total
45 mins
Yield
1 1/4 lbs. of pasta, about 4 servings
Eggless Pasta Dough on a plate - select to zoom
Eggless Pasta Dough on a plate - select to zoom
Eggless Pasta Dough on a plate - select to zoom
Eggless Pasta Dough made into 5 shapes - select to zoom

Instructions

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  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. 

  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.  

  3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gently pour the hot water into the well. Using a flexible spatula or your clean hand, slowly incorporate the flour into the water, working from the center of the well outward. Once all of the flour is moistened, gather the dough and press it together into a single mass; it will be crumbly and shaggy with a bit of dry flour remaining.  

  4. Transfer the pasta dough to an unfloured work surface or to the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead, either by hand or using the dough hook on medium speed, for about 10 minutes until very smooth. (If kneading by hand, use minimal additional flour, if necessary, to prevent the dough from sticking.) 

  5. Let the dough rest, in a covered bowl, for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature to allow the gluten to relax. Once rested, the dough is ready for shaping. (The dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before shaping the next day.) 

  6. To shape the pasta: Shape the pasta either by hand or with the aid of a pasta machine, depending on your desired pasta shape. For instructions on making shapes such as tagliolini, fettuccine, spaghetti, and lasagna, see the Guide to Different Ribbon-Cut Pasta Shapes. And for shapes such as orecchiette, cavatelli, and pici, see the Guide to Hand-Shaped Pastas. 

  7. To cook the fresh pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 5 minutes; it should still have a slight bite (al dente). Drain the pasta and serve immediately with your sauce of choice. 

  8. Storage information: Extra uncooked pasta can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks and boiled directly from frozen. It may require several extra minutes of cooking time. Leftover cooked pasta can be stored in the refrigerator with sauce, covered, for up to 2 days.  

Tips from our Bakers

  • Shaping pasta by hand will inherently produce noodles that are slightly varied in size and thickness. As a result, they will have slightly different textures and range in chewiness when cooked; that's the beauty of hand-shaped pasta!  

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