This summer, we’ve had more rainy afternoons than I can count. But rather than letting the weather get us down, my girls and I have found the perfect way to make the most of our time indoors: homemade pasta!
Now, I’m not one for fancy gadgets or complicated recipes. I believe cooking should be fun, approachable, and a little messy—especially when kids are involved. So, armed with just a cup of all-purpose flour, two eggs, and our trusty rolling pins, we set out to make pasta the old-fashioned way: by hand.
Getting started
We started by making a little nest with the flour right on the counter. The girls carefully cracked two eggs into the center—because cracking eggs is always a highlight! Then, we slowly began mixing the eggs into the flour, using our fingers to bring everything together. There was flour everywhere, but the girls loved getting messy (and so did I, honestly).
Kneading and rolling
After the dough started to come together, we kneaded it for about ten minutes. The girls took turns pressing and folding, and soon we had a smooth, elastic ball of dough. We divided it into smaller pieces and, with rolling pins in hand, rolled each piece out on a well-floured surface. The goal? To get the dough as thin as possible—almost like paper!
Cutting and drying
Once the dough was nice and thin, we used a pizza cutter to slice it into long, thin strips. The girls were so proud of their noodles! To dry them, we hung the strips over clothing hangers hung from the kitchen cabinets. It looked a little silly, but it worked perfectly. After about an hour, we took the noodles down and gave them another quick roll with the rolling pin. This step helps keep the noodles flat and prevents them from being chewy—a little trick I learned from my own mom.
The big boil
Finally, it was time to cook! We brought a big pot of salted water to a boil and let the noodles swim for about three minutes. The result? Beautiful, fresh pasta that tasted so much better than anything from a box.
Serving up the fun
The kids kept it simple and topped their noodles with a little butter. My husband and I, on the other hand, warmed up some of my famous red sauce with meatballs (recipe coming soon!). It was the perfect meal for a cozy, rainy evening.
The takeaway
Making homemade pasta is more than just cooking—it’s about spending quality time together, getting a little messy, and creating memories. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon with your kids, I can’t recommend homemade pasta enough. And with all the rain we’ve had this summer, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to practice!
So, grab some flour, eggs, and your favorite little helpers, and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!
