Kitchen
15 September 2026
2 min readSecrets of dough, sauce and serving that turn fresh pasta into a good plate.
Making fresh pasta requires a little patience and a little dexterity. The dough may be too the first try; on the second try, the water may get a little too much. Let's say from the beginning that this is normal in the kitchen.
It is important to rest after the dough comes together. Meanwhile, the gluten loosens and stops resisting you when rolling it out. Not over-flouring the thinly rolled dough ensures that the cooking water remains starchy enough to carry the sauce.
- Roll out the dough and let it rest on the surface for a few minutes.
- Gently shake off excess flour before cutting.
- Drop the pasta into boiling and well-salted water.
- Reserve a ladle of cooking water while combining it with the sauce.
The last step here seems small, but you feel the difference there. The sauce clings to the dough instead of sitting on top of the pasta like a separate layer.
Our favorite is a trio of clarified butter, sage and parmesan. It doesn't cover the flavor of a good dough; on the contrary, it announces it more clearly.
