Egg pasta is a fundamental preparation in Italian cuisine, particularly in the Emilia region.
It is a simple dough made from chicken eggs and wheat flour, divided into small regular shapes and intended for cooking with moist heat.

Characteristics and Distinction

• Egg pasta vs. Fresh pasta: These are not necessarily synonyms. Egg pasta can be either fresh or dried; fresh egg pasta is homemade, made in a workshop, or even industrially produced as long as it is immediately frozen. Dried egg pasta is packaged, like semolina pasta.
• Pasta sfoglia: This should not be confused with egg pasta. Pasta sfoglia is a completely different French preparation, rich in butter, typically without eggs, and used in both sweet and savory pastries.

Nutritional Properties of Egg pasta

Egg pasta results in starchy first courses rich in gluten. The calorie content of egg pasta is primarily due to its complex carbohydrate content. It also contains more protein compared to semolina pasta and a certain amount of cholesterol. It has a moderate fiber content, slightly higher than that of semolina pasta. Unlike semolina pasta, egg pasta (both fresh and dried) also provides a certain amount of cholesterol.

The energy content of dried egg pasta is similar (slightly higher) to that of dried semolina pasta. The energy content of fresh egg pasta is more similar to that of cooked semolina pasta. Being already heavily hydrated, fresh egg pasta does not show a significant increase in volume during cooking.

In terms of minerals, egg pasta stands out for its higher iron content. Conversely, in terms of vitamins, it is well endowed with retinol equivalents or vitamin A (thanks to the carotenoids in the eggs).

Variants of Egg Pasta

Egg pasta can be made using similar but different ingredients from the traditional ones. For example, the types of eggs or the yolk-to-white ratio can vary: guinea fowl eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, turkey eggs, more yolk than white, more white than yolk, etc.

It is also possible to change the type of flour used: whole wheat flour, type 1, type 0, durum wheat semolina, etc. Egg pasta can also be made in various colors: red (using tomato concentrate or beet puree), green (with finely chopped cooked greens), black with squid ink, etc.

To flavour egg pasta, simply add the desired spice; some types include saffron, chili, paprika, pepper, mustard, turmeric, etc.

Traditional Egg Pasta Color

For traditional fresh egg pasta, it is crucial that the eggs are fresh with an intensely orange, almost red yolk. Many readers may wonder how to determine the yolk color before breaking the egg. There isn’t a way! In the past, when egg pasta was a customary preparation in the farmhouses of the Po Valley, the housewives (zdore or azdore) knew that to make egg pasta, it was necessary to feed the laying hens with red-colored foods (kitchen scraps and grains). It may sound strange, but it works! The pigment of the egg yolk is due to the presence of carotenoid-type provitamin A; hence, the higher the carotenoid nutritional content of the hen, the better the egg pigmentation. Besides rotten peppers, spoiled carrots, tomato peels (residues from making tomato sauce), melon and watermelon rinds, etc., it is advisable to feed the laying hens some popcorn maize.

Other Egg Doughs

While tradition mainly teaches how to “handle” egg pasta, innovative cuisine suggests optimizing the dough based on the recipe. To be clear, all dishes requiring this base can be made from good egg pasta; however, certain technicians have developed slightly different recipes specifically suited to certain products.

Basic Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe

Ingredients: 800 g of type “00” wheat flour, 200 g of durum wheat semolina, and 10 chicken eggs. Some add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, but this is not traditional in Emilia.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe for Ravioli

Ingredients: 800 g of type “00” wheat flour, 200 g of durum wheat semolina, 10 chicken eggs, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe for Tajarin

Ingredients: 1000 g of type “0” wheat flour, 900 g of egg yolks.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe for Torchio Spaghetti

Ingredients: 500 g of type “00” wheat flour, 500 g of durum wheat semolina, 350 g of chicken eggs.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe with Bell Pepper

Ingredients: 1000 g of type “0” wheat flour, 80 g of egg yolks, 200 g of whole eggs, and 100 g of pasteurized bell pepper puree.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe with Squid Ink

Ingredients: 1000 g of type “00” wheat flour, 100 g of egg yolks, 250 g of whole eggs, and 50 g of squid ink.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe in Green

Ingredients: 1000 g of type “00” wheat flour, 200 g of chicken eggs, 100 g of chlorophyll, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Fresh Egg Pasta Recipe in Red

Ingredients: 500 g of type “00” wheat flour, 60 g of durum wheat semolina, 100 g of egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 200 g of beet puree, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Saffron Egg Pasta Recipe

Ingredients: 800 g of type “00” wheat flour, 200 g of durum wheat semolina, 400 g of whole chicken eggs, 4 packets of diluted saffron.

Truffle Egg Pasta Recipe

Ingredients: 1000 g of type “00” wheat flour, 350 g of whole eggs, 10 g of truffle puree, 1 tablespoon of truffle oil, and water as needed.

Egg Pasta Preparation Method

The process for preparing fresh egg pasta is simple but not easy! The various steps are quite clear, but their correct execution is not for everyone.

The necessary tools are: a pastry board, a small fork or whisk, and a scraper.

Start by forming a well (like a “volcano”) with the flour. Break the eggs into the center and beat them with a fork or whisk. Then, still using the fork or whisk, gradually incorporate the flour from the edges of the well until the consistency of the central dough becomes too thick to continue. At this point, set aside the fork or whisk and start using your hands; first, incorporate all the flour by mixing the (still rough) dough, then, with “elbow grease” and using the scraper, knead everything, making sure not to leave pieces of dough stuck to the board or your hands. Continue kneading until you obtain a smooth and uniform dough; finally, let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Note: The flour mixture (soft wheat and durum wheat) determines the hardness and consistency of the pasta. The more durum wheat used, the greater the strength (physical and heat resistance) and difficulty in kneading.

Dried egg pasta is a feature of industrial production; in this case, in addition to using freeze-dried and rehydrated eggs, the cold air dehydration method is applied.

Homemade Fresh Pasta: Yellow, Green, and Black Pasta, how to Prepare and Cook It

As mentioned, egg pasta is a dough used for making first courses. Firstly, it is necessary to distinguish between types of pasta: simple egg pasta (fresh or dried) and stuffed egg pasta. Then, remember that cooking times and the physical characteristics of the food depend essentially on three factors: gluten presence in the flour (elasticity), albumins in the egg white and lecithins in the yolk (emulsification). Significantly reducing one of these three factors, for example:

• Producing gluten-free/low-gluten pasta (without or with little wheat flour)
• Producing low-cholesterol pasta (without or with little yolk)
• Producing very yellow pasta with intense flavor (without or with little egg white)

will alter the workability, cooking times, and resistance during cooking.

That said, egg pasta can be used for: brothy pasta (maltagliati, tagliolini, etc.), sautéed pasta (tagliatelle, pappardelle, lavagnette, spaghetti alla chitarra or torchio, etc.), and stuffed pasta (ravioli, caramelle, agnolotti, cappelletti, tortellini, tortelli, cappellacci, cannelloni, and lasagne).

However, it is essential to remember that in preparing any recipe, egg pasta is always the ingredient with the shortest cooking time; this means that the accompanying sauce, certain sauces (ragù, béchamel, etc.), or the filling (for stuffed pasta) always require pre-cooking (except for already processed foods like ricotta); this prevents the pasta from overcooking during the final steps of the procedure.

How much egg pasta can you eat?

Egg pasta has a more substantial preparation than dry pasta and this is why the quantity to be calculated per person must vary from 60 to 80 g.

Why does homemade egg pasta turn dark?

In fact, egg pasta changes color as it dries, but when you dip it in water to cook it returns to its beautiful color. If you consume it within a few hours it will still keep well, but if you have to keep it for a few days you should freeze it.

How many days can egg pasta stay in the fridge?

4 days. Simple fresh pasta, both egg-based and egg-free – we are talking about tagliatelle, fettuccine, orecchiette and the like – can be kept in the refrigerator for several days, depending on the type. Egg pasta lasts about 3-4 days, while egg-free pasta lasts up to 6-7 days.