Classic Italian Fresh Egg Pasta Dough

From dough to shape: learn the classic fresh egg dough behind ravioli, agnolotti, tortellini, and more.

This classic Italian fresh egg pasta dough is made with Caputo 00 Pasta Fresca Flour and eggs. Across Italy, it is the foundation for countless filled pasta shapes, giving you a smooth, elastic dough that is easy to roll, fill, and shape.

In this video, you’ll learn the core method for making fresh egg pasta dough at home, how egg balance affects texture, and why a short room-temperature rest helps create a more workable dough. Once you master the base, you can use it for ravioli, agnolotti, tortellini, tortelloni, and other filled pasta shapes.

1. Measure the Caputo “00” Pasta Fresca Flour and place it directly onto your cutting board.
2. Using the bottom of a bowl, create a well in the center of the flour and add 3 whole eggs into the center. Whisk in the center of the well until combined.
3. With a fork, slowly whisk the flour into the eggs, gently incorporating most flour with each turn.
4. Use a bench scraper to finish incorporating the flour and water until shaggy dough forms.
5. Begin kneading the dough until smooth, about 8–10 minutes.
6. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours.

Note: If the dough is not used within 6 hours, refrigerate it. Bring it back to room temperature for at least 2 hours before rolling it out.

Notes:

• You can scale this dough using the ratio of 1 egg per 100 g of flour.
• We recommend starting with slightly less flour if you’re unsure of the room’s humidity; you can always add more flour to improve the texture.
• If the dough feels too dry, add 1 tablespoon at a time, but remember it is much easier to add flour than to correct an overly wet dough.
• Why do we use whole eggs? Whole eggs offer a great blend of protein and richness.

Shapes:

• Ravioli
• Tortellini
• Agnolotti