Homemade Semolina Pasta Dough

5 from 1 vote

Traditionally from Southern Italy, this simple eggless pasta dough is made from semolina flour and water. It's a great base recipe for many Italian pasta shapes.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1

Total Time1 35

Servings: servings

Calories: 288kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Equipment

Large Mixing Bowl
Wooden Cutting Board or Large Work Surface
Spray Bottle optional
Plastic Wrap

Ingredients

320 g semola rimacinata flour
160 ml water plus more as needed

Instructions

To a large mixing bowl, add 320 g semola rimacinata flour. Using your fist or a small glass, form a well in the center of the flour. Add 160 ml water into the well.
Using a fork, begin incorporating some of the flour into the liquid, stirring to combine. Begin incorporating more and more of the flour into the well, whisking until the liquid in the well starts thickening.
With your hands or a bench scraper, alternate between incorporating more of the remaining flour and kneading the dough in the bowl.
Knead the dough until it comes together into a rough, shaggy mass, then transfer the dough to a wooden surface or countertop, about 2 - 3 minutes.
Continue kneading, for about 15 - 18 minutes, until the dough feels soft, tacky (but not sticky or dry), and almost perfectly smooth. As you knead, there may be a few small, dry bits that won't incorporate into the dough; you can discard them.
Note: The key here is ensuring the dough is soft, but not dry or sticky at all. As you continue kneading, the flour will continue to hydrate and come together into a smoother ball.
If the dough still feels sticky after several minutes of kneading, add a teaspoon of flour at a time until it’s become more smooth and soft.
Conversely, if the dough feels slightly dry (which can happen in drier climates), you can gently mist it or lightly wet your hands.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for one hour (up to 2 hours). This resting time will relax the gluten and smooth out the dough further.
Roll out the dough as needed according to your desired shape.

Video

Notes

Storage: I generally prefer not to store pasta dough, as the color/texture can change slightly, but if necessary, you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours after wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.

Looking for shape inspiration? I have a recipe for homemade orecchiette and gnocchetti sardi (malloreddus). I also recommend Pasta Social Club's recipe collection, which has a variety of shape tutorials.

Nutrition