Bobby Flay's Simple Tip For Making Pasta Dough In A Flash

Those who have made pasta from scratch know that it's an upgrade from the boxed stuff, but it's also more time-consuming. That's why any way to simplify the process is a welcome tip for pasta-makers. Luckily, you can get that tip from celebrity chef Bobby Flay. 

According to Food & Wine, Flay was at last year's Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, where he did a live cooking demo. He made his pasta dough in a flash by using a food processor with the regular blade attachment. To mirror Flay's expert pasta dough-making skills, blend your pasta dough ingredients (typically just flour and eggs, but sometimes also ingredients like olive oil and salt) in your standard food processor using the S blade. 

Flay wears many hats — celebrity chef, restauranteur, best-selling author, and television personality to name a few — but also cooks a variety of international cuisines inspired by his love of travel. In 2021 he opened Amalfi by Bobby Flay in Las Vegas, a southern Italian restaurant that features fresh fish from the Mediterranean Sea and a variety of homemade pasta. As a chef who's spent a lot of time in Italy studying the cuisine, Flay knows that fresh pasta makes all the difference.

If you're learning how to make pasta, you can't go wrong with chef Bobby Flay as your teacher. After making the pasta dough in the food processor, Flay kneads it, wraps it in plastic wrap, and lets the pasta dough rest for up to 24 hours before rolling it out. After the dough is rolled out and, in this case, cut into fettuccine, Flay likes to take the long strands and make loosely wrapped nests. The nests then dry on a sheet pan that's been dusted with flour. Allowing the noodles to sit in nest-form will stop them from losing too much moisture.

Homemade pasta dough can be made up to two days in advance. If you plan to use it tomorrow or the next day, you can refrigerate the dough after kneading it (dust the ball of dough with flour and cover it in plastic wrap before sticking it in the fridge); Alternatively, you can make your noodles and form your nests, then place them in the fridge, so they'll be ready to go when it's time to start dinner.  

Pasta dough can be made with just flour and eggs, but to make it stand out, there are other ingredients to consider adding. For a dramatic look and salty boost in flavor, chef Bobby Flay likes to add squid ink to pasta dough. Squid ink adds an umami element to your pasta that pairs perfectly with seafood like shrimp, scallops, and of course, squid. To make fresh squid ink pasta dough, Flay adds it to the food processor along with the flour and eggs and pulses it quickly.

For a bright green pasta that has a nutritional boost and tastes amazing, try adding spinach purée to your pasta dough. Spinach pasta has a unique appearance and mild, earthy flavor that pairs well with almost any sauce — from cream sauces to pesto to marinara. For a beautiful deep purple-colored pasta, try adding puréed beets to your pasta dough. Beet pasta doesn't have an overwhelming flavor –  but it does provide an intense color and wow factor to your pasta dishes.