Garganelli Pasta Recipe
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This is an authentic Italian recipe from the region of Emilia Romagna. Garganelli pasta is made from an egg pasta flavored with parmesan cheese and nutmeg is hand-shaped into ribbed quills. Impressive but easy, this handmade pasta that pairs perfectly with a variety of sauces.
Servings: 4 servings for soup
Equipment
- rolling pin or pasta machine
- wooden gnocchi board or sterilized comb
- wooden dowel or clean round pencil
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (7 ounces/185 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ½ cup (1 ounce/30 grams) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the pasta dough
- Remove and set aside 2 tablespoons of flour. You will use this later if the garganelli dough is too wet.
- Tip the remaining all-purpose flour, finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated nutmeg, freshly ground black pepper, and salt onto a work surface. Make a well in the middle and crack in the eggs.
- Use a fork to beat the eggs, gradually taking in flour from around the edges until you form a shaggy dough with no runny egg.
- Knead well for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and supple. Add a teaspoon of water if it's not coming together but try not to add much more. OR if the dough is too wet, add the reserved flour.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes to 1 hour to rest.
Make the garganelli pasta
- Work with a ¼ of the dough at a time. Keep the remaining dough well wrapped with plastic.
- Lightly flour the pasta machine rollers and press the dough flat. Using the widest setting on the pasta machine and guide the dough through. Fold and reroll several times until smooth. Then gradually reduce the width of the rollers until you can see color through the sheet.
- Cut the thinly rolled pasta dough into 1 or 1½ inch (2½ or 3½ cm) squares. Excess dough can be added back into the main ball to be reused.
- Place the square on the gnocchi board or sterilized comb with the point facing you. Roll to mark with a wooden dowel or clean pencil.
- Flick the point closest to you over the pencil and carefully roll the dough up pressing to seal and join the ends.
- Slide the garganelli pasta tube off the dowel and place it on a baking sheet that has been lined with baking paper and sprinkled with all purpose or semolina flour. It only takes a little practice to soon have a garganelli production in place.
- To serve the garganelli pasta, boil in salted water for 3-5 minutes or until just cooked and serve with your choice of sauce. Alternatively, simmer garganelli in broth for a delicious soup.
Notes
Tips for Success
- Dough Adjustment: If your dough is dry and crumbly, knead in teaspoons of water one at a time until it just comes together. Don't overwork it - the dough will soften as it rests.
- Cutting the Squares: Use a ruler or an adjustable pasta cutter to achieve uniform squares, or cut by eye for similar sizes.
- Drying the Pasta: Let the cut squares dry slightly for better shaping, but don't wait too long, or the ends of the garganelli won't stick together.
- Rolling Thickness: Roll the pasta out a bit thicker than tagliatelle - you'll be thinning it later on the gnocchi board.
- Time Commitment: Making garganelli pasta is easy, but it takes time. Consider recruiting a friend or two to help!
Nutrition
Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 217IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 3mg
