Basic recipe for Italian pasta dough with durum wheat (without egg)

In this article, I present the basic recipe for Italian pasta dough with durum wheat. It is probably the most widely used recipe for pasta and consists only of durum wheat and water.

The high protein content in durum wheat makes the dough elastic after kneading and resting.

It also has excellent plastic properties, which ensure that the pasta retains its shape after production.

Making pasta dough with durum wheat yourself (step by step)

This basic recipe for pasta dough with durum wheat without egg is the alternative to Italian egg dough made from soft wheat.

It can be used to make a variety of different types of pasta, and the recipe is super simple and only requires two ingredients: Durum wheat and water.

This recipe has one disadvantage: finely ground durum wheat (also known as semola or semolina) is not available everywhere. It should not be confused with the common durum wheat semolina, as this is too coarse to form a good dough by hand.

In the following article, I explain exactly the differences between types of flour for pasta dough.

Basic recipe for Italian pasta dough made from durum wheat and water (for 4 people):

Für 4 Personen

  • 400 g finely ground durum wheat (semola di grano duro, rimacinata)
  • 200 ml hot water
  • 4 grams of salt (optional, not suitable for drying)

(For product recommendations, see the recipe card at the bottom)

For the production you need:

  • A fork
  • Cling film
  • A large work surface

The working time is about 15 minutes, after which the dough should rest for about 30 minutes before you process it further.

If you are making pasta for the first time, you should allow about an hour before you can shape the pasta.

Step 1: Form the flour into a well and gradually add water

Empty the flour onto the work surface and form a well in the middle.

Slowly pour the hot water into the center of the well and gradually mix it with the flour using a fork.

Continue until all the water has been used up.

Making your own durum wheat pasta dough without eggs - step 1

Step 2: Shape the crumbly mixture into a lump with your hands and knead for 10 minutes

Press the crumbly mixture together to form a lump of dough and knead for at least 10 minutes.

Do not add any more water! The dough may appear dry, but kneading will gradually work all the flour into the dough.

Making your own durum wheat pasta dough without eggs - step 2

Step 3: Continue kneading until all the flour has been incorporated into the dough

There are several kneading techniques, one of which I find particularly effective:

Apply forward pressure to the dough with the heel of your hand. Pull the dough back again with the other hand, turning it slightly by about 45°. Repeat the process until all the dough crumbs have been worked in.

If there is still flour on the work surface after 10 minutes of kneading, you can apply a (small!) amount of water over a large area (I use a flower sprayer for this). The remaining flour should then be easy to work in.

If you have any difficulties with this step, you can find tips for brittle pasta dough here.

Making your own durum wheat pasta dough without eggs - step 3

Step 4: Wrap the pasta dough in cling film and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes

The pasta dough with durum wheat is only ready when it has a smooth, silky surface and is no longer sticky.

Then let it rest for 30 minutes in an airtight container. The best way to do this is to wrap the dough as airtight as possible in cling film and place it away from direct light to rest.

During the resting time, the gluten network within the dough arranges itself better so that the structure becomes more elastic and perfect pasta can be formed from it. Find out more about why pasta dough needs to rest here.

Making your own durum wheat pasta dough without eggs - step 4

Continued: Make your own Italian durum wheat pasta without eggs

You have successfully made an Italian pasta dough!

Now all you have to do is shape it into delicious pasta and prepare a suitable sauce.

Here are simple instructions for making Italian tagliatelle from durum wheat.

Make your own durum wheat pasta

Variations for pasta dough made from durum wheat

There are many ways to vary this basic recipe.

Instead of making a pure pasta dough with durum wheat and water, you can try a 50/50 mix with wheat flour.

With a little extra egg, you get a firm dough that also benefits from the flexibility of the wheat flour and the flavor of the eggs.

Ingredients for pasta dough with wheat flour and durum wheat (4 people)

  • 200 g durum wheat semolina (semola di grano duro, rimacinata)
  • 200 g wheat flour type 405 (or Italian flour Tipo 00)
  • 4 g salt
  • 4 eggs (200 g without shell)

(For product recommendations, see the recipe card at the bottom)

How much pasta dough do you need per person?

On average, you should expect 200 grams of pasta dough per person for a main course and 100 grams for a starter. Depending on how hungry you are and the size of the side dish, you can vary between 150 and 250 grams (main course) or between 75 and 125 grams (starter) of pasta dough.

With this amount plus sauce, you get about 400 to 550 grams per portion, according to the Apotheken-Umschau.

In the following article, I go into more detail about the correct quantities:

Storing pasta dough with durum wheat

There are several ways to store this pasta dough recipe.

How long does pasta dough with durum wheat keep?

Pasta dough made with durum wheat can usually be kept in the fridge for 48 hours. It can also be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours or frozen and kept for a month.

You can find more information about storing pasta dough here.

How do you freeze pasta dough with durum wheat?

You can freeze durum wheat dough and keep it in the freezer for a month. To make defrosting easier, roll out the dough into sheets about 1 cm thick. These are wrapped in cling film and placed in a freezer bag, from which the air is pressed out.

Here you can find more information on how to freeze pasta dough correctly.

Pasta dough with durum wheat Pinterest

If you have any questions or suggestions about this article, please write me a comment!

Here are three further articles that might interest you:

Have fun making your own pasta!

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