Want to impress your family and friends? Serve this handmade Garganelli Pasta! It’s much easier than you might think.
Get ready to have some fun when you make your own homemade garganelli! Seriously, making this pasta by hand is really enjoyable, not to mention rewarding. It comes out so perfectly that I can’t even believe I made it! And because garganelli is such a pleasure to make and so versatile, I make a lot of it and then freeze some so it’s always available for a quick, delicious meal. And you know what else is rewarding, satisfying, and really fun? Soaking up the praise and admiration when your family and friends discover that the pasta they are about to eat was handmade by you in your very own kitchen!
Garganelli are short pasta tubes that are ribbed. Originally from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, one legend has it that a cook’s cat ate the filling she was planning to use for her stuffed pasta. Since she was having guests and couldn’t abandon her dinner, she improvised with her squares of pasta dough, and garganelli was born.
When you make your own garganelli, you’ll quickly see why this pasta is traditionally handmade. It’s the rolling out of the individual tubes that allows it to achieve its unique, signature shape. First, you’ll roll your dough out into a very thin sheet. A pasta machine is great for this, but a rolling pin works, too. For the shaping, it’s a good idea to purchase—if you don’t already have one—a garganelli board, which is a wooden board with ridges (a gnocchi board is essentially the same thing). If you have neither, once the dough is wrapped around the dowel, you can roll it gently over the tines of a fork to get the ridges.
As you can imagine, garganelli’s size and shape lend themselves to so many different kinds of preparations (and we are certainly going to suggest some below), but because it is an egg-based pasta, it is perfect in a Carbonara, the classic sauce made with crispy pork, eggs, and cheese. Add a traditional Caesar Salad and some squares of Flatbread White Broccoli Pizza for a really great meal.
Perfect Garganelli Pasta
Double-zero flour, also known as doppio zero and 00 flour, is finely ground Italian flour considered essential for making pasta (and pizza dough) because it has a lower protein content than other flours and results in smooth, delicate noodles with great elasticity. And while some cooks say you can substitute all-purpose flour for double-zero, we don’t recommend that for our recipe.
Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. While rolling out one piece of dough, keep the others tightly wrapped in plastic so they don’t dry out. Line a baking sheet with parchment to place your formed garganelli on while you roll the rest. Once all of your garganelli are formed, optionally, let them sit out to dry for 30 minutes to an hour before tossing them into the boiling water.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cooked and cooled garganelli will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
The hardest thing about making garganelli is deciding what sauce to serve it with. There’s authentic Bolognese, bright and tangy Tomato Sauce, rich and herby Basil Pesto, or this three-ingredient Italian classic, Pasta Alla Gricia. Sometimes I just toss garganelli with Roasted Eggplant and sliced Roasted Peppers and drizzle the whole thing with Bread Dipping Oil.
Endless possibilities, truly. Garganelli Mac and Cheese, garganelli with Peas and Bacon, or this Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta dish with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Or use it in a cold pasta salad. Once I was hosting a ladies’ lunch, and I tossed cooled garganelli into this flavorful Tuna Salad and served it with Pretzel Bread, homemade Boursin Cheese, some Bread And Butter Pickles, and this fresh and bright Mango Avocado Salad. This menu was a big hit (especially when the ladies learned I’d made the garganelli myself!).
Garganelli Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups double-zero flour plus extra for dusting
- 2 large eggs
- 3-4 large yolks
- Water as needed
- Salt for boiling water
Instructions
- On a clean surface, make a well in the center of the flour. Crack the eggs into the well and add 3 yolks. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs using a fork, blending until combined. If dry, add a 4th yolk.
- Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water at a time (up to 2 tablespoons) until there are no loose crumbs. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece into a thin sheet with a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Cut the sheets into 2-inch squares.
- Place a square on a garganelli board or a ridged surface. Place a dowel at one end of the square and roll tightly to form a tube, pressing to seal the edges.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the garganelli for 3 minutes or until al dente, depending on its thickness. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce.
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