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Pasta & Dough Cuts

Pasta Sheet Thickness Grades

Also: pasta machine settings, sfoglia thickness, pasta roller settings, numbered pasta gauge

The numbered dial settings on a hand-crank or electric pasta machine, each corresponding to a specific sheet thickness that determines which pasta shape the dough is suited for.

Pasta machine rollers are calibrated in numbered increments — typically 0 (thickest) through 9 (thinnest) on Italian machines like Imperia and Marcato Atlas, though some models run 1–9 or 1–7. Each number corresponds to an approximate gap between the rollers measured in millimeters. The sfoglia (sheet) produced at each setting has different structural properties: stiffness, translucency, and cooking time all change with gauge. Matching thickness to format is essential — too thin and ravioli burst; too thick and tagliatelle turn gluey.

In photos

Pasta Sheet Thickness Grades in its raw whole-cut form on a butcher's board — Pasta machine rollers are calibrated in numbered increments — typically 0 (thickest) through 9 (thinnest) on Italian machines like Imperia and Marcato Atlas, though some models run 1–9 or 1–7. Identifying traits: Setting 0 (approx. 3–4 mm): very thick, rarely used; suits maltagliati or hand-torn formats, Settings 1–2 (approx. 2–2.5 mm): thick sheets for pappardelle, wide ribbons, rustic tagliatelle, Settings 3–4 (approx. 1.5–2 mm): standard tagliatelle, fettuccine, lasagna layers.
Pasta Sheet Thickness Grades in its raw whole-cut form on a butcher's board — Pasta machine rollers are calibrated in numbered increments — typically 0 (thickest) through 9 (thinnest) on Italian machines like Imperia and Marcato Atlas, though some models run 1–9 or 1–7. Identifying traits: Setting 0 (approx. 3–4 mm): very thick, rarely used; suits maltagliati or hand-torn formats, Settings 1–2 (approx. 2–2.5 mm): thick sheets for pappardelle, wide ribbons, rustic tagliatelle, Settings 3–4 (approx. 1.5–2 mm): standard tagliatelle, fettuccine, lasagna layers.
Where the pasta sheet thickness grades lives on the source. A calibration standard of the pasta machine's roller gap, not a butchery or produce cut in the conventional sense.
Where the pasta sheet thickness grades lives on the source. A calibration standard of the pasta machine's roller gap, not a butchery or produce cut in the conventional sense.
Pasta Sheet Thickness Grades prepared the canonical way — Lasagna al forno (Bologna, Emilia-Romagna). Begin at the widest setting (0 or 1) and pass the dough through three times, folding the sheet in thirds between each pass — this is the lamination step that builds structure and smoothness.
Pasta Sheet Thickness Grades prepared the canonical way — Lasagna al forno (Bologna, Emilia-Romagna). Begin at the widest setting (0 or 1) and pass the dough through three times, folding the sheet in thirds between each pass — this is the lamination step that builds structure and smoothness.

Where it comes from

A calibration standard of the pasta machine's roller gap, not a butchery or produce cut in the conventional sense; analogous to gauge specifications in metalworking applied to laminated pasta dough.

Setting 0 (approx. 3–4 mm): very thick, rarely used; suits maltagliati or hand-torn formatsSettings 1–2 (approx. 2–2.5 mm): thick sheets for pappardelle, wide ribbons, rustic tagliatelleSettings 3–4 (approx. 1.5–2 mm): standard tagliatelle, fettuccine, lasagna layersSettings 5–6 (approx. 1–1.5 mm): lasagna for delicate baked dishes, silky tagliolini, fresh pappardelle fineSettings 7–8 (approx. 0.6–0.9 mm): ravioli, tortelloni, delicate stuffed pastas; translucent when held to lightSetting 9 (approx. 0.4–0.5 mm): extremely fine; agnolotti dal plin, tortellini in brodo, translucent sfoglina workEach pass through a given setting should be repeated twice for even compression before advancing

Best for

Lasagna al forno (settings 4–6 depending on tradition)Tagliatelle al ragù (settings 4–5, ~1.5 mm finished)Pappardelle with braised meats (settings 3–4)Ravioli and tortelloni (settings 7–8)Tortellini in brodo (settings 8–9)Tagliolini in butter (settings 6–7)Sfoglia per lasagne verdi (settings 5–6 with spinach dough)

How to cook it

  1. 1Begin at the widest setting (0 or 1) and pass the dough through three times, folding the sheet in thirds between each pass — this is the lamination step that builds structure and smoothness.
  2. 2Advance the dial one notch at a time; never jump two settings, which risks tearing.
  3. 3Dust the sheet lightly with semolina flour between passes to prevent sticking; avoid 00 flour which clumps under the rollers.
  4. 4Hold the emerging sheet gently with the back of one hand rather than gripping it, which introduces stretch marks and uneven thickness.
  5. 5Once at the target setting, pass the dough through exactly once — additional passes at the final gauge can cause micro-tears in thin sheets.
  6. 6Cut immediately or drape over a pasta rack to dry for 5–10 minutes until the surface is leathery but not brittle before cutting ribbons.
  7. 7For stuffed pastas, keep sheets covered under a damp cloth and work quickly — dough dries and cracks within minutes at target thinness.

Prep & butchery

  • Rest the dough at least 30 minutes under plastic after kneading before sheeting — the gluten must relax or the sheet springs back and tears.
  • Hydration matters: a 65–68% hydration egg dough (approx. 100g 00 flour : 55g whole egg by weight) sheets cleanly through setting 9; over-dry dough cracks past setting 7.
  • Chill the dough if the kitchen is warm — pasta above 24°C (75°F) becomes sticky and difficult to sheet thin.
  • Divide the dough into portions no larger than 80g before sheeting; large pieces are unwieldy and stick on themselves.

Substitutes

  • Sheeting by rolling pin (mattarello)

    The traditional Bolognese sfoglina technique; produces a slightly uneven sheet with more texture variation — considered superior by purists for tagliatelle al ragù because the rough surface holds sauce better.

  • Sheeter attachment on stand mixer

    KitchenAid-style roller attachments calibrate slightly differently than hand-crank Italian machines; cross-reference the mm spec, not the number, if switching tools.

  • Commercial sheeter

    Runs incrementally in 0.1 mm steps; professionals target exact mm specs (1.5 mm for tagliatelle) rather than machine settings.

Related cuts

  • Tagliatelle & Pappardelle Width Standards

    Width specifications are applied after sheeting at the appropriate thickness setting.

  • Sfoglia (plain egg pasta sheet)

    The rolled sheet itself before cutting — the canvas on which all ribbon and stuffed formats are made.

  • Lasagna sheet

    Typically cut from setting 4–6 dough; wider and longer than ribbon formats, par-boiled before layering.

Appears in

Lasagna al forno (Bologna, Emilia-Romagna)Tagliatelle al ragù alla bologneseTortellini in brodo (Emilia-Romagna)Ravioli di ricotta e spinaciAgnolotti dal plin (Piedmont)Pappardelle al cinghiale (Tuscany)Maltagliati con fagioli

References

  1. 1.Hazan, Marcella — Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Knopf, 1992)
  2. 2.Silverton, Nancy & Mozza team — The Mozza Cookbook (Knopf, 2011)
  3. 3.Pasta Grannies, Vicky Bennison — Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook (Hardie Grant, 2019)
  4. 4.Falcinelli, Chris; Taibe, Frank; Ladner, Mark — The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual (Artisan, 2010)
  5. 5.Imperia Pasta Machine User Manual (Model RM220), Imperia SRL, Italy

Confidence: high

Notes

Why numbers don't translate between machines

A Marcato Atlas 150 setting 6 and an Imperia setting 6 may produce sheets differing by 0.3–0.5 mm because the gear ratios and roller gap tolerances vary between manufacturers. When a recipe specifies a number, always verify the corresponding mm thickness for your specific machine. The Italian standard for tagliatelle — specified by the Bologna Chamber of Commerce at 8 mm wide and roughly 1.5 mm thick uncooked — is a useful cross-machine calibration benchmark.

Effect of hydration on achievable thinness

Dough hydrated with whole eggs (approx. 20% water by weight of flour) typically cannot reliably reach setting 9 without tearing on most home machines. Adding a small amount of oil (5g per 100g flour) or substituting one whole egg with two yolks increases extensibility and allows thinner sheeting. Conversely, spinach (verde) dough tends to be stickier and may need to be rolled one setting thicker to compensate.