Grains & Rice

Fresh Egg Pasta

Soft Italian pasta made from flour and eggs, rolled thin for tagliatelle, ravioli and lasagne.

Fresh egg pasta, or pasta all'uovo, is a classic Italian dough made by working eggs into soft wheat flour, traditionally tipo 00. It is rolled thin and cut into ribbons like tagliatelle and fettuccine, or filled to make ravioli and tortellini. Richer and more tender than dried semolina pasta, it cooks in just a couple of minutes.

Fresh egg pasta is a living dough—flour and eggs formed into a pliable mass, rested, then rolled thin and cut. The eggs, especially the yolks, bring fat and a golden hue that dried durum pasta simply cannot achieve, giving the dough a tender, silky texture that collapses gently against refined sauces. Its higher hydration and lower protein structure make it a fragile thing: fresh pasta cooks in 2–4 minutes and demands respect from pot to plate. Where dried pasta is firm and resilient, fresh egg pasta is delicate, with a gentle chew that is best suited to sauces that mirror its refinement. The craft lives in two great Italian traditions. Bolognese pasta-makers hand-roll to tissue‑thin transparency, producing ribbons that seem to float on sauce. Roman pasta-makers often incorporate semolina for a firmer bite and welcome the pasta machine. Both traditions agree that fresh egg pasta is not an everyday substitute for dried—it is a distinct ingredient suited to its own repertoire of preparations.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Allergens

GlutenEgg

Types & varieties

Tagliatelle

Flat ribbon 6–7mm wide, the signature pasta of Bologna; traditionally served with ragù alla Bolognese

Fettuccine

Flat ribbon 3–4mm wide; associated with Rome and Lazio; often served with butter and sage or Alfredo

Pappardelle

Wide ribbons 20–25mm wide; ideal for rich, hearty sauces like wild boar or game

Lasagne sheets

Broad, thin sheets layered with ragù, béchamel, and cheese; verde (green) incorporates spinach

Ravioli

Stuffed squares with various fillings; pinched or crimped edges; 1–2 inches square

Tortellini

Ring-shaped stuffed pasta from Bologna/Modena; traditionally filled with pork, prosciutto, and Parmigiano

Agnolotti del plin

Pinched agnolotti from Piedmont; small, crescent-shaped with multiple pinched edges

Maltagliati

Roughly cut irregular pieces; literally means "badly cut"; made from pasta scraps

Tonnarelli

Square-section spaghetti from Lazio; hand-rolled using a comb-like tool (pettine)

The Two Traditions: Bologna and Rome

Emilia-Romagna and Lazio represent the two great poles of fresh egg pasta. Bolognese tradition emphasizes hand-rolling to gossamer‑thin sheets, producing delicate ribbons that seem to dissolve against sauces. The dough is often made with 00 flour only, yielding a silky, refined texture. Roman tradition frequently incorporates semolina flour for certain varieties, giving a firmer, more substantial bite that holds up to robust treatments. Both traditions agree on the primacy of the pasta itself: quality ingredients, minimal interference, and sauces designed to complement rather than overwhelm.

Emilia-Romagna: 00 flour, hand-rolled, tissue‑thin, delicate ribbons for refined sauces
Lazio: semolina sometimes incorporated, firmer bite, pasta machines common, suited to bold preparations

The Role of Eggs

Eggs are not a shortcut—they are the soul of the dough. Whole eggs provide structure and hydration; yolks bring fat and color, producing that characteristic golden hue and a tender, almost melt‑in‑the‑mouth quality. A richer dough substituting extra yolks for whole eggs yields pasta that is almost custard‑like in its delicacy. This richness means fresh egg pasta demands sauces with some body—dairy, butter, or unctuous meats—not watery tomato preparations built for dried pasta.

Whole eggs: balanced structure, moderate richness
Extra yolks: deeper color, more tender, richer mouthfeel
More fat = more delicacy = refined sauces only

Common uses

Ragù and meat sauces (Bolognese, wild boar, duck)Butter and sage sauce (simple Roman treatment)Carbonara (egg, cheese, guanciale—no cream)Mushroom sauces (porcini, mixed wild)Light olive oil and garlic saucesSeafood preparations (shrimp, clams, crab)Layered dishes (lasagne, cannelloni)Stuffing applications (ravioli, tortellini)

Tips & pitfalls

Rest dough at least 30 minutes wrapped in plastic to hydrate gluten; prevents springy shrinkage during rolling
Skipping the rest period causes dough to spring back and tear when rolling
Overworking dough develops too much gluten, resulting in tough, rubbery pasta
Roll dough thin enough to read a newspaper through it for tagliatelle and lasagne
Not dusting cut pasta enough causes sticking; use semolina flour for better separation
Overcooking—taste at 2 minutes; it should be tender but with slight resistance (al dente for fresh)
Substitute 1–2 whole eggs with additional yolks for richer, more golden, more tender pasta
For stuffed pasta, roll extremely thin—machine setting 5–6 on most pasta machines
Add flour sparingly while kneading—the dough should be slightly tacky, never dry
For machine-rolled pasta, progress gradually through all thickness settings; never skip settings
Cut tagliatelle immediately after final rolling pass while dough is still pliable; dust generously with flour
Boil in well-salted water (roughly 1 tablespoon per liter) and serve immediately
To freeze, flash-freeze cut pasta on a floured sheet pan, then transfer to bags to prevent clumping
Adding olive oil to the dough is optional; it can make the finished pasta slightly less tender

Nutrition

130kcal

Energy

544 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 16%Carbs 72%Fat 12%

Protein

5.3g

11% DV

Carbs

23.5g

9% DV

Fat

1.7g

2% DV

Sodium

83mg

4% DV

Notable micronutrients

Thiamin (B1)14% DV

Riboflavin (B2)13% DV

Folate11% DV

Niacin (B3)8% DV

Iron6% DV

Vitamin B124% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Pasta, homemade, made with egg, cooked

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In the shops

Matched grocery products

Eggs
24 dz · Mercadona
€5.60
Cooked Eggs
6 dc · Mercadona
€2.20
Large Eggs
6 dc · Mercadona
€1.80
Large Eggs
12 dc · Mercadona
€3.20
Medium M Eggs
12 dc · Mercadona
€3.00
Free-Range Eggs
6 dc · Mercadona
€2.10

Good to know

Main ingredients: Wheat flour (typically 00 or all-purpose) and whole eggs or egg yolks
Classic ratio: 100g flour + 1 whole egg per serving; richer pasta uses 50g flour + 1 yolk per person
Origin: Northern Italy, especially Emilia-Romagna (Bologna, Modena) and Lazio (Rome)
Texture: Tender, silky, slightly chewy when cooked; much softer than dried durum pasta
Cooking time: 2–4 minutes fresh versus 10–12 minutes for dried pasta
Shelf life: 1–2 days refrigerated (dusted with flour in plastic bag); up to 3 months frozen
Fat content: Significantly higher than dried pasta due to egg yolks; contributes to tenderness
Hydration: Eggs provide moisture; dough is wetter than typical bread doughs

Substitutes

Fresh pasta from specialty shops or grocery refrigerated section — Commercially made but acceptable substitute; check ingredients for artificial additives
Fresh Asian egg noodles — Different flour (often wheat or rice-wheat blend) and thinner profile; use within 1–2 days
Dried egg pasta (egg-enriched dried pasta) — Slightly firmer texture; cook 5–7 minutes; acceptable substitute for sauces
Homemade no-egg pasta dough — Flour and water only; significantly different flavor and texture—more neutral, slightly more chewy
Wonton wrappers — Thinner and smaller; acceptable for ravioli-style stuffed preparations in a pinch