Pasta making essentials: machines, tools and worktop tips

Posted on 23rd October 2023

Ravioli, gnocchi, fettuccine, casarecce – you name it, I love it! If you, like me, are a pasta lover, then the thought of making it at home must have wandered through your mind…

The 25th of October celebrates World Pasta Day. So what better time to explore pasta making at home than now?

As an avid pasta enthusiast, I have been to a few pasta making workshops. Most recently, I was invited by premium surface brand Caesarstone to the Tom Howley showroom on Wigmore Street to learn how to make cavatelli pasta by the renowned pasta chef and founder of Darling’s, Egle Loit. And let me tell you, once you put some effort into it, pasta tastes even better!

Egle Loit kneading dough. Photography: James Mason.

By simply rolling dough on a reeded wooden board you can create cavatelli pasta. Photography: James Mason.

What do you need to make pasta at home?

Usually, you’ll only need some flour and water, sometimes an egg, and a couple of tools. Depending on the type of pasta you’re making, you may need a machine – think spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine and tagliatelle.

Another crucial element you’ll need is a hard-working surface that’s heat, stain and scratch resistant. “The worktop is the heart of everything I do,” explains Egle. “I need resistance and comfort. It needs to be easy to clean and durable. I always choose my equipment with the intention to not buy again any time soon.”

And unbelievably there was no flour or water in sight once we finished kneading our dough. Thee was nothing stuck to the worktop, which meant zero waste or mess to clean up. Now that’s what I call a total bonus!

“Pasta making can easily be taken anywhere and everywhere with you. All you need is semolina, a bit of water, skill and a good worktop. That is why Caesarstone’s surfaces worked so well for this,” continues Egle. “When kneading the dough, it wouldn’t withdraw any moisture from it, so it was the ideal surface for this activity. Kitchens are a busy place and the worksurface, more than any other part, really takes the brunt of this.”