I find it meditative to make fresh pasta at home. The process of kneading, rolling and shaping helps me to slow down and to focus. In this post, I will show you how to make bow tie pasta step by step, from preparing the dough to shaping each piece. I’m serving my homemade farfalle with a creamy Alfredo sauce. Let’s get started.
What is Farfalle?
Farfalle means “butterflies” in Italian, and the name fits perfectly. This pasta shape has a pinched center and wavy edges that looks like little wings. Some people also call it bow or bow tie pasta because it looks like a tiny bow.
I love making farfalle because it looks beautiful on the plate. It’s a treat for the eye, and that always makes me happy. Another reason I like it is the texture. The folds help the sauce to stick to the pasta, something smoother shapes like penne or spaghetti don’t always do as well.
Tools
You don’t need any special equipment for this recipe. A rolling pin, a wavy dough cutter, a knife and your hands are enough. If you don’t have a wavy cutter, you can use a vegetble knife with a pointed blade and create a simple zigzag edge yourself.
How to Shape Farfalle
There is a bit of technique involved in shaping farfalle. When I first started, I pressed the center way too hard with my index fingers, which gave me long, flat pieces instead of a nice bow shape.
After some practice, I found that letting the dough rest lightly over your fingertips and applying pressure from underneath works much better. If you are doing it this way you will notice that you still have that classic bow shape.
I recommend watching the video at 2:30 for a close up of this step:
Alfredo Sauce
There are many ways to serve farfalle, but for this recipe I’m making a simple Alfredo sauce. I used cooking cream and Parmesan cheese. I love how the creamy texture pairs with mushrooms, spinach and caramelized red onions.
Store-Bought Farfalle
Not in the mood to make pasta from scratch?
You can absolutely use store-bought farfalle. I recommend brands like Rummo or De Cecco. The Alfredo sauce in this recipe is really good, so pairing it with a high quality dried pasta still gives you a delicious end result.
If you decide to do this, simply skip the pasta dough section below and jump straight to the sauce. Just keep in mind that dried pasta takes longer to cook than fresh pasta, so please make sure to follow the cooking time on the package.
Want More Pasta?
If you enjoy making pasta, you might also like my homemade ravioli or tortellini recipes.
I hope you enjoy the process just as much as the final dish. Happy cooking!
Homemade Farfalle from Scratch
Adjust servings here:
Equipment
- Rolling Pin or wine bottle
- pasta cutter (zigzag)
Ingredients
PASTA DOUGH
- 200 grams flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
SAUCE / OTHER INGREDIENTS
- a bit olive oil
- 225 grams mushrooms
- 100 grams spinach
- 1 red onion
- 60 ml cooking cream or single cream
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- a bit pepper
- a bit salt
Instructions
PASTA DOUGH
- Sieve the flour and place it in a bowl or on a clean countertop. Make a small well in the center of the flour.
- Crack the eggs into the well, add olive oil and salt and use a fork to beat the eggs, add the flour gradually.
- Knead the dough by hand for 10-15 minutes until all ingredients are well mixed. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll the dough flat with a rolling pin or wine bottle to create a thin sheet. Cut long strips approximately 5 cm (2 inches) wide. Then cut the strips into small rectangles, about 6 cm (2.5 inches) wide. Use a pasta zigzag-cutter or make small waves with a knife.
- Press the dough into bow-tie shapes using your fingers. Lift the edge of both long sides using your index fingers. Make a fold in the center and press the edges together. Watch the recipe video at 2:29 for the exact technique. Place the bow ties on a wooden chopping board or a non-stick surface
- Add bow ties to a wooden chop board or a non sticky surface.
SAUCE / other ingredients
- Slice the red onion into half-moons. Heat a frying pan on high heat, add olive oil and fry the onions until they are dark brown. Reduce the heat to low and let the onions cook for 20 minutes.
- Heat a pot of water to boil. Slice the garlic and add it to the frying pan.
- Slice the mushrooms and add them to the frying pan, increase the heat to medium. Add pepper and olive oil if needed.
- Add the spinach to the frying pan and cook until it is soft.
- Add salt to the pot of boiling water. Cook the bow-tie pasta for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add cooking cream and Parmesan cheese to the frying pan, stir to combine. Save a cup of pasta water.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bow-tie pasta to the frying pan and gently toss everything together. Add a bit of pasta water until the mixture is creamy.
- Add a little bit of pasta water until the mixture is creamy.
- Serve the pasta on a plate with Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
Great, thanks!