The last few weeks, I have tried my hand at making pasta from scratch. Making pasta from scratch has many benefits, one including the ability to make Lasagna from scratch.
Have you tried making pasta? Comment with your favorite recipe, or recipes to make with pasta. Let me tell you, making pasta from scratch is a GAME CHANGER to so many meals! Additionally, I do not know if I can ever buy pre-made pasta, for anything, ever again!

Disclosure
Published December 31, 2020
Updated February 28, 2022
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Did I get a new gadget?

Tyler even let me buy a pasta machine, so I do not ruin my wrists with any more hand rolling. What a guy!! When I was sixteen, I was in an accident with my bestie, Heather. She and I both suffered injuries, and still have a few physical ailments because of the accident, thus leading me to have my tendinitis kick in trying to roll out pasta. Not fun. I have a KitchenAid mixer, but I cannot fathom spending $120 for one to fit in my machine. So, for a reasonable price I found a countertop one for only $49. I will be able to make lasagna, spaghetti, linguini, angel hair and more. Stay tuned for more posts about making various pastas!
The first time using a no-boil pasta for Lasagna was not an enjoyable experience. The pasta was undercooked and had a bad texture. Coincidentally, ALDI has no-boil pasta seasonally, which I still boil for 6 minutes before assembling and baking.

The box says it does not need to be boiled ahead of time, but I seriously have never found it to be up to scratch with a traditional pasta. Homemade is so much yummier! Yes, it takes some time, and muscles… but all of my guys loved it at dinner tonight.
I cannot wait to receive my new gadget!

Cost breakdown for this recipe

1 Large Container of Cottage Cheese or Ricotta $2.00
1 Egg $0.27
Shredded Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Asiago $3.00
1 tsp Oregano $0.05
2-3 Cloves Garlic $0.10
2 Pounds Ground Beef $7.58
1 Yellow Onion $0.25
1 Jar Traditional Spaghetti Sauce $1.65
2 Eggs $0.54
1 1/2 Cups Flour $0.22
1/2 tsp Salt $0.01
2 Tbsp Oil $0.06

The total cost for this Homemade Lasagna and Pasta recipe is $15.73.

Homemade Pasta Recipe

Ingredients for Pasta

2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Oil
*Bob’s Red Mill Semolina Flour recommends using a 50% Semolina Flour/50% Unbleached White Flour for making pasta*

Homemade Pasta Directions

1. Combine 3/4 Cup Semolina Flour and 3/4 Cup Unbleached White Flour in the KitchenAid mixer bowl.

2. Add 1/2 tsp Salt, stir with a whisk to combine.

3. Add 2 Eggs, or 3 Egg Whites, beaten gently with a fork.

4. Insert the dough hook, lock the KitchenAid mixer, and turn it on slow, mixing until a stiff dough forms.

5. Place the dough ball in a medium bowl with Non-Stick Spray, then cover with plastic wrap, and rest for 20 minutes. Likewise, you can place the dough ball in a plastic bag to rest for 20 minutes. Doing so helps the dough stay moist.

Make the Pasta Sheets

6. After 20 minutes, lightly flour a clean surface, and then roll out dough to desired thickness using a rolling pin. If you are blessed to have a pasta machine, use that! I cannot wait to post a recipe using mine.

Rolling out pasta, for me, was very similar to rolling out pie crust or cookie dough. This consistency was a bit more elastic, as they retook their shape and I had to reroll them at least twice, so they could be long and wide enough for the Lasagna pan.

When the lasagna was finished, rerolling did not, in my opinion, cause the pasta to taste too tough or skinny. I rolled my pasta to around 1/4 inch thick or less; almost to the point of the pasta being see almost translucent.

Directions for Lasagna

Lasagna Ingredients

1 Large Container of Cottage Cheese or Ricotta
1 Egg
Shredded Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Asiago blend
1 tsp Oregano
Salt & Pepper
2-3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Pounds Ground Beef
1 Yellow Onion, Diced
1 Jar Traditional Spaghetti Sauce

I typically do not cook with Ricotta, as I really do not enjoy the texture and lack of taste. In comparison, I use Cottage Cheese for Lasagna, and I find this easier to spread over the pasta. If you use Ricotta, please comment on how I can make it more amazing while in recipes!

1. In a bowl, with a spatula, mix Cottage Cheese or Ricotta, 1 Egg, 1 Cup Cheese blend, Salt, Pepper, and 1 tsp Oregano.

2. Cook 2 pounds of Ground Beef and then drain any excess fat.
3. On a cutting board, dice a yellow or Sweet Onion and cook with the Ground Beef until tender.

4. When fully cooked, add Spaghetti Sauce to the Beef and simmer.

5. Spray a 9 X 13-inch Lasagna pan with Non-Stick Spray.
Typically, a tall and square edged pan works best.
6. With a large spoon, spread Meat and Sauce in the bottom of the pan.
For example, the sauce does not have to be neat, just enough for the Pasta to not stick to the pan bottom.

13. Place a single layer of uncooked, homemade Pasta in the pan. The fresh Pasta does not need to be boiled before baking in a Lasagna.

14. Scoop 3-4 spoons of Meat Sauce and then spread it over the Pasta.

15. Next, layer more Homemade Pasta on top of the Meat Sauce.

16. Scoop half of the Cottage Cheese or Ricotta blend over the Pasta and then gently spread it out.

17. Layer more Homemade Pasta on the top of the Cottage Cheese Blend.

18. Repeat each layer! Meat Sauce, Pasta, the rest of the Cottage Cheese Blend, Pasta, Meat Sauce to finish the Lasagna.

19. Top the Lasagna with the rest of the shredded Mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan Cheese.

20. Finally, bake the lasagna at 425 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Delicious Cooked Zucchini

With dinner, I diced up another onion and sliced two fresh zucchinis. First, wash the zucchinis and then cut the ends off using a cutting board. Second, cut the ends off the onion and then dice the onion. Third, in a large pan, I cooked the zucchinis and onion on the stove until they were both tender. For a little flavor, season with salt and pepper.

Let the Lasagna Rest

When the timer is up for the Lasagna, carefully take it out, and let it rest 10-15 minutes. Doing so allows the juices to settle and the Lasagna to not be runny.

After an agonizing wait, slice with a sharp knife, serve, and enjoy! Tyler and I are no wine connoisseurs, but we love ALDIs Winking Owl Cabernet Sauvignon with Lasagna. And at $2.98 a bottle, it fits right in our budget!

Pro-Tip: Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet, then lay your Lasagna on the baking sheet to cook.
When your Lasagna is cooking and gets bubbly, the juices will fall onto the foil and not your oven bottom, allowing for an easy cleanup!

For our family of 6, we had enough leftovers for Tyler to take some for work, and the boys and I to have it for lunch the next day. All in all, I really enjoyed making my own Pasta! It was fun, and I plan to make so many more meals with homemade Pasta using my new tool in a few days!

Enjoy!
~Monica

Homemade Pasta Recipe

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