I admit I am not a professional chef, but I make good, simple homemade dishes that anyone can prepare. When I make homemade noodles, I always stick to the 1:1 principle, meaning I use 400 grams of flour for every 4 eggs (this is enough for about 5 people, depending on portion size). I usually adjust the recipes a bit based on the quantities and ingredients I like. I make the pasta from spelt flour because I prefer it, but regular flour works too.

On a clean surface, I pour out the flour and in a separate bowl, I crack the eggs and whisk them together. I then make a hole in the flour and pour the eggs into it. Gradually, using a fork, I incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. With larger quantities of flour and eggs, it’s better to create a larger hole. It’s normal for the egg to spill over in the first few attempts, but there’s no need to worry—just mix it in as quickly as possible. I add a tablespoon of olive oil to the eggs and season the flour well with salt (about a teaspoon, depending on your taste).

I knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, and when I press it with my finger, the indentation should spring back nicely. The dough is then wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.

Next, I generously flour the work surface to prevent the dough from sticking. There are two ways to shape the pasta. The first method is without a pasta machine. I roll out the dough as thin as possible, dust it with flour again, and fold it in half from each side, then fold it one more time. Using a knife, I cut it into strips of my desired thickness.

The second method involves a pasta machine. I cut the dough into smaller pieces and set the machine to the widest setting. Each piece of dough is passed through at the widest thickness. I usually reduce the thickness by two settings for each new pass. Once I achieve the thinnest setting, I let the pasta dry for half an hour, which makes it easier to shape later. If you're short on time, this step can be skipped.

As I roll out the dough, it elongates, so I typically cut longer strips into two or three parts to avoid ending up with excessively long noodles. Once the dough is thin, I choose the desired width of the noodles and adjust the machine accordingly, rolling the pasta to the selected size. I then twist the noodles and shape them into nests for easier cooking. If you won’t be using the noodles immediately, you can dry them for about a day or until completely dry. They can be stored in paper bags and used whenever you like.

Preparing the Sauce

For the sauce, I use bacon, but you can also use ham or other meats you have on hand. First, I sauté the bacon until crispy. Then, I add two cloves of garlic. In a bowl, I mix three egg yolks and one whole egg (four eggs are enough for five servings). I add 100 grams of grated Parmesan and 100 milliliters of pasta water to the eggs and mix it with a fork.

Once the bacon is off the heat, I add the cooked noodles (which take about 5 minutes to cook). I mix everything together, and after two minutes, I add the sauce (the egg and Parmesan mixture). The sauce should coat all the noodles.

The pasta is served in a deep plate, and I like to sprinkle some grated Parmesan on top. Enjoy your homemade spelt noodles with carbonara sauce!