I really want to share this recipe for homemade squid ink pasta with you all for a few reasons. It’s been a long time since I put an actual recipe on this site–and what can I say? Life has been busy and blogging has been put on the back-burner for way too long.
I’m resolving to change that. [this time I mean it… 😂]
Making homemade pasta is ridiculously easy (and tastes so much better, in my opinion). Also, look at that color of this squid ink pasta…it’s so dramatic! And since I’m currently on a reality television show (MasterChef Season 10 on FOX--tune in Wednesdays and Thursdays 8/7c!), dramatic just seems so fitting 😉
I know that making pasta from scratch may seem a bit intimidating–I mean, you COULD just grab a box from the grocery store and be done. Right?
Maybe I’m romanticizing it a bit, but I think when people actually make and interact with their food–use their hands, feel it, connect with it–they better appreciate the food and are more satisfied with less.
And in a world where mindless eating has become the norm, I think feeling this connection to what we are eating is so important.
Making Homemade Squid Ink Pasta
To make basic pasta, no special tools are necessary. If you happen to have a manual or mechanical pasta roller/cutter–great! It becomes a bit easier. But if you don’t, no worries!
There are hundreds of pasta recipes out there. Comparing notes with my fellow MasterChef contestants–I don’t think a single person used the same exact recipe/ratio!
The recipe that I use has never failed me yet, and to turn my basic recipe into the dramatic squid ink pasta–I simply added the ink to the eggs.
I used some squid ink that my friends had brought me from Japan–I’d estimate it to be about a tablespoon. I haven’t found a local source (Rochester, Minnesota) for squid ink but have seen it sold on Amazon.
What does Squid Ink taste like?
If you’ve never been exposed to squid ink, you’re probably wondering why in the world I would add it to my pasta and what it tastes like.
Truly, it tastes pretty neutral. It imparts a slight briny flavor–maybe a bit reminiscent of the sea, but I promise you it’s not “fishy” or strong flavored at all. I’d say it adds a little pop of “umami”–that sometimes unidentifiable taste that turns an ordinary dish into an extraordinary dish.
I will warn you though–when you open the package of squid ink–the smell might be a bit strong/offputting. Trust me on this. Just plug your nose and toss it in. The smell goes away–I promise!
I use it mostly because I really love the color and the slight flavor that it adds to the pasta. It complements seafood really well. Squid ink is an unique ingredient that also makes sense.
I also like to expose my kids to “weird” or uncommon ingredients. Raising adventurous little eaters is important to me (and I know they’ll thank me someday!).
[shrimp recipe coming soon 😉 –trust me, you won’t want to miss this one!]
I didn’t take a whole lot of pictures of the shrimp when I made this dish. Truthfully, these shrimp were so good I WANT to eat them again, so you’ll have to wait just a bit longer for that recipe 😉
If squid ink just isn’t your thing, but you really want to make pasta–simply leave it out. This recipe works perfectly without the addition of squid ink.
In fact, you could make the pasta and use it to make this Pesto Pasta recipe I make often for my kids. It’s a riff on Noodles and Co.’s Pesto Cavatappi–and it is delicious!
Squid Ink Pasta [pasta al nero de seppia]
Easy homemade pasta recipe, enhanced with squid ink to add a little drama 😉 This recipe will yield about 1 lb of fresh pasta–more than enough to feed my family of 4! I put the leftover uncooked pasta into freezer-safe bags and toss in the freezer–a true life-saver some days!
- 2 c flour
- 3 eggs (large size)
- 1 tbsp squid ink
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt ((I use Diamond Crystal Kosher))
Clean a work-space large enough to make and knead the pasta. I like to use my large Boos Block cutting board, but if you don't have a wooden surface large enough-that's fine. Even a clean counter-top or large baking sheet will work.
Pour the flour onto your work-space and using your hands create a well in the center (the flour should form a complete barrier with an empty "pit" inside)
Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the squid ink. Whisk together until well mixed.
Add the egg mixture to the center of your flour well. Add salt and olive oil.
Using a fork, gradually mix the flour into the egg–keeping the barrier intact (you don't want eggs flowing everywhere 😬 –see the video in my blogpost for clarification).
Once enough flour is incorporated, you'll notice that a dough begins to form. Set the fork aside–it's time to use your hands! Using your hands, continue gradually adding flour until the dough feels fairly stiff. It shouldn't be wet or sticky–else your pasta will stick together when you try to cut it.
Knead the pasta dough for at least 5 minutes–or as long as you'd like. I personally don't think overkneading pasta dough is a problem, underkneading definitely is, though! It'll feel a bit stiff, but you'll notice the dough begins to feel a bit more malleable. It shouldn't have cracks, but again-it shouldn't be wet or sticky.
When you're finished kneading the dough, form it into a ball and wrap it in plastic cling (I use Press & Seal) and toss it in the fridge for as long as you can–I like to aim for 30 minutes. I have made it without resting and it turned out ok. Resting the dough, though, will yield a better quality pasta.
When you're ready to roll–lightly flour your workspace and cut the pasta ball into 4 equal pieces. Using one piece, roll the pasta until it is thin enough to fit into the widest setting on your pasta machine**. Following the directions for your machine, run the pasta though the machine until about setting #5–the pasta should be fairly transparent when you hold it up.
Very lightly flour the pasta sheet and run it though the cutting setting–I used the spaghetti setting for mine.
Once the pasta is cut, add a small bit of flour and either hang it to dry or twirl it into little "nests" and set aside until ready to use.
**If you do not have a pasta machine–that is perfectly fine! Simply roll the pasta dough into a large, thin sheet. It should be fairly transparent. You'll have to add some flour, but try to add the least amount possible.
Next, you will need to lightly flour the sheet of pasta and fold it–similar to an accordion or a paper fan. You don't want the dough to stick, so add more flour (sparingly!), if you notice that happening.
After your pasta is folded, cut it into thin strips. Pick up the strips–add a bit of flour and either hang it to dry or twirl it into little "nests" until ready to use.
To cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil (I'm going to admit that I do not measure. I just fill up a big pot–larger than the amount of pasta I plan to cook). Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the pasta from the cooking pot and it's ready to eat!
**usually I go straight from cooking pot into the pan with the sauce I plan to coat the pasta with, this keeps the pasta from drying out in a strainer or sticking together**
