You know homemade pasta tastes better than boxed pasta, but on a busy weeknight, fresh pasta can seem downright ambitious. Fortunately, fresh pasta can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or even frozen.
Store pasta in the refrigerator
Fresh, uncooked pasta dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 18 hours. The dough begins to absorb moisture and oxidize, turning greenish-grey. The pasta is still safe to eat, but it’s not the most appetizing color. It’s best to use fresh pasta dough as early as possible and freeze the cut pasta for later use. You can use red pasta sauce to mask the oxidation.
Store pasta in the refrigerator
Frozen pasta dough: Wrap pasta dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day, then unfold as usual.
Frozen cut pasta: After making, rolling and cutting the pasta. Let the pasta dry on the counter for about 20 minutes, or until no longer sticky. Sprinkle pasta with flour to help reduce sticking. Then, gently turn the cut pasta into nests, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. This freezing method works for both regular and gluten-free pasta, although gluten-free pasta may show more breakage.
Cooking frozen pasta
While it’s cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and gently place the pasta into the nest. Gently stir the water to loosen the nest so it cooks evenly and the pasta will be cooked in 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.
