Folding and Rolling the Dough with a Pasta Machine

When using a pasta machine, you have to first fold the dough. Folding the dough gives it greater elasticity and provides the pasta with a best final texture. So, regardless of the pasta shape you are making, remember to always fold the dough before rolling it with a pasta machine!

The Folding Process

Set up your pasta machine and sprinkle your work surface with soft-wheat flour. After the resting time, cut a piece of dough and wrap up the rest so that it doesn't dry out. 

Flatten the dough into an oval-rectangle shape with your fingertips.

Set the knob on your pasta machine to the widest setting so that the two smooth rollers are fully open. In our Marcato pasta machine, this is at setting 0.

Feed the flattened dough through the rollers by turning the hand crank on the machine.

Here starts the folding process. There are 2 types of folds and they both work well. Try them out and choose your favorite.

1️⃣ Half-fold Method

Fold the rolled dough in half and press lightly to seal it.

2️⃣ Third-fold Method

Fold the rolled dough in thirds (like a letter) and press lightly to seal it.

After folding the dough (half-fold method or third-fold method), feed it through the pasta machine at the widest setting by introducing the short end first. Like this ...

You have just completed 1 full fold! Bravo!!

Now repeat the folding process other 2 times (you need to make 3 full folds before starting to roll out the dough). So fold the dough (half-fold method or third-fold method), feed it through the pasta machine at the widest setting, short end first. Fold, pasta machine, short end first.

Your dough is now ready to turn into a thin sheet of pasta! Turn the adjustment knob of your pasta machine to the next setting and feed the sheet of dough just once (no more folding necessary).

As you gradually turn the knob to the next setting, you narrow the space between the rollers making the pasta sheet thinner and longer.

Lightly dust both sides of the sheet with a bit of flour before rolling it so it doesn't stick to the rollers. Each pasta shape has a 'recommended' thickness. However, feel free to stop at your desired thickness.

Straight From Our YouTube Channel

Look at how Mamma Giuliana uses and feeds the dough through the pasta machine.

Complete and Continue