How to Use Your Pasta Tools

If you've only tried making gnocchi or cavatelli on your gnocchi board, you've only scratched the surface of what this little ridged board can do. The same board, the same basic dough, and a few small changes in technique open up a whole range of shapes — from beginner-friendly to a bit more advanced. Here are five more to add to your rotation. Ingredients Semolina pasta dough Tools Gnocchi board Dough scraper Wooden dowel or brass ferretti (for caserecce and garganelli) Capu

If you've spent any time in the Homemade Pasta Studio shop, you've probably noticed a pattern: almost everything we sell is made from brass, wood, or both. That's not an aesthetic choice — it's a functional one. Once you understand why these two materials dominate traditional pasta tools, it's hard to go back to anything else. Here's what makes them worth the investment, and how to keep your tools working beautifully for years. What you'll learn Why brass outperforms other me

If you've got a pasta machine tucked away in a cupboard somewhere, you're not alone — it's one of the most commonly owned, least commonly used kitchen tools out there. If that's you, today's the day to bring it back out. A pasta machine is the one genuinely essential tool for anything beyond hand-shaped pasta: once you want delicate strands like tagliatelle, or filled shapes like ravioli, you need dough sheeted thin and evenly, and that's exactly what this tool is built for.

If you've ever compared a pasta edge cut with a kitchen knife to one cut with a proper brass pasta cutter, you'll know immediately why these tools are worth having. Cheaper cutters tend to leave a blurred, uneven edge — brass, paired with a wooden handle, gives a clean, precise line every time, and a fluted wheel adds a decorative ridge that's genuinely difficult to replicate by hand. This one tool covers more ground than almost anything else in your kit, from simple ribbons

Extruded pasta — think spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni made the industrial way — works on a different principle than hand-shaped or filled pasta, and it starts with a very different dough. Here's the short version of what makes it distinct. Ingredients Semolina flour Water (around 40% of your flour weight — see below) The key difference: low hydration Most pasta dough is worked at 50% hydration or higher, giving you a smooth, elastic dough you can knead and roll by hand. Extrus

Making homemade ravioli is one of the most satisfying parts of pasta making — and using a brass ravioli stamp takes the experience to a whole new level. These beautiful, traditional tools help you cut and seal filled pasta shapes in one go. What Is a brass ravioli stamp, you ask? These traditional Italian pasta tools are made from solid brass with a wood handle. They're designed to cut and seal filled pasta like ravioli in one simple motion. The brass edge gives a clean cut a

There’s something special about making pasta with a chitarra — a traditional wooden tool strung like a guitar (hence the name) that’s been used in Abruzzo for generations. It turns sheets of dough into square-edged spaghetti that offers a delicious bite. If you’ve never used one before, don’t worry — it’s simple to use and also happens to be quite a lot of fun! Ingredients Egg pasta dough (semolina pasta dough will also work) Extra semolina flour for dusting Tools Pasta machi

Cavatelli — small shapes, soft curves, and that perfect semolina chew. This is one of those pastas that feels grounding to make by hand. No tools, just your fingers and a little time. Simple, slow, and so satisfying. Traditionally from Southern Italy, especially Molise and Puglia, cavatelli have been made for generations with just semolina and water. Their name comes from “cavare” — meaning “to hollow out” — which is exactly what you do with each little piece. They’re perfect