Dry Vs. Fresh Pasta

Although you may think that making pasta by hand might be a skill best left to Italian mamas, learning how to make this classic staple in Mediterranean cooking can make or break a stellar dish.

According to The Balanced Plate, the difference between dry and fresh pasta is simple. Dry pasta is made from flour, water and salt. Fresh pasta is made from eggs along with the previous ingredients. In southern Italy, where the climate can become warm, raw eggs aren’t exactly the best ingredient to keep around. Many northern Italian dishes, however, traditionally use fresh pasta because of the colder climate.

Some chefs in international cooking schools claim that fresh egg pasta is superior to dried pasta, but in Italy it still largely depends on the region you are cooking from. Whether you like ziti or traditional spaghetti, you can make many different types of pasta with each set of ingredients.

A good rule of thumb? Do what the Italians do! Although mixing it up every once in a while during your culinary academy training is OK, tradition is important in Italian culture, especially when it comes to food. The preference for fresh or dry pastas is largely subjective.