3 Ways To Store Freshly Made Pasta And When To Use Each

Getting into fresh pasta making is a delicious experience, but it will turn one of the big advantages of boxed pasta — how easy it is to store — into a question mark. Your favorite boxed pasta is a classic pantry staple, able to sit for months and be cooked up in minutes when you need it. On the other hand, the effort it takes to prepare fresh pasta at home will be paid back with an amazing flavor and texture that make it worthwhile. But once you are done, you're going to have questions. It's made with fresh eggs after all, so how long can it last? Well the good news is that you have options, three of them, in fact, depending on how long you need to store it. You can dry fresh pasta yourself, store it in the freezer, or leave it in the fridge.

The quickest and easiest option is the fridge, but it should only be used for short-term storage. To do so, dust your fresh pasta with flour to prevent it from sticking together, then place the pasta in an airtight container. Longer pasta shapes like pappardelle should be twisted into loose nests, whole shaped pasta like farfalle should be stored in rows of single layers with parchment paper in between. Once in the fridge, your fresh pasta will stay good for a day, so this is best for times when you need to make fresh pasta ahead for a planned meal the next day.

The freezer is another easy option that gives you more time than the fridge, but it still won't last as long as dried. Let your pasta dry at room temperature for an hour, then wrap your nests or lines of pasta in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container to prevent moisture loss. Frozen pasta will stay good for up to a month before it should be used. Fresh pasta can also be cooked directly from frozen for added convenience by simply adding a few minutes to the normal cooking time. Freezing fresh pasta is great for leftover uncooked pasta that you don't know what to do with, or if you need to make parts of a meal more than a day ahead.

Finally, you can dry your pasta by laying it in single strands on a baking sheet or by hanging it over a pasta drying rack. Left at room temperature, it will take between 12 and 24 hours to fully dry, and you can tell when it's done because it will snap when you try to bend it. This is a longer process and requires counter space, but dried pasta will keep at room temperature in an airtight container, so you won't take up freezer space, and it will last for up to six months. This makes drying fresh pasta ideal for preparing it in bulk and having it on hand for unplanned meals.