How to Dry Pasta Noodles

Knowing how to dry homemade pasta noodles for later use is as important as knowing how to make them. For those that do not have dedicated pasta drying racks, there are a number of ways you can easily create racks out of household items for noodles of any size. Depending on the type of homemade pasta, it will take between 8 and 24 hours to fully air-dry pasta for storage.

Things You'll Need

• 2 high-back kitchen chairs
• 2 pieces of heavy string, 3 feet long
• Thin plastic coat hangers
• Clothespins
• Wire baking racks (optional)
• Cookie sheets (optional)
• Newspaper
• Waxed or parchment paper

Instructions

To Dry Long Noodles

1. Place two high-back chairs approximately 2 1/2 feet apart with the backs facing each other.

2. Tie the two lengths of string, several inches apart, between the top rails of the two chairs.

3. Wash and dry several thin plastic coat hangers.

4. Hang long pasta over the bottom rung of the coat hangers allowing approximately 1/16 to 1/8 inches between each strand.

5. Hang coat hangers several inches apart on the string between the two chairs. Use clothespins to secure the hangers in place. Allow the pasta to air dry until brittle.

To Dry Short Noodles

1. Spread wire baking racks over newspaper on your kitchen tabletop or counter top. If you don't have baking racks, line cookie sheets with waxed or parchment paper. Dust the wax paper with a light coating of flour to further prevent sticking.

2. Cut short noodles to length.

3. Place noodles close together, but not touching, in single layers on the baking racks or cookie sheets.

4. Turn the noodles over every two hours on the racks to expose the underside to the air until dry. If using cookie sheets, do this every hour until dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Store dried noodles in air-tight containers until needed.

• Homemade pasta can be cooked right after it is made with no drying needed. Pasta will be al-dente after 2 to 4 minutes of cooking time.

References

• "The Pasta Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, with over 1,000 Illustrations"; Christian Teubner, Silvio Rizzi, and Tan Lee Leng; 2009
• Positron: Pasta - The best gift in the World
• "The Pasta Machine Cookbook"; Donna Rathmell German; 2005