Homemade Pasta, Alfredo Sauce & Pecan-Crusted Chicken

You Might Be Surprised How Easy Homemade Pasta Really Is

I’ll be honest with you — I had never made homemade pasta before this. I think most of us are the same way. We just grab a box off the shelf at the grocery store, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s convenient and easy. But if you’ve ever had fresh, homemade pasta — maybe at a restaurant or at someone’s home — you know there’s a difference. You can just tell.

A few years back, we took a trip up to the northeast, and one of our stops was in New York City. While we were there, we ate at a restaurant in Little Italy, and that pasta was something else. It was so fresh, so delicious, and I never forgot it. So when I came across a video from Simply Mama Cooks where she was making pasta from scratch with just flour and eggs, I thought — I have to try that.

It Didn’t Go Perfect the First Time (And That’s Okay)

Now, I want to be real with you about something. The first time I made this pasta, it didn’t turn out the way I wanted. I didn’t roll it thin enough, and when it cooked, it puffed up and ended up looking more like dumplings than fettuccine. The flavor was good, but the texture just wasn’t right.

So we did it again. Take two. And the second time was so much better. I divided the dough into single servings before rolling it out, which made it much easier to handle. And I rolled it thin enough that I could almost see my countertop through it. That made all the difference.

I wanted to show you both attempts in the video because that’s real life in the kitchen. Sometimes things don’t go perfectly the first time, and that’s okay. You learn, you adjust, and you try again. And that second batch? I would serve that to anyone sitting at my table.

A Complete Dinner for Two

To go along with the pasta, we made a simple Alfredo sauce — just butter, heavy cream, garlic, and parmesan cheese. It comes together in minutes and it tastes incredible. And then we made pecan-crusted chicken with a coating of pecan meal and breadcrumbs that gives it the most wonderful nutty crunch. The three dishes together make a really special meal that’s perfect for two.

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🍝 Homemade Pasta for Two

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Rest Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 3–5 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 2 large eggs

For one serving: use ½ cup flour and 1 egg.

Instructions

1. Make your flour well. Dump 1 cup of flour directly onto a clean countertop. Use your hands to push it into a mound and make a well in the center — like a little bowl made of flour. You want flour on every side so the eggs don’t run out.
2. Add the eggs. Crack 2 eggs right into the center of that well. If a little starts to leak out, just push a bit more flour up against it to keep it contained.
3. Beat and incorporate. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs in the center. Then slowly start working flour in from the edges, just a little at a time. Don’t rush this part — you want to gradually bring the flour into the egg so it comes together smoothly.
4. Knead the dough. Once it starts holding together, switch to using your hands. Bring all the flour in and knead it into a ball. It doesn’t have to be perfect — just work it until it comes together.
5. Rest the dough. Cover the dough with an overturned bowl and let it rest for about 15 minutes. This lets the gluten relax and makes it much easier to roll out.
6. Divide into portions. This is a tip I learned the hard way. Before rolling, divide your dough into two equal portions — one serving each. It’s much easier to roll a single serving thin enough than trying to handle the whole batch at once.
7. Roll it out thin. Sprinkle your counter generously with flour. Roll one portion out as thin as you can get it. You want it thin enough that you can almost see the countertop through the pasta — nearly translucent. If you can see the design or color of your counter coming through, you’re getting close. Sprinkle more flour on top as you go so it doesn’t stick.
8. Cut your noodles. Sprinkle a final layer of flour over the sheet of pasta, then gently roll it up. Using a sharp knife, cut across the roll in slices about the width of fettuccine noodles. Unroll each noodle and set aside. Repeat with the second portion.
9. Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add about a teaspoon of salt. Add your pasta and give it a quick stir. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than boxed — it only needs about 3 to 5 minutes depending on thickness. Taste it to check. When it’s tender but not mushy, it’s ready.
10. Drain and serve. Scoop the pasta out and let it drain well, then add it directly to your sauce.

Tips from a First-Time Pasta Maker

• Thinner is better. The pasta will puff up a bit when it cooks. If you think it’s thin enough, give it one or two more rolls. You really can’t go too thin for fettuccine.
• Divide before rolling. Working with a single serving at a time makes it so much easier to get it thin enough, especially if you’re doing this by hand.
• Look for the countertop. When you can start to see the surface underneath the dough, you’re in the right range.
• Don’t overcook it. Fresh pasta is done much faster than you’d expect. Start checking at 3 minutes.

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🧀 Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter (half a stick)
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated or pre-shredded)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Once the butter has covered the bottom of the pan, add the heavy cream, garlic powder, salt, and minced garlic. Stir it together.
3. Let the mixture simmer for about 1 minute, stirring gently.
4. Turn the heat down slightly and add 1 cup of parmesan cheese. Stir it in until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
5. Turn the heat off and move the pan so the sauce doesn’t continue cooking. You can warm it back up on low heat right before you’re ready to serve.

Optional additions: Black pepper, Italian seasoning, or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

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🍗 Pecan-Crusted Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

Wet mixture:

• 1 egg
• Splash of water

Dry mixture:

• ½–¾ cup pecan meal
• ½–¾ cup breadcrumbs (fine style, not panko)
• ½ tsp garlic powder (heaping)
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp kosher salt (heaping)

For cooking:

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise (or use chicken cutlets)
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Prepare your chicken. Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise so you have thinner pieces, similar to a cutlet. This helps them cook evenly and quickly.
2. Set up your stations. Beat the egg with a splash of water in one dish. In a separate dish, combine the pecan meal, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and kosher salt. Stir to mix evenly.
3. Heat your skillet. Add a little olive oil to an iron skillet (or nonstick pan) and heat it over medium heat. You want the pan good and hot before the chicken goes in — if you see a little steam rising, you’re ready.
4. Coat the chicken. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg wash, then press it into the dry mixture, turning it over a couple of times to get a good coating on both sides.
5. Cook the chicken. Place the coated chicken in the hot skillet. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side without moving it. Flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side.
6. Check for doneness. Cut into the thickest part to make sure there’s no pink remaining. You can also use a meat thermometer — you want 165°F internally. If it needs another minute or two, turn the heat down and let it finish so the coating doesn’t burn.
7. Rest and slice. Let the chicken rest for a couple of minutes, then slice it into strips to serve over the pasta.

Tip: If you’re using an iron skillet, remember it holds heat for a long time. Turn the heat down toward the end so the bottom of the chicken doesn’t get too dark.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a pasta maker to make homemade pasta? Not at all. All you need is a rolling pin and a sharp knife. We made this entire batch by hand with a rustic cut, and it turned out beautifully. If you have a pasta maker or a mixer attachment, those are great tools, but they’re absolutely not necessary.

How thin should I roll the pasta? Thinner than you think. You want it nearly translucent — thin enough that you can almost see the countertop through the dough. The pasta will puff up a little when it cooks, so if it looks paper-thin when it’s raw, you’re in the right ballpark.

Why did you make the pasta twice in the video? The first time, I didn’t roll it thin enough and it ended up more like dumplings than fettuccine. It tasted fine, but the texture wasn’t right. The second time, I divided the dough into single servings before rolling and got it much thinner. That made all the difference. I wanted to show both so you can learn from my mistake.

How long does fresh pasta take to cook? Much less time than boxed pasta. Fresh pasta typically cooks in about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick your noodles are. Start tasting at 3 minutes and pull it when it’s tender but still has a little bite.

Can I make the pasta ahead of time? Yes! Once you’ve cut the noodles, you can let them dry on the counter for a bit, toss them with a little flour so they don’t stick, and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. You can also freeze them — just spread them out on a sheet pan to freeze individually first, then transfer to a freezer bag.

Can I double this recipe? Absolutely. The ratio is simple — one egg per half cup of flour. So for four servings, use 2 cups of flour and 4 eggs. I would still recommend dividing the dough into single-serving portions before rolling, especially if you’re doing it by hand.

What can I use instead of pecan meal for the chicken? If you don’t have pecan meal, you can use almond meal or even finely chopped pecans pulsed in a food processor. You could also skip the nut meal entirely and just use all breadcrumbs — the chicken will still be delicious, just without that nutty flavor.

Can I use a different cheese in the Alfredo sauce? Parmesan is the classic choice and gives you that authentic Alfredo flavor. You could mix in a little Romano for a sharper taste, or add a small amount of cream cheese for an extra creamy texture. I’d keep the parmesan as the base though.

Is this really enough food for two people? It really is. It might not look like a lot when you’re working with just one cup of flour, but once the pasta is cooked and tossed with the Alfredo sauce and served with the chicken, it’s a satisfying meal. Mary Katherine even mentioned in the video that once it was all plated, it was plenty.

What if my pasta dough is too sticky or too dry? If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour as you knead — just a sprinkle at a time. If it’s too dry and crumbly, wet your hands slightly and keep working it. The dough should feel smooth and slightly tacky but not stick to your hands.

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I really hope you’ll give this one a try — especially if you’ve never made pasta from scratch before. It’s one of those things that seems harder than it actually is. And even if your first attempt isn’t perfect, try again. I promise it’s worth it. I think your family — or your sweetheart — is going to love it.