Handmade Pasta at Vineyard Cottages: A Simple Luxury

There’s a certain magic that happens when flour and eggs meet on a wooden bench. It’s humble, ancient, and endlessly satisfying. At Vineyard Cottages, we believe that some of the best food memories begin with the simplest ingredients—and pasta is the perfect example of that.

Whether it’s a last minute dinner, or part of a workshop or something we’re teaching our team, making pasta is a tradition we return to again and again. It slows you down, gets your hands working, and fills the air with warmth and anticipation. It’s food with soul, shaped with love, and savoured slowly—just the way we like it here in the heart of West Auckland’s wine country.

Our Go-To Recipe: 1 Egg to 100g Flour

At Vineyard Cottages, we keep our pasta recipe beautifully simple: one egg to every 100 grams of plain flour. It’s an age-old ratio that works every time, whether you’re making enough for a romantic dinner for two or a feast for a table of ten.

We use free-range eggs from local farms (sometimes even from the nearby neighbours’ chickens), and plain flour or ‘00’ if we have it on hand. The dough comes together with just a fork and a bit of kneading, no fancy equipment required—just good ingredients, a wooden board, and a little patience.

Here’s the full recipe we use:

VC Fresh Pasta Dough
Serves 2 generously

• 200g plain or 00 flour
• 2 free-range eggs
• A pinch of salt
• Optional: a drizzle of local olive oil

Method

1. Tip the flour onto a clean surface and make a well in the centre.
2. Crack the eggs into the well, add a pinch of salt, and use a fork to gently beat them, slowly incorporating the flour from the edges.
3. Once a shaggy dough forms, begin kneading by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Wrap the dough in beeswax wrap or cling film and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll it out using a pasta machine or a rolling pin, then cut into your chosen shape: fettuccine, tagliatelle, pappardelle, or sheets for lasagne or ravioli.

This base recipe is endlessly adaptable. Add a touch of lemon zest for brightness, chopped herbs from the garden for colour, or swap a bit of the flour for fine semolina for a bit of bite. And the beauty is that once you’ve made it a few times, it becomes second nature.

Pasta at the Heart of the Table

Pasta isn’t just food—it’s a gathering point. At Vineyard Cottages, some of our favourite memories come from long lunches where fresh pasta takes centre stage. A platter of silky tagliatelle with lemon, garden peas, mint and ricotta. A bubbling tray of slow-roasted tomato lasagne with a crust of golden cheese. Or hand-folded ravioli stuffed with local goat cheese, served simply with brown butter and sage from the herb bed.

When guests stay with us, we often invite them to join in the making. There’s something deeply grounding about rolling out dough with a glass of Kumeu wine nearby, chatting over floury hands as the sun warms the kitchen. And when the pasta is finally cooked—just a couple of minutes in boiling water—it’s a celebration on a plate.

A Vineyard Cottages Pasta Workshop

In autumn and spring, when the air is crisp and the garden full of flavour, we host small-group pasta-making sessions for our guests. Sometimes these are part of weekend retreats, other times they’re spontaneous gatherings under the pergola.

We set up a big table outside, surrounded by rosemary, citrus, and birdsong. Each person gets a ball of dough, a rolling pin, and a choice of fillings or sauces inspired by the season. There’s usually local cheese on the board, olive oil for tasting, and chilled white wine in the shade.

Watching people slow down and engage with the process is a joy—rolling, cutting, shaping. There’s laughter, a little competitive flair, and always the shared delight of sitting down to a meal everyone helped create. It’s not just about food—it’s about connection, creativity, and celebrating the everyday luxury of making something from scratch.

What to Pair with Fresh Pasta

The beauty of fresh pasta is its versatility. At VC, we love pairing it with the flavours of our garden and region. Some of our favourite combinations include:

• Fettuccine with mushrooms, thyme, and garlic butter – perfect for autumn evenings by the fire.
• Lemon and ricotta ravioli – light and zesty, ideal with a glass of local Viognier.
• Herbed pappardelle with slow-braised lamb – hearty, rich, and deeply satisfying.
• Chilli linguine with tomatoes and basil – a summer classic made with vine-ripened tomatoes from our beds.

We also encourage our guests to take a bundle of fresh pasta home with them if they’ve made extra—packed with care, a little taste of the Vineyard to savour later.

Simple, Seasonal, Soulful

At Vineyard Cottages, we believe the best meals come from honest ingredients, a little time, and a lot of love. Our pasta is no exception. It’s a ritual, a recipe, and a reminder that food doesn’t have to be complicated to be special.

So next time you visit, roll up your sleeves and join us in the kitchen or garden table. We’ll show you how one egg and a scoop of flour can turn into something truly delicious.