Lievito Madre Discard Pasta Recipe

This lievito madre discard pasta recipe is a creative way to use your excess sourdough discard! The homemade pasta dough uses eggs and pasta madre discard for a flavorful, fresh pasta that has the best taste. 

Why I Love This Recipe

• Pasta made with lievito madre discard does not taste sour at all but does aid in the digestibility of the pasta. The pasta dough rests overnight in the fridge so you get all the benefits of a fermented pasta dough. 
• With only a few ingredients, flour, eggs and lievito madre discard the dough comes together easily and adding the discard to pasta dough means there is no waste!

Ingredient Notes

• Flour: I used both all-purpose flour and semolina flour. 
• Lievito madre discard: I prefer to use pasta madre discard that has been recently fed as it is less sour.
• Eggs: Two large eggs that are at room temperature.
• Salt: Adds flavor to the dough.
• Water: Lukewarm water. 

While you can make this lievito madre discard pasta without any equipment, if you plan to make homemade authentic pasta from scratch frequently here are some helpful tools to use:

• Stand mixer with dough hook
• Pasta machine 
• Pasta drying rack 
• Ravioli stamps and pastry cutters (I use when making mushroom ravioli)

How to Make Lievito Madre Discard Pasta

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook add both flours, lievito madre discard that has been torn into pieces, both eggs and salt. Knead dough until smooth. If the dough seems too dry add one Tablespoon of water at a time until consistency is reached. Wrap the pasta dough in plastic wrap and chill. Remove from the fridge 2 hours before rolling.

Cut the dough in half and roll or pass through a pasta machine. The dough should be so thin you can see your hand through it. Form into desired pasta shape.

Cover pasta with a tea towel and dry before cooking.

Variations

• Use active lievito madre discard: For a more pronounced pasta madre flavor, use an active starter that has been fed. No need to change anything else.
• Cut sourdough pasta by hand: I love to use my pasta machine but you can use a rolling pin and sharp knife instead. Roll out dough on a floured surface to desired thickness, sprinkle with more flour then use a sharp knife to cut into desired shape. 
• Fresh herbs: While plain pasta is delicious, you could add some chopped chives, thyme or rosemary to the dough.
• Tri-colored pasta: Add beetroot juice for a pink colored pasta or spinach juice for a green pasta. 

Cooking and Storing Lievito Madre Discard Pasta

• Cook: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (I like to add a drizzle of olive oil) and add the fresh sourdough pasta. Pasta with sourdough discard will cook faster to al dente, within 2-7 minutes depending on the shape. Once pasta rises to the surface it’s ready.
• Store: Store fresh pasta in the fridge for up to 2 days. After drying for at least an hour, place in a ziploc bag and place in the fridge.
• Freeze: Dry pasta for about an hour then add to a freezer safe bag, remove as much as air as possible and store frozen for one month. Cook pasta from frozen. 

This lievito madre discard pasta is a simple yet satisfying way to give new life to your starter, turning it into something both practical and delicious. With its tender texture and subtle flavor, it’s perfect for pairing with your favorite sauces and makes a wonderful addition to everyday meals, proving that even discard can become something truly special in the kitchen. Enjoy!

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