No-Egg Pasta Pomodoro

Did you know you can make pasta with just two ingredients? Water and flour. No eggs needed. I actually prefer this water-based pasta over egg pasta because it absorbs more sauce and has what I consider a better texture. It's still slightly al dente but softer and more pliable, making it perfect for soaking up every bit of that delicious pomodoro sauce.

The real star of this dish is the pomodoro sauce made two ways. Half the tomatoes get cooked in the air fryer, where they develop a sweet, jammy quality as their sugars concentrate and caramelize slightly. The other half cook on the stovetop with olive oil, salt, and pepper, maintaining their bright, acidic notes. When you combine both methods, you get a sauce with complex layers of flavor that tastes like it took hours when it really only took about 20 minutes.

This is the kind of recipe that proves you don't need complicated ingredients or techniques to make restaurant-quality food at home. With quality fresh tomatoes as your star ingredient, kept simple with just olive oil, salt, pepper, and pasta water (plus optional parmesan), you get a dish that celebrates the ingredients rather than drowning them in additions. I make this all the time when I have fresh tomatoes that need to be used - it's become one of my favorite simple dinners that feels special every time.

The pasta itself is just flour and water in a 2:1 ratio. For a single serving, I use approximately 100g flour to 50g water. Scale up or down as needed. All-purpose flour works perfectly - nothing fancy required. The key is mixing and kneading just until everything comes together, then letting it rest while you prepare the sauce. Don't overwork the dough or it will be tough instead of tender.

For the pomodoro sauce, you need one pack of fresh tomatoes that you'll divide for two different cooking methods. Half go in the air fryer where they cook until they develop a sweet, jammy quality - the heat concentrates their sugars and creates almost caramelized notes. The other half cook on the stovetop with olive oil, salt, and pepper, maintaining their fresh acidity and brightness. This combination is what makes the sauce so special - you get both sweet and tangy notes working together.

Pasta water is not optional here - it's essential. The starchy water helps thin the sauce to the right consistency and emulsifies everything together. Add it gradually until you reach the texture you want. I always save at least a cup because it's so important for making the sauce come together properly.

The parmesan is listed as optional, but I'll be honest - it "helps the sauce come together in the best way possible." It adds umami depth and helps create a cohesive sauce that clings to every strand of pasta. I rarely skip it unless I'm making this for vegan friends.

Start by making your pasta dough - combine flour and water in a 2:1 ratio (100g flour to 50g water per serving), mix and knead until smooth for about 2-3 minutes, then let it rest while you prepare the sauce. This resting time helps the gluten relax and makes the dough easier to roll out.

Divide your fresh tomatoes into two portions for two different cooking methods that create complex flavor. Place half the tomatoes in your air fryer and cook them until they start to break down and develop a sweet, jammy quality - you're looking for them to be soft with slightly concentrated flavors. While the air fryer works, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the remaining tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Cook them down on the stovetop until they soften and release their juices, maintaining their bright acidity.

Roll out your rested pasta dough to your desired thickness and cut it into your preferred shape - I like wider noodles for this dish but you can make any shape you like. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add your fresh pasta, and cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta, so watch it carefully. Before draining, reserve at least a cup of the pasta water - this is crucial for the sauce.

Add some of the reserved pasta water to your stovetop tomatoes - the starch helps thin the sauce slightly and brings everything together. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the stovetop tomatoes, then add the air-fried tomatoes as well. Toss everything together so the pasta gets coated in both the saucy tomatoes and the jammy sweet ones. If using parmesan, grate it fresh over the pasta now and toss one more time. The whole process is simple but the results are impressive!