Pasta Primer

A 4-hour, hands-on introductory course to homemade pasta, culminating in a dinner served with wine.

Making pasta from scratch is fun. And it is easier than you may think.
 
During this 4-hour pasta primer, Viola will focus on cut pasta: spaghetti, orecchiette, fettucini, and farfalle. She will demonstrate two ways to make fresh pasta: by machine and by hand. The first is faster, but it requires special equipment; the second is a labor of love, ideal for a leisurely weekend or group activity.

Viola will discuss the regional traditions of pairing pasta with sauce, and will lead the class through the preparation of four different doughs and the appropriate accompaniments for each. The class will conclude with dinner, wine and conversation.

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Raviolone di magro al rosso d'uovo
Maxi raviolo with ricotta and Swiss chard and soft egg yolk

Orecchiette alla crudaiola
Orecchiette with fresh tomatoes and basil

Fettuccine allo zafferano con ragout di pescatrice e finocchietto al profumo di arancio
Saffron egg fettuccine with orange scented monkfish and wild fennel ragout

Maltagliati paglia e fieno con burro e limone al profumo di noce moscata
Nutmeg scented spinach and egg maltagliati with lemon butter sauce 

Viola Buitoni, a direct descendant of the famed pasta and chocolate family, hails from Perugia, in the heart of Umbria. She came to the US for college, but soon after attending NYU as an economics major, she was drawn back into her genetic passion for food. She ran an Italian catering business and had a shop showcasing the best of Italian food on Madison Avenue in NYC. After moving to San Francisco in 2004 to start a family, Viola can now be found giving lectures on Italian food traditions and trends, and teaching cooking classes in collaboration with 18 Reasons, SF's Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Consulate, Cavallo Point Lodge Cooking School, Draeger’s in San Mateo and Blackhawk and Pepperberries in Eugene, OR. Since 2013, she has been a brand ambassador for Baci, the iconic Italian chocolates made by Perugina, the worldwide confectionery brand founded by her great grandfather. Viola has also produced food articles and cooking videos for MissionLocal.org. Recently, she began speaking on panels about tradition and innovation in food production and leading groups to explore local and artisanal food systems and producers in Italy.You can follow her adventures and find information on traveling with her at www.violabuitoni.com.