Mastering Pasta

December 1, 2014
“Pasta has always been one of the most difficult things to teach young cooks,” writes restaurateur and author Marc Vetri (Rustic Italian Food, Il Viaggio De Vetri) in the introduction to this master course on pasta production, “but it shouldn’t be.” Over the course of the book’s 200-plus pages, Vetri and coauthor David Joachim explain the particulars of pasta and how to get it right. Beginning with a technical explanation of how different flours affect the end result, the duo move on to basic pasta dough (including pictures), which acts as a foundation for the dishes that follow. Readers may be surprised at the simplicity of both the dough and the dishes themselves. Despite elaborate names—corzetti with red bell pepper crema, fazzoletti with crab and burrata—they’re quite easy to make. Even more advanced techniques, such as making ravioli, flavored pastas, and gnocchi, are patiently explained in detail. If it all seems a bit complicated (stuffed pappardelle with foie gras terrine and onion marmalade), readers will be relieved to see how simple risotto can be. Vetri demystifies risotto in particular, noting that constant stirring isn’t necessary (particularly when using the right rice) to produce a winner like the saffon-tinged risotto alla Milanese. This might not be the best book for beginners, but home cooks that are serious about their Italian dishes will want to give this a look.

February 15, 2015

Vetri (Rustic Italian Food) is a James Beard Award-winning chef whose eponymous Philadelphia restaurant is acclaimed for exceptional Italian cuisine. In his latest cookbook, he urges readers to forego the convenience of premade pasta and instead make it at home, a process he insists need not be complicated. In fact, Vetri includes just one recipe for fresh pasta dough, with nine variations that tweak quantities of flours, egg, oil, and water. With the help of stand mixers, pasta extruders, ravioli stamps, and other tools, these doughs assume shapes that, when combined with sauces, become elegant dishes such as mint pappardelle with morels and lardo cappelletti with fava crema and pecorino. Eight gnocchis and seven risottos, equally gourmet, follow the pastas. VERDICT This lavish pasta cookbook has lots of science-based information and an overview of 15 types of wheat flours. Perfect for dedicated pasta lovers looking to hone their skills.

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