Fresh Pasta

A few years ago, I just happened on a food demo by Tony and Cathy Mantuano of Spiaggia in Chicago at the Italian Festival at Belmar. The recipe was ravioletti di crescenza con salsa di Parmigiano-Reggiano e burro al tartufo, better known around our house as cheese ravioli in browned butter and truffle oil. What was most helpful about the demonstration was watching Cathy make the ravioli dough. I had long been intrigued by making fresh pasta but a bit intimidated by the process of making it. Watching it done made all the difference in my confidence level. Tasting it made Robert supportive of buying the necessary ingredients.
Robert and I ventured off to the kitchen store to acquire the pasta machine and our first fresh pasta was a joint effort. I mixed and Robert ran the machinery. Do not go there! I will not tolerate the sexist interpretation of men and machinery! Our first fresh pasta was a rousing success! Recently, I must admit, I've lost the touch and I've been wishing I could watch a good pasta maker again.
One of my guilty pleasures in the blog world is The Amateur Gourmet. Adam Roberts is a cute young man who bumbles and blunders a bit, but he's like my young nephew learning to cook and develop a veneer of culture. He did a vblog on the Food Network website for a while and now has a new web show on Scripp's new Food2. His second episode is on fresh pasta.
It is the same sort of education I had at that Italian Festival at Belmar with the advantage of being able to rewind and play it again.
I have not fully explored this new Food2 site. I see one of the kids from Next Food Network Star has a video on there and there are Ace of Cakes episodes as well. I'll blog more when I have explored the site.