Hand-Formed Homemade Pastas (Small Group Workshop)

Cavatelli. Orecchiette. Gnocchi. Capunti. What do all of these Italian pastas have in common? You can make them by hand with no need for a pasta maker or any special tools. What you do need is a bit of know-how and some expert support.

Thankfully, guest chef and Pasta Social Club founder Meryl Feinstein is here to show you the way. First, you’ll learn a single pasta dough recipe that lends itself particularly well to hand shaping.

You’ll learn why semolina flour, which is high in gluten and has a slightly nutty flavor, is ideal for these types of pastas. This dough doesn’t include any eggs, meaning that it’s a snap to replicate perfectly time and time again.

With our dough ready to go, we’ll turn to the art of shaping. We’ll try our hands at cavatelli, which looks like miniature hot dog buns. You’ll practice orecchiette, the “little ear” pasta of Puglia, perfecting the pressure you need to achieve their concave shape.

You’ll get familiar with capunti, the pasta that looks somewhat like a peapod. And if you ask nicely, Meryl might also show you how to shape busiate, Sardinian gnocchi and more.

Plus, she’ll provide sauce recipes and suggestions so you can dress your hand-formed pastas however you please. If you like playing with your food, this workshop is for you.