Pasta Making

A week after I graduated high school, my mom and I hopped on a plane and flew to Paris then Florence for a week of travel, eating and celebrating!

While in Florence, we went on a day-trip through Tuscany with Accidental Tourist. Throughout the day, we tasted olive oil, wine (which I didn't like at the time) and then had a pasta-making cooking class in the basement of a home in the hills.

 

It appears as though we made fettuccine as well as ravioli, although I can't really remember now, though I know that it tasted fresh and amazing.

I do remember that it was such a fun experience to make the dough (while wearing fun aprons), roll it out, cut it then hang it to dry all with my mom beside me. Then, about an hour later, we (my mom and I plus about 8 other American and Canadian visitors) ate our pasta along with a table full of pizzas, other pastas and antipastos that the cook had made for us. It was pure bliss!

I've dreamt of making pasta since then, but never got up the courage to do it. And I don't have a pasta roller machine.

Then, the Minimalist Baker opened my eyes to how easy making pasta is and how delicious it is with the addition of some seasonal pumpkin.

Get ready to wow the friends and family coming to your table with this Pumpkin Pasta that only takes a few pantry staples and some pumpkin puree to whip up.

I paired mine with a quick onion, Parmesan and cream sauce but I hear it's great with pesto, too.
 

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