“Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti.” ~ Sophia Loren

A number of years ago, my husband gave me a Kitchen-Aid mixer for my birthday.  It is a beautiful machine - just beautiful.  The trouble is, I am not a baker - I like sweet things from time to time, but give me nachos any day.  I did a few things with it, but this lovely Cadillac of mixers went mostly unused.  That was until I realized that I could also get  a "pasta" attachment. I have a love affair with carbohydrates, and pasta in particular - well - and bread.  Anyhow - I promised my husband that there could be lobster ravioli for Christmas dinner if only I had the proper Kitchen-Aid attachments.  Needless to say, that wonderful man made sure that I received an early Christmas present of both the pasta and ravioli attachments.  I was true to my word, and served lobster ravioli swimming in a seafood mornay sauce for our holiday meal.  A huge hit!  I have continued with pasta making since that Christmas feast, but I don't really know pasta - other than as a consumer, as in "eater".

Enter - Fabio of  Fabio's Italian Kitchen located in Cortland, New York.  I have just completed the "Pasta Class", the first of four classes that Fabio has just begun to offer.  Please visit Fabio's site for videos and menus from his restaurant.  You will also find information regarding his next three classes:  Breads, Sauces and Seafood - listed under "Special Events". 

Our menu consisted of the following - including a number of other types of pasta.

  

Gnocchi Al Grana

(A classic Italian dumpling made of potato and flour sautéed in garlic, butter and Grana Padano cheese)

Linguini integrali pomodoro e basilico

(Whole wheat linguini with fresh tomato and basil sauce)

Ravioli con pollo e spinaci

(Chicken and spinach ravioli in a vegetable béchamel sauce)

What follows is a photo essay of my evening (minus captions - sorry - but I'm pooped!).  What a wonderful group of people to spend 3+ hours with. We made and devoured delicious dishes and bottomless glasses of wine (many thanks to his assistant, who kept our glasses full).  If you have the opportunity to attend one of Fabio's classes - it was a FABULOUS experience!

Fabio, our host.

Thank you Fabio!