So, we were off again to the Hill Country and another cooking class a Trattoria Lisina. This time our teaching chef for the evening was none other than the boss, Damian Mandola.  The subject was Pasta 101.  We were so there.

I'm make my own pie crust from scratch and have dabbled in pizza dough, but hadn't tried to make pasta before.  We purchased a hand crank pasta roller last year, but only our chef nephew, Matt, had actually used it.  It became one of those sounded-good-at-the-time devices that takes up space in a cupboard until it finally is given away or finds its way to a flea market.  The evening a Trattoria Lisina may have given it new life.

Angie was one of the first to raise her hand when the Damian made the call for volunteers.  Six guests got to take their place at a long table and make pasta from scratch with the Chef.  Mixing ingredients, kneading and running dough through the pasta maker was made fun by the Chef and his group.  I'm a little prejudice, but I think Ang produced the best.  

Like the previous class, we picked up some important information while having a great time.  I've always put some oil in the water I use to make pasta out of the box.  While it make keep the stuff from sticking together, the oil prevents the sauce from sticking to the pasta later on.  The type of flour is also a consideration;  Type 00 semolina made from durham wheat was recommended.  Additionally, good Italians like their pasta Al dente, a little firm to preserve that great texture.

Learning to make pasta from an expert is worth the price of admission, but getting to try a couple dishes was icing on the cake.  They started with a simple herb and butter sauce and taglierini (a thinner ribbon style pasta).  Next, we were served bucatini (a thicker pasta with a hole in the center) with a sauce made with Italian plum tomatoes and pancetta (Italian style bacon).   Both were delicious.

Yes, we had some wine with the pasta.  During the last cooking class,  the staff poured Italian wines  picked to pair with the individual dishes. This night we was got to try a couple Texas wines that reintroduced the Mandola label.   There is a winery next to the restaurant and it used to be Mandola Winery.  In fact, it opened before the restaurant.  A Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission ruling more or less separated the two businesses.  The new Mandola wine that may be sold and served at the Trattoria Lisina is made by Kim McPherson of McPherson Wine Cellars, Lubbock, TX.  I'm already a fan of McPherson wine ( the Grenache-Mourvedre is a favorite). Both wines of the evening, Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio worked with the pasta.  I pretty much stuck with the red.  It has a nice red fruit flavors and good acidity to work with the pasta dishes.   A bottle of the Sangiovese followed us home (thanks Michele).  I only got a quick taste of the Pinot Grigio, but feel it will also be a great foodie wine.  You can't go wrong with Italian wines and Italian pasta dishes.

Well, the class had worked its magic.  The following weekend, we made our first batch of homemade pasta.  Let's just call the event a "learn from your mistakes" effort.  First, we need to upgrade our pasta maker.  The clamp on the inexpensive model never fit correctly on our block.  Second, we need to experiment with various types of flour to determine what works best for us.  And third, I'm the dough guy.  My years of rolling out pie crust dough paid off in the pasta preparation.  What a team! I make the pasta, and Angie the sauces.  This is a marriage made in heaven.  Thanks again, Damian...