I enjoy making Italian food.
So when Barilla gave me the chance to head on down to Eataly last night for the Simply Healthy pasta cooking class with Barilla Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni, I got my umbrella out and headed down to Mario Batali’s mega Italian culinary emporium.
The Simply Healthy Pasta cooking class was an hour and a half long and was held in La Scoula at Eataly. It was part of a series of cooking classes Chef Boni flew in from Chicago every week to do on Wednesday nights. And this was his last class. I know.. sorry.
I am not a fan of talking about things that are no longer available for others to try. But if you’ve always wanted to take a class at Eataly, they offer quite a few this fall. And while they are not the same class I took, I am pretty sure you will find one you are interested in.
Last night, Chef Boni was the first chef to use the video camera in La Scoula. It was such an intimate room that everyone could see him easily without needing the flat screen to project what he was doing in the pans but it was a nice addition to the room.
I’m weary of taking cooking classes that don’t specify a cooking level. I’m paid by brands to create recipes and cook on their behalf so I am definitely not a beginner level cook.
Last night, I found myself in a room with quite a few people asking very basic cooking questions (“What do you do so an onion doesn’t make you cry?”). And at times, I thought the Chef would be frustrated by the same person asking him to repeat things two and three times but he just kept repeating his answer for them.
Each time I kept wondering why would you pay for a cooking class and not pay attention? But Chef Boni was patient and a great host/teacher. He was also funny showing fear at the idea of his wife coming into La Scoula seeing his messy workspace.
In between going through each of the three recipes, he shared tips on precooking pasta if you are having a dinner party and cannot cook a la minute as well as other cooking shortcuts.
You can meet Chef Boni at Casa Barilla and also during the Andrea Bocelli Central Park concert where he is overseeing all the meals for sale and exclusive complimentary meals in the VIP seating area. I’ll be in attendance. If you see me, please come say Hi.
And now because I think it’s rude to brag, I’d like to do a giveaway for a tote full of Barilla products.
All you have to do is leave a comment with your answer to this question:
“What’s your favorite Italian dish?”
I’ll choose a winner via Random.org at Noon on Tuesday, September 13, 2011.
Disclosure: I am a compensated partner of Barilla helping to promote their Summer of Italy celebration.
