Patron Pasta Class: Never Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

by Caitlin Collins

What happens when Altura patrons who are passionate about pasta don aprons and break the barrier between kitchen and guest? By the looks of it, a whole lot of flour, fun, and full bellies.

September marked Altura's first in-house class, with a focus on Northern Italian pasta-making methods that marry the best of tradition with the reality and ease of present day tools. The 11 attendees received custom-made pamphlets filled with tips and reminders of what they learned in class to reference later at home, and after a brief demo by Altura's pasta specialist Tim Stewart, they were encouraged to put their newfound knowledge to use.

While some of the participants had spent many years making pasta, others had never attempted the craft, yet all were met at their level and were given suggestions while being overseen by Tim and Chef/Owner Nathan Lockwood. Dough was rolled out, shaped, and cut, and any hiccups were quickly remedied by one of the specialists in white chef coats. 

Though shaping filled pasta may seem daunting at first, many became quite skilled at it, and a bounty of freshly-made pasta began accumulating. This, of course, was also a good time to open up some wine. 

With freshly-made pasta neatly lined up, guests returned to their places at the counter while Nathan and crew took over to work their magic. The pasta was cooked up and coated in ragus, butter, truffles -- all sorts of early Fall goodies -- and the fixings of dinner began appearing at the counter while guests drank wine and got to know each other. 

The first pasta class was a success to say the least! If you would like to be kept informed of these and other Altura events, make sure to email info@alturarestaurant.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.