Pasta pasta

When looking for dining recommendations in Buenos Aires, I always resort to www.guiaoleo.com.ar , which is what life would be like if Argentina had google maps... or any other useful, logical, modern tool for locating and rating desirable city features. What information I find there is always crosschecked on SaltShaker, the blog of an American chef living in BA. He has a closed door restaurant that I've heard is wonderful and writes useful reviews about eating in the city, so when I found out he was going to offer cooking classes, I tried to hop on. Unfortunately, they had filled up almost immediately, but I emailed him and he said if I wanted to squeeze into sporadic classes of the 10-class series, we could work something out.

The series is focused on Italian food, and I chose my first class as the second of the series: pasta. I spent Tuesday morning with two Americans, far more clued into the gastronomy world than I, and Dan, our leader. I learned an incredible amount about Italian cooking, flour, and food shopping in Buenos Aires...everything from why put a good amount of salt in boiling water (it allows you to boil the water at a higher temperature) to where to find purple corn from Chile that makes a refreshing (non-alcoholic) drink called Chicha that I've become quite a fan of. We also skimmed some of Dan's history and experience in the culinary world: turns out he used to be the manager of the wine selection for Lidia Bastianich's restaurants (she has a well-known Italian cooking TV show and several upscale restaurants...Mom and Evan: remember when we went to Becco?)

The first pasta we made we did completely from scratch (the rest we used mixers to quicken the kneading process). It's called Pici alle Briciole - basically thick peasant noodles in an agli'e olio sauce with breadcrumbs for texture. Then we made a whole wheat pasta, Langanelli con I Ceci, in a surprising garbanzo and celery sauce. Then Agnolotti, which are like half-moon ravioli, which we baked like empanadas and dipped in sauce. Finally came the gnocchi in herbed cream sauce, which almost didn't make it but fortunately was salvaged and turned out deliciously. My favorite was the Pici...it was a texture I have never before experienced. Everyone else seemed thrilled by the whole wheat pasta, which was good, but I think they were just originally whole wheat downers who were shocked that whole wheat could be so delicious....but not this girl. I knew better.

Here's Dan's post with link to pictures of our meal: http://www.saltshaker.net/20081210/magic-and-pasta