Cooking with Mirko - Perfect Pasta

April 2010

Cooking with Mirko

If you missed the Pasta Party… you missed a lot!! I had a great time showing you some different ways to use pasta!

I hope you all enjoyed the demonstration on making your own pasta dough and using a pasta machine. I not only say “add you own,” but it’s also important to “keep it simple.” Simple combinations of fresh sauces, vegetables and various types of pasta can create a wonderful Italian dish or soup. There is nothing better than homemade pasta! And how about the fun we had making the fresh chocolate spaetzle with nuts and vanilla sauce! A delight for any occasion we learned to make was the Seafood Bolognese and the Lobster Ravioli in Alfredo sauce. Another take on pasta we explored was the chilled oriental rice noodle salad, which was very refreshing. And as you saw, it takes less than five minutes to make fresh pesto, perfect to serve with countless pasta dishes. We served our fresh pesto with potato gnocchi tossed with oven roasted vegetables, but you don’t have to stop there. Create your own perfect parings. We paired sliced roasted beef tenderloin with cavatelli pasta and then glazed them both with a porcini mushroom sauce. For salmon lovers we had delightful salmon-stuffed cannelloni with asparagus and a shrimp saffron sauce. I hope everyone enjoyed the education about pasta, the chef’s tricks and the overall fun we had!

I had a great time and I hope to see all again next month, when we celebrate the Mexican holiday of “Cinco de Mayo”. As always we will have a great buffet after the class, filled from appetizer to soup, salad, entrees and dessert! So join me on May the 19th at 6:30 PM at “The Mansion” for

“Mexican cooking: a play on color, flavor, tradition and simplicity”

Rick, our house sommelier, will also be back with a wine tasting.
The price for next month’s class will be $35.00.
And believe me it will be worth it.

As I’ve said before, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed teaching you all a little about the magic of pasta, from the flour to the plate. We will have fun the next time around, so please come and share some good times with friends, family and me at the Mansion. All you have to do is call for reservation.

Please call early and reserve seats before we sell out: 856-751-1717

Again, thank you and I hope I will see you all on May 19th!

Your Teacher and Chef,
Mirko