This weekend, even actress Florence Pugh and actor Zach Braff spent a cozy Saturday becoming pasta makers. Their fettuccine and ravioli turned out surprisingly delicious and satisfying, so they shared a humble brag. "We reached a new level to quarantine last night. Homemade fettuccine and ravioli. For a first time… pretty stoked! I'll say it, oh dear. This is dangerous," posted Florence, a first-time pasta maker. Dangerous indeed! Like Florence Pugh proved, pasta making is romantic, therapeutic, and fun! It's a forgiving art that pleases the hands and the stomach.
When asked why massaging dough into coils, butterflies and little ears is their thing, pasta makers often describe the magical feeling of pushing a ball of flour and water into edible objects of beauty that can be shared. For some, it brings back childhood memories, while others find delight in the creative possibilities of natural dyes and designs.
Just as “stress baking” became a trend of quarantine, pasta making is another remedy for passing the time in a pleasing way while being stuck at home. Don't be intimidated –the end result is often tastier, fresher, and more fun to look at than what comes in a box.
Here are five pasta makers to inspire you to start making fresh pasta from scratch:
@pastasocialclub: Meryl Feinstein (based in Austin, Texas,) fell in love with pasta during a class she took on her honeymoon in Modena, Italy. When she left the contemporary art world for culinary school, she devoted herself to pasta, and months later, landed an internship in one of New York City's top kitchens, that of award-winning Chef Missy Robbins. Shortly after, Meryl launched the Pasta Social Club to share her gifts with others through private dinners, workshops and cooking classes. An art history major in college, Meryl is intrigued by the sculptural aspect of pasta.
@Cookingwithfiona: Fiona Afshar (based in Malibu, California,) once worked as a florist. (She still uses flowers often in her gorgeous pasta.) Fiona makes multi-hued pasta with fresh California vegetables and unprocessed ingredients. “I believe that you can make food that satisfies your mind, nourishes your body, and feeds your soul - all at the same time.”
@ESOArtisanalpasta: AJ Sankofa (based in Morristown, New Jersey) left home to attend culinary school in Italy, where he interned in Michelin-starred restaurants. When he returned to the US, he ran the pasta station at one of New York City’s hippest restaurants, Legacy Records. Since the pandemic, he launched a fresh pasta business, starting from a stand at Black Lives Matter marches. Now, he operates a pasta store with his two partners in Morristown, New Jersey.
@chef.joe.sasto: Chef Joe Sasto (based in California) cooked for some of the Bay Area's top chefs, including Chef Michael Tusk at Quince in San Francisco, where he managed the pasta program. Now he makes stunning pasta with experimental vegetables and starches, like oca. Through his creations, Chef Joe spreads good vibes and “pastativity.”
@Saltyseattle: Linda Miller Nicholson (based in Seattle, Washington,) turns pasta into art. With pasta, she recreated the works of master painters, like Edvard Munch, and designed part of Gigi Hadid's kitchen island. Linda stuck to pasta when she realized her child to ate more vegetables cooked in pasta. “He went through a picky phase and didn’t want to eat vegetables. And like most kids, pasta happened to be his favorite food at the time. So, I started with things like beets and spinach and turmeric, and he thought it was the coolest thing ever," she told La Cucina Italiana. Linda gives virtual workshops and wrote a book on pasta.