Today I am embarking on a Pasta Journey.
First question: Why pasta?
The truth is a complicated history, a long connected string of events that have Inceptioned me into this moment. Some of these events include the first time I had pasta carbonara in Brooklyn in 1999. Or the first time I visited Italia in 2009. They include wanting to learn Italian in 2016 but stopping and merely adding it to my bucket list. It includes watching Master of None. It includes writing a list of pastas to make during lockdown only to get sidetracked after one dish. A few weeks ago, we saw a few episodes of Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy show in a hotel. Then last week we saw the conclusion of Top Chef Season 17 in Tuscany. That was the tipping point that made me restart learning Italian. Which was the catalyst to truly begin the Pasta Journey in earnest. (I mean, you can only talk about forchette e piatto e cacio e carne for so long before you wish you were having pasta.)
So why pasta, exactly? It's delicious, for one. But many things are. I love that it has simple ingredients, and not too many. It's affordable and quite easy to feed a family of four. Plus, everyone in our family likes it. It seems like when done right, it's one of the easiest ways to get restaurant-quality food at home. While pasta can be rich and isn't exactly considered health food, it fits into my healthy eating plan better than pizza, bread, or desserts. I feel like I'll be able to fit a single serving of pasta as my dinner for under 750 calories. But mostly it seemed slightly elusive. That there are all these dishes that I've seen recipes for or videos on YouTube, but haven't tried to make them myself.
Next question: Why a journey?
Short answer is I wanted a project. Long answer is there are so many dishes that I want to make. There are techniques to master. And then there's making your own pasta from scratch. This isn't trying to perfect a single item like an apple pie. You can do that in a weekend. This will take a while and is one of those things where even after I've got 10 or 15 dishes that I feel comfortable making, there's always more to try. I've got to walk before I run. I'm going to start with nailing down some sauces before moving on to fresh pasta. Like many things, this is a journey without a definite endpoint. But over time, I'll be adding dishes that I feel like I'm comfortable making to the collection below. I'm starting with four that already belong. I think it will be fun to see that collection grow over time.
A note on authenticity.
I understand why Italians hold on to traditions. I think their passion for authenticity is great and makes the dishes special. When they say no butter, cream or oil in Cacio e Pepe, I get it. If you add any of those ingredients to the pot, you no longer have Cacio e Pepe. So I'll be aiming for authenticity when using certain words. But I also recognize that I'm neither Italian nor a professional chef. I'm cooking for me and my family. And I'm willing to experiment. I already know that when I make my take on carbonara, I like to add cream, which then no longer makes it a true carbonara. But I'm okay with that. I'm making it for me so I'll make it how I want. I'll just try to be careful with what I call it.
The Collection
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