So recently, in the Tuesday that just passed, I signed up for and took a Pasta making class at sur la table (https://bakedtothebone.wordpress.com/2015/10/28/sur-la-table-cookware-store-and-cooking-classes/) go ahead and click or visit the link above please and thanks.
Before we start in case any if you were wondering ‘I don’t care about any sur la table class or cooking class he takes’, that’s sort of the main idea. My goal through these personnel experiences post on my cooking classes at Sur la table are meant to inspire you or encourage you to maybe try to take a cooking class every now and then just to see, it’s really just an amazing learning experience taking a Sur la table cooking class, look into it if you get the Chance 🙂
Moving on, the main highlights of the class were that I was the only person who signed up so it’s a bit ironic since usually most of their classes are filled but at least I got to have more opportunities and a solo hands on learning environment with tons of cooking. Plus the class was taught by the great chef Amber Lancaster, Which made things more special.
The menu of the class was
- Homemade Pasta Dough
- Cheese Tortellini with Roasted Cauliflower, Bacon and Sage
- Pappardelle with Kale, Italian Sausage and Arrabbiata Sauce
The over all experience was tons of fun as the two of us spent one and a half hour of the two hour class having to just work with the dough, make tortellini’s out of them, wait for them to dry, and so forth.
We had to start off class rolling out and making the dough. (the lady using the rolling pin was chef Amber Lancaster)
From their I got to use the kitchen-aid stand mixer attachment for rolling out the pasta. And yes that guy in the picture is me… no comments.
After making hundreds of fettuccine noodles and somehow still having leftover dough, we let our professional home made, not store packaged, pasta dough dry out on a pasta rack.
Note that these are actual pictures I took during the class. Once all of are noodle based pasta were hung up, we still had so much dough leftover and from there we began making small tortellini’s. And yes that knife below we used is Wusthof, the best product cutlery a chef could buy, Sur la table always offers one to class attendees to use during class since sur la table only uses the best of the best.
Finally after assembling all of the pasta we made and hour and thirty minutes into the class, next came the time to work upfront on the stove and began on boiling the pasta and making the sauces. Here are some pictures from the cooking we did for the rest of class.
And finally, here is how our cheese tortellini and pappardelle pasta came out.
Summary:
After taking this class, I feel more accomplished as a chef and I’m 100% sure I will be saying good bye to packaged pasta. The individual attention I received as the only attendee was very admirable as I got to participate so much, kind of like a private solo class, which is usually $300 at sur la table but I only paid $70 for the class. I learned a lot as do I every time I come to Sur la table for a class, even if their are many other attendees I am working with, Sur la table always provides customer satisfaction and makes sure everybody gets in on the fun.
What really stood out from this over all experience was that I really now do feel confident with the skill of pasta making. If you have read some of my other posts or viewed my recipes, you can see I’m obviously more a baker and desert maker, so learning some savory cuisine was a big step for me.
If you have not already, scroll down after reading this post or go on the ‘personnel experiences” menu and view my other experience at a Halloween baking class I took at Sur la table in case you are further interested on there cooking classes.
Now only if I could convince my parents to buy me a pasta roller set….
Residential Chef Amber Lancaster:
I just can’t stop acknowledging this amazing person, If you have read my Halloween cooking class post that she even taught, you know what I mean. Amber is a inspiration to all chefs and she is so kind hearten. She bought me a cooking class, taught me so many new skills, and inspires to come back to sur la table more than usual. She always makes sure everybody has fun and she’s more than a amazing chef instructor; she’s a friend. I don’t know one person that wouldn’t get along with her and I want to take this paragraph to thank her so much for what she has done for me. I hope to see her in two weeks for a Thai cooking class she signed me and my mom up for. Thanks Amber, it means a a lot, keep doing what your doing, your good at it 🙂 She deserves all the credit and I think the Sur la table corporation should acknowledge her more often for her hard work and service.
New recipes coming out this week and next week, thanks for reading!
P.S. remember to follow this link and check out some amazing classes Sur la table offers in stores near you! http://www.surlatable.com/category/cat2211278/Find+a+Cooking+Class?_requestid=1155985
– Chef/author Zubair
Baked to the Bone 