If you’ve not been watching (bingeing) on Pasta Grannies videos on YouTube or their website, you are missing a true treat. You just can’t help but feel good while watching them.
I stumbled upon their channel quite by accident. You know how you start following a link or do a search, and as you go down the rabbit hole, sometimes something wonderful is at the bottom. Pasta Grannies was at the bottom.
Ever since I found them, I have to have my four or five videos of them every night before bedtime. The videos are usually about five or so minutes in length. There is a bit of a formula they follow, but that actually helps to know what to specifically watch for as it progresses.
The first is an introduction of the granny (sometimes a grampie), and their family and friends who just happen to be there during the filming. Next comes the recipe and the chef’s technique for putting the dough together, the ragu or sauce to go with the pasta, and then the process of putting the meal together.
Of course, they’ve been doing it for so long, quite a few for 70 or 80 years, they make it look effortless to make. I can say from experience, it isn’t effortless to make. However, the art of pasta making is on my short list of things to accomplish in the kitchen. Bread making was on the list, and I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on the basics, and some intermediate bread skills. Time to up the ante since bread and pasta go so well together.
If you know me at all, you have to know that as soon as I saw they had a cookbook, I’d have to have it. Well, now I do. It arrived in today’s book box and I can’t wait to get started.
Doing so will mean I’ll need some new kitchen tools (well, I call them my toys). My husband has already volunteered I need to get my three foot long pasta rolling pin. I’m pretty sure he was being a little facetious, but when it comes to kitchen tools, I take it all seriously. I will wait a little bit while I get my feet wet and my hands doughie. After all, I’ll need to discover exactly what I’ll need before going hog wild with my ordering.
Time is a-tick’n though as Papa Joe and Papa Rob will be closer soon. I’ll have to be a least a little impressive with a couple of noodles first, just to make them proud. Since one of them is a bonafide Italian, I’ve some big shoes to fill.
Now time to go discover what my first attempt shall be. Hint: I’m pretty sure it won’t be lasagna noodles.
Buon appetito!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 