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About

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Meet Vita

 
 
 

I am the original Italian foodie. I was born in Sicily, where according to tradition, I was given the name of my paternal grandmother...Vita! A name of only four letters, but full of meaning!

I grew up in the province of Modena, in a family of fantastic cooks where everything was prepared at home. I’m here to share generations-old Italian recipes that are hand-made, fresh, healthy, family-friendly, sometimes bizarre and occasionally naughty. I also am an expert with dough that is sweet, and prepare unique and decadent desserts. I take all I have learned from the expert hands of my family and pass these disappearing authentic Italian techniques and recipes on to you; I do this through convivial hands-on workshops, where we share a love of life and all things pasta.

 
 
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Emilia-Romagna…
the birthplace of traditional egg pasta

Egg pasta can be many things, depending on several factors: the thickness of the dough, the type of filling, the shape or size of the different types of pasta, the condiments and even the color. There is one fundamental rule, however: the dough must be made only with flour and eggs and, in Bologna and Modena, the use of salt is also prohibited. In Emilia, only the egg yolk is used to make the dough richer and more yellow in color.

DIFFERENT PASTA TYPES AND THEIR PREPARATIONS
Tortellini are specialties of Bologna and Modena and must be cooked strictly in meat broth. Anolini are typical of Parma and Piacenza; cappelletti and pumpkin cappellacci from Ferrara; and green tortelli from Modena, Parma and Reggio Emilia. Tortelloni are a type of egg pasta, with a larger format, filled with ricotta and spinach, or mixed cooked meats with mortadella and ham. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is present in every type of egg pasta filling or as a finishing touch for pasta seasoned in any number of ways: with butter and sage, Bolognese sauce, cream, etc. Tagliatelle are typical of Bologna and are seasoned with the famous Bolognese sauce. Also in Bologna, baked lasagna is prepared with alternating layers of egg pasta, ragù and béchamel. In Modena and Reggio Emilia, passatelli are prepared which are crumbs of a dough made with eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and breadcrumbs directly cooked in boiling broth, unlike the ancient recipe which also included the addition of beef marrow to the dough.