Dining in: Pasta party

During the long winter months, it is hard to get motivated to do much of anything, much less entertain. So we’ve come up with a nice way to unwind without going to too much trouble. Invite a few friends over for a “come as you are” evening and have them hang around your kitchen counter to help make homemade pasta.

If you have never tried fresh, homemade pasta, you are missing out. It has a more delicate texture than pre-packaged pasta. Fresh pasta dough is simple to make and can be made without the help of a pasta machine. We like to use a combination of Semolina and all-purpose flour, but you can make it with whole wheat flour, too. Double the recipe and freeze half the dough for later use. The dough can make many different pasta shapes and can be filled to make ravioli or even used in pasta sheets to make lasagna. Click here for recipes and entertaining ideas.