Why do some pasta dishes use some noodle shapes over others? Which sauce should you be using? These are the questions Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri aims to answer in his aptly named new book, “The Pasta Book.”
Vetri recently joined City Cast Philly at the Fitler Club, where he delivered a live cooking demonstration, discussed his career trajectory, and revealed his favorite restaurant in the city. Want to recreate one of his dishes? Check out his tips on making the best pasta.
Use Three Key Ingredients Max
Vetri’s book featured several commandments for cooks to live by. The seventh commandment is “Thou shalt use a maximum of three key ingredients in a pasta dish.”
“Everything that I’ve made that’s really resonated with everybody eating it, it’s always been super simple,” Vetri said. “And it’s always been three main flavors.”
Restraint is the most important aspect of cooking. If you have the sudden urge to add something else, stop and consider that what the dish actually needs is nothing else. Three is best. Four is pushing it. Five is too much.
Respect Tradition
“ When you think about history and why certain things are with certain things, you have to remember they ate that because that's all that was available,” Vetri said.
Vetri said that while you can flavor noodles with a variety of ingredients, certain Roman dishes are the way they are because that’s how the people in that region ate them for decades, and “you don’t wanna mess with that.”
Treat Recipes as Guidelines
If you’re new to the kitchen and intimidated by what you see, Vetri said there are no rules, just guidelines.
“Making fresh noodles is not that hard. When you see the flour, and you see the egg, you start to get nervous about stuff, right?” Vetri said. “You’re like, ‘Oh my God, what’s gonna happen? It’s gonna explode.’ But you can measure. You have a recipe: one cup, two cups, whatever it is.”
You don’t have to go 100% by the book; you can make adjustments as needed. Let the instructions guide you in the right direction.
Find the Right Rhythm When Rolling Your Dough
When mixing, Vetri approaches his dough in a left-and-right motion. When making your first rollout, he recommends that your dough be just a little thick.
Measure the Right Thickness for Your Noodle
When hand-making your pasta, you should be able to see through your noodles. Aim for just a slight thickness when making fettuccine.
Pair Your Noodles With the Perfect Sauce
Vetri said that fettuccine can be served with just about anything. His go-to sauces? A meat ragu or bolognese.
🎧 Need someone to show you the ropes around the kitchen? Vetri Community Partnership offers free cooking classes. Learn more about Vetri’s work in today’s episode.
