Sunday, July 28, 2019

Pasta Knives


Next up in my series on pasta tools: the humble pasta knife. Many pasta makers have a favorite one that they use to hand cut pasta sheets into ribbons. For wide noodles, I like to use an Italian Pino Extra that I bought from a knife dealer on eBay. This Pino boasts a wide, heavy 9.5-inch blade that makes cutting tagliatelle a breeze. The knife also works particularly well slicing thick udon noodles. 



When I want to cut a thinner noodle, I pull out my razor-sharp Carter nakiri knife. Although wide, the blade is super thin thus making the knife well-suited to cutting tagliolini.


Carter sells its knives on-line. Finding a vintage Pino pasta knife might take a little more of an effort, but, in my opinion, worth it.


Saturday, July 6, 2019

Encyclopedia of Pasta in Paperback



Good news, everyone! In September of 2019, the University of California Press will publish a paperback version of the Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini De Vita and translated by Maureen B. Fant. This edition will retail for $26.95.

If you do not already own a hardback copy of this essential work, consider picking up a paperback edition at your local bookseller or at one of the many fine culinary bookstores in the US. On the East Coast, I like Kitchen Arts & Letters. I buy my cookbooks here on the Left Coast from Book Larder in Seattle.