Handmade Pasta Workshop

If you are looking for a way to spend the afternoon of March 28th, there is a Handmade Pasta Workshop taking place at Open Bakery here in Brighton. The session is led by Tommaso, a freelance pasta chef who has spent over ten years refining his craft. His approach is rooted in the traditional techniques he learned from his grandmother in Padua, Italy, which he has since adapted through his professional experience working in kitchens across London and Paris.

The workshop is designed to be a hands-on experience where you learn the process of making pasta dough from the beginning. Tommaso guides the group through the creation of two specific traditional shapes, Malloreddus and Orecchiette, as well as ravioli filled with a combination of ricotta, lemon, and basil. The structure of the afternoon includes a communal cooking phase where participants prepare a classic butter and herb sauce to serve with the ravioli. Once the cooking is finished, there is an informal period where you can sit down and eat the meal you have prepared alongside the other people in the class.

To get things started, the session begins with bread and dip provided upon arrival. The workshop is set up so that you are not just eating what you make during the class; you will also have the opportunity to pack up the remaining raw pasta to take home. This is a useful feature if you want to save your work for later, as the pasta is suitable for freezing. It is a straightforward, practical session for anyone interested in the mechanics of pasta making, focusing on the manual skills required to form the dough and shape the different varieties under the guidance of a professional chef.