Italians and the business of hospitality go hand in hand. Hugs, kisses, invitations to sit down and eat something, which quickly become commands if you seem to hesitate – “Come on, have something!”
By now every American should be familiar with this persuasion tactic, if not then ask any first generation Italian-American to share some stories about their childhood with you.
Pay especially close attention to those Sunday stories where as soon as you sat down there was a dish of some form of homemade pasta that Nonna/Grandma placed right under your nose – lasagna, tagliatelle, fettucine, gnocchi, agnolini, ravioli, tortelli, etc…
Who doesn’t have a memory of their Nonna in her old school apron kneading the dough on a large wooden board? -Now, that’s amore!
All of the love and hard work that went into making that plate of fresh pasta could be savoured in the first bite. Yum-yum….
Working hard to knead that dough to perfect consistency. You always asking, “But Nonna, how do you know when it’s ready?” and her responding, “You got to feel it!” Only Nonna’s hands were the correct size for the doses and had the perfect touch to know when that dough was ready.
Nowadays, with our hectic lifestyles no one has the time or patience to keep up this family tradition, yet handmade pasta is still considered a delicacy sought after by consumers both here in the states and back in the motherland – Italy. So, if you don’t have time to knead the dough, just leave it up to us at the Villa Mosconi to show you what LOVE is with a dish of authentic, homemade pasta Nonna would be proud of!