As more and more eateries launch make-your-own kits, Julia Bryce puts this local pasta box with homemade treats to the test.
Right now, it seems the world is all about strategic planning, whether that be your trip to the supermarket, the goodies you’re getting delivered via the post or planning the food you’re cooking up at home.
Never usually having time to create a substantial meal at home, I am quite enjoying the opportunity to try my hand at perfecting a few homemade dishes.
And while I’m pretty good at serving up a bowl of pasta, I always feel I could have been a little more inventive with it, rather than reaching for a store bought jar of sauce.
Pasta in Aberdeen has launched Pasta A Casa – a service delivering handcrafted, authentic Italian pasta and dishes to your door.
Offering a range of items, customers can place their order online earlier in the week, and by Friday evening, be cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
I was keen to try the service out, and so the owner Francesco Di Nicola sent me a box boasting two portions of handmade pasta (cappellacci con ragu and ricotta and spinach ravioli), a white cheese sauce (formaggi), a portion of crushed mixed nuts and a herby sage butter, too.
Turning to their website for inspiration I could see the ravioli went well with the butter so decided to cook it up in boiling water, adding the butter at the end and finishing it with the chopped nuts which contained everything from walnuts to cashews, to peanuts and Brazil nuts.
The ravioli box, which included 10 pieces, was really easy to make and I had it cooked up within eight minutes. Quickly heating the butter in the pan, I poured it over the plated pasta, topping it all off with the nuts and garnishing it with some freshly chopped basil, as well as some chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
The pasta was super soft and the ricotta cheese inside was so pungent and melted. It held the filling well, not bursting like so many store-bought pastas I have tried before. The nuts added a delicious crunch while the butter brought in creamy flavours and a nice bright yellow hue to the dish.
Next up, I cooked the cappacellacci, this time using the formaggi sauce. The pasta took a recommended eight minutes to cook, and when it was close to being ready, I bunged the creamy cheese-based sauce into a saucepan and heated it up.
Scooping the cooked pasta into the saucepan with the sauce from my boiling pot of water, I coated them with as much of the creamy sauce as possible. Once plated, I poured the remaining on top and garnished with freshly chopped parsley.
Not usually one to order pasta with a white sauce, this dish stole the show for me. Made with blue, soft, mascarpone and parmesan cheese, double cream, milk, poppy seed and aromatic herbs, it was full of flavour and screamed indulgence.
This pasta again remained perfectly intact and held its shape very well with no leakages thanks to it being freshly made.
As well as these ingredients, customers can also browse a range of other dishes on the Pasta website including lasagne, arrabbiata, and a few desserts such as tiramisu and Sicilian cannoli.
You can also purchase other fresh pasta as well, including spaghetti, tagliatelle and gnocchi to name a few, along with a range of sauces.
Prices range from £4 to £14 for the bags of pasta and dishes, and there are also vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options available.
Delivery is currently just to the Aberdeen area and all orders must be placed by 6pm on Tuesday for Friday delivery. All delivery is contact-free.
As well as giving customers the chance to try out a range of ingredients and dishes, the firm is also hosting pasta making workshops on Zoom every Saturday at 12pm and 5pm. The boxes for the classes can be sent across the UK and it costs £20 to participate.
During the two-hour class you will make your own dough, master different pasta shapes and be equipped with the knowledge to create authentic Italian dishes.
For more information, click here.
