Fresh pasta from scratch

Fresh Hand-Made Pasta Dough

Savory Meatballs with Fresh Marinara Sauce with Garlic Bread

Chicken and Fettuccini with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Turkish Lemon Pistachio Cake

Fresh Pasta Dough

yield: 2 servings

• 1 ¼ cups (6.25oz) all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1. The “Volcano”: Mound the flour and salt on your counter (stone is best!) or in a wide bowl. Dig a deep well in the center with high, sturdy walls.
2. The Lava: Whisk eggs and oil together, then pour 1/3 of the mix into the well. Using a fork, gently swirl the eggs, pulling flour from the inner walls until a thick paste forms.
3. Incorporate: Add the remaining egg mix in two stages, stirring until the “runny” center is gone.
4. The Knead: Once it’s too thick for a fork, use your hands! Fold, push with your palm, and rotate. Repeat for 8–10 minutes.
5. The Spring-Back Test: Press a finger into the dough; it should bounce back. Wrap in plastic and rest in the fridge for 20–30 minutes to let the gluten “relax.”

Fun Fact: This style of pasta is called Pasta all’Uovo. In Northern Italy, they traditionally use only egg yolks for an even richer, golden-yellow color!

Marinara Sauce

Yield: 2 servings

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 3 TBSP red wine
• 10 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 TBSP sugar (optional, omit if fresh summer tomatoes are used)
• 2 tablespoons basil leaves
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Infuse: Heat oil until shimmering. Sauté garlic for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and lightly golden.
2. Deglaze: Immediately add the red wine to the pan to stop the garlic from burning and scrape up the flavorful bits.
3. Simmer: Add tomatoes, sugar (counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes) and basil. Set heat to low and simmer for 60 minutes.
4. Crush: As it cooks, use a whisk or wooden spoon to crush the whole tomatoes into a rustic sauce. Season to taste.

Fun Fact: “Marinara” comes from the Italian word for “seafaring.” It was invented by ship cooks in the 1700s because the high acid in tomatoes and vinegar-like properties of garlic kept the sauce from spoiling on long voyages.

Beef Meatballs

yield: 12, 1oz meatballs

• 8 oz ground chuck (80% lean)
• 2 tablespoons yellow onion, minced small
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning (or Oregano or Thyme)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon parmesan cheese, grated fine plus more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped.
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. The Panade: In a bowl, mix breadcrumbs and milk into a paste. This keeps the meat juicy!
2. Mix: Add beef and all other ingredients. Mix with a spoon until just combined—don’t overwork it!
3. Roll: Scoop 1oz portions and roll into tight spheres. Place on parchment paper close together (but not touching!).
4. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes (Internal temp: 165°F). Drop them into your simmering Marinara to finish.

Chef’s recommendation: Use a combination of 2 different meats like ⅔ of beef and ⅓ of lamb or bison or porc or turkey. It will add depth and flavor.

Fun Fact: In Italy, meatballs (polpette) are usually eaten as a standalone snack or in soup, rarely served on top of spaghetti. The “Spaghetti and Meatballs” duo is a famous Italian-American invention!

Fettuccini with Tarragon Chicken Cream Sauce

yeild: 2 servings

• 8 oz boneless skinless chicken, cut in 1 inch cubes 
• 4 oz mushrooms, cut in half 
• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon 
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tb flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

 Instructions:

1. Sear: Brown chicken in 1 tbsp butter. Add mushrooms and cook 3–5 minutes until tender.
2. Aromatics: Add the rest of the butter and garlic to the center. Sauté until fragrant.
3. Deglaze & Reduce: Sprinkle flour over the pan, stir, then add chicken stock and tarragon. Reduce by half.
4. Cream: Stir in heavy cream. Whisk in your roux (the butter/flour mix) a little at a time to reach your desired thickness.
5. Toss: Gently coat your fresh cooked fettuccine in the sauce and garnish with parsley.

Fun Fact: Tarragon is known as the “King of Herbs” in French cuisine. It has a subtle licorice/anise flavor that chemically pairs perfectly with chicken and cream, cutting through the richness of the dairy.

Revani Pistachio Cake

Yield: 20 ramekins

The Lemon Syrup (The “Sherbet”)

Make this first. It must be room temperature when the cakes come out hot.

• Sugar: 800g (4 cups)
• Water: 1 Liter (4 cups)
• Lemon Juice: 4 tbsp
• Lemon Peel: 3-4 wide strips

Instructions: Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice/peel, simmer for 2 more minutes. Set aside to cool.

The Revani Batter

The Wet Mix:

• 8 Large Eggs
• 400g Sugar (2 cups)
• 800ml Vegetable Oil
• 800g Greek Yogurt
• Zest of 4 Lemons

The Dry Mix:

• 600g Fine Semolina (The heart of Revani)
• 400g All-Purpose Flour
• 3 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt

1. Whisking (Volume): Beat the 8 eggs and sugar until pale and thick. This is the only way to get a light Revani with fewer eggs.
2. Combine: Stir in the yogurt, oil, and lemon zest.
3. The Fold: Gently fold in the dry ingredients (semolina, flour, baking powder, salt). Wait 5 minutes before portioning—the semolina needs a moment to start absorbing the liquid.
4. Ramekins: Butter 20 ramekins. Fill each 2/3 full.
5. The Bake: Place on sheet pans. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes until the tops are a beautiful deep gold.
6. The Soak (Crucial): While the cakes are steaming hot, ladle 3-4 tbsp of cool syrup into each ramekin. The cake will “hiss” and drink it up.

 Revani “Success Secrets” 

• The “Gold” Standard: Do not pull these out when they are pale. Revani needs a dark golden top to stand up to the syrup; otherwise, the top becomes “mushy.”
• The Crunch: Garnish with crushed pistachios only after the syrup has soaked in, so the nuts stay crunchy.
• The “Rest”: If possible, bake these at the very start of class. Revani actually tastes better 1-2 hours after soaking because the semolina grains fully soften.

 The Signature Garnish

• Pistachios: 200g (Roughly chopped/crushed)
• Labneh or Thick Greek Yogurt: For dolloping on top
• Fresh Mint: 1 bunch (optional)