I can write a whole other book on making fresh pasta. There is no better way to cultivate a big love for cooking than to transform some flour and eggs into beautiful pasta dough that can then be made into a fantasy of shapes, either by hand or with the assistance of a pasta maker. My big love story begins with Sunday Gravy (page 211) and homemade, fresh pasta. As a kid, nothing could match that flush of confidence that came from helping my mom-mom with her “Homemades” (page 221). And late on Saturday nights, when my mom would be busting out her pasta maker to create delicious homemade ravioli for a special Sunday dinner, my older brothers and sister would get to stay up later than me and watch reruns of The New Adventures of Charlie Chan. And I would be so jealous. I wanted to know what was going on with Charlie Chan, but also, what was going on with that ravioli?!

Second only to the joy I get out of cooking for others is teaching other people how to cook. And teaching people of all ages how to make fresh pasta is absolutely one of my favorite teaching experiences. But I also understand that making fresh pasta from scratch is a lifestyle choice! When you do have the time, be sure and open some wine, put on your favorite tunes, get the kids involved, and make it a family event. Making fresh Ricotta Cavatelli with Tomato Broth, Bacon, and Fava Beans (page 117) is so worth it. And try your hand at Baked Ricotta Crespelle (page 110)—you’ll never reach for store-bought cannelloni again.

Here are a few pasta cooking tips: First, whenever cooking any pasta, fresh or dried, be sure to have ample, rolling boiling water that has been generously salted. For 1 lb [455 g] of pasta, I always recommend 2 Tbsp of fine sea salt to make your water “salty like the sea,” so that while your pasta cooks, it will absorb the salt, making it more flavorful. And second, fresh pasta, homemade or store-bought, cooks very quickly, usually in less than 60 seconds, so when you see it coming up to the top of the pot, it’s ready. And third, always give your pasta a few stirs while cooking. My dad loved to say, “Friends stick together—not pasta.” And I think that pretty much sums up the sentiment here.