American Sfoglino by Evan Funke

American Sfoglino by Evan Funke ISBN-13: 9781452173313 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Chronicle Books Released: Sept. 24, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Evan Funke, esteemed chef of L.A.'s Felix Trattoria, shares classic techniques from his Emilia-Romagna training. Funke provides accessible instructions for making his award-winning sfoglia (sheet pasta) at home. With little more than flour, eggs, and a rolling pin, home cooks can recreate 15 classic pasta shapes, spanning simple pappardelle to perfect tortelloni. Beginning with four foundational doughs, American Sfoglino takes readers step by step through recipes for a variety of generous dishes, from essential sauces and broths, like Passata di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce) and Brodo di Carne (Meat Broth) to luscious Tagliatelle in Bianco con Prosciutto (Tagliatelle with Bacon and Butter) and Lasagna Verde alla Bolognese (Green Bolognese Lasagna). Stories from Italy and the kitchen at Felix Trattoria add the finishing touches, while sumptuous photographs and a bold package offer a feast for the eyes.


My Review:
American Sfoglino explains how to mix, roll out, and shape pasta by hand (no pasta machine). Plus some pasta-related stories from Italy and the author's life. The author explained how to make hand-rolled sheet pasta and provided 4 master dough recipes for making pasta. He also explained how to use those recipes to make 15 different pasta types, from strands to shaped pasta to stuffed pasta. The pasta types were: Lasagna Verde Alla Bolognese, Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, Maltagliati, Strichetti, Garganelli, Triangoli, Tortelloni, Balanzoni, Tortellini, Sorpresine, Cestini, Caramelle, Strozzapreti, and Gnocchi de Ricotta. Included were step-by-step photos that clearly demonstrated how to roll out and to shape the pasta.

There were also recipes for pasta sauces, fillings, and dishes. He mainly talked about using the pasta when freshly made, but he did explain how you can best keep it for later use. He gave tips on making tasty, evenly-cooked pastas. He kept the equipment you need to a minimum and even gave some make-shift ways to do things without needing specialized equipment. However, he sometimes used ingredients in the pasta dishes (not the pasta but the finished dishes) that might not be easy for the average person to find. He also sometimes suggested easier-to-find alternatives. If you don't mind the work of making pasta by hand, then this book should be very helpful in learning how to hand make and use sheet pasta.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.