National pasta day is taking place on 25th October and Valentina Aviotti, head chef of award-winning Da Noi Chester has some tips on how to make pasta like a true Italian!

Valentina has put together six useful pointers that anyone can follow to master the art of pasta making:

1. To start off, the ideal egg-flour ratio is 1 egg to 100grams of flour.
   

2. You need to use flour that develops a strong and very movable dough that quickly absorbs and binds the liquids. The flour we use in the restaurant is imported directly from a Northern Italian producer (Molino Quaglia near Padua) and guarantees easy ‘workability’, with no risk of tearing if it's rolled extremely thin.
   

3. After mixing and kneading, the dough must be left to rest for a period of 15-30 minutes (wrapped in cling film) to allow the gluten to relax and avoid it springing back.
   

4. The importance of touch. Feel your pasta as you roll it out-only you will know when you have found its perfect texture.
   

5. Pasta dries out very quickly, so be mindful of that. Cover the pasta at every stage with an upturned tray or other means.
   

6. If you are making filled pasta, like tortellini, make sure the filling is very moist.

Ultimately, it’s all about having fun and taking your time to enjoy the process!

However, if you would rather just eat the pasta and not make it yourself, Valentina’s restaurant Da Noi is happy to host you for Pasta Day!

The new autumn menu from Da Noi showcases delicious pasta dishes such as:

• Messer Raviolo - Egg yolk and butternut squash filled raviolo

• Truffle Filled Ravioli - Black truffle filled ravioli, porcini mushrooms, parsley

• Gnocchi - Gnocchi, taleggio, chestnuts, leeks hay

• Maccheroni with cacio and mussels - Maccheroni, cacio and mussels pesto, black pepper, nasturtium

If you would like to chat more to Valentina about pasta or come and try it for yourself, please get in touch!