Karima Moyer-Nocchi portions out fresh, hand-made pasta noodles to be boiled.
In addition to her Food Studies theme public lecture on the history of pasta and Italian identity, Professor Karima Moyer-Nocchi led a pasta-making class in Human and Consumer Sciences’ Thomas Stevenson’s state-of-the-art test kitchen in the newly renovated McCracken Hall.
Moyer-Nocchi, an Ohio native, has lived in Italy for 30 years. She currently resides in Umbria and teaches at the University of Siena and the University of Rome. Her research explores the affective, political, and economic implications of foodways and culinary traditions. She is author of Chewing the Fat – An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita. Her most recent work, The Eternal Table: A Cultural History of Food in Rome, an epic culinary history spanning from the pre-Romans to present day, will be published in January of 2019.
Students take turns intensely kneading the pasta dough for several minutes.
Moyer-Nocchi took students and community members through each careful step of the pasta making process, from weighing the flour and eggs, to learning the proper way to knead and roll the dough. Students were able to watch Moyer-Nocchi’s work station on television screens located throughout the kitchen so they could observe her technique in great detail.
Moyer-Nocchi demonstrated how to form a bowl with the dry ingredients and then carefully crack the eggs in it. After what may have felt like hours of kneading and rolling the dough to the tired arms of the class attendees, Moyer-Nocchi taught them how to recognize when the dough is ready to be cut into ribbons for noodles. Finally, the pasta was dunked in boiling water and when perfectly al dente, then dressed with lardo (cured Italian style lard) and fresh herbs from the OHIO Student Farm. Leftovers were sent home to lucky roommates and friends.
Moyer-Nocchi discussed the traditions surrounding pasta making as she taught while walking around to each student to give individual advice for improvement. Though not a quick and easy process, this new pasta making skill will help students bring a little bit of Italy into Southeast Ohio.
Dr. Theresa Moran, Food Studies Director, arranged Moyer-Nocchi’s visit to campus through a partnership with Chatham University and Ohio Wesleyan University.
Comments