About 

"More pasta, less sauce...”

Pasta makers are the main driving force behind a well constructed pasta dish. While execution and assembly are important, just as much as the potency of its dressing, the manual but nuanced labour of skilled hands should not be overlooked. 

In the case of most types of handmade pasta, technique (as in any other craft) begins with a foundation that can be bestowed as a transfer of knowledge but without continuous pursuit in excellence through practice, it does not evolve beyond a piece of information. A recipe for sauces passed on, can endure in perpetuity.
 

At a very basic physiological level, there is assurance for those with access to this staple: it meant energy for the day's work in the fields/ factory. There was no consideration for overzealous layering of complex flavours, use of opulent high priced items and precise manicuring techniques accomplished with tweezers. The function of pasta is not only a source of nourishment, a representation of tradition, cultural significance but a basic human need shaped by circumstances. Perhaps, this could explain why 'paisans' always forewarn the detriment of using too many frills (sauce) in pasta. 

From my own personal opinion as a pasta maker, the parameters for success are texture and form, which exist in a state of interdependence, translating to how it performs as a dish. Forming, rolling, dragging, cutting every piece of pasta (with a skilled approach) into existence should be acknowledged. To truly perceive the integrity of pasta and appreciate the work of its maker, it only needs to be 'seasoned', and with as basic a sauce can be. An overly dressed pasta would hinder the enjoyment of it. Now, leading the dish solely through the sauce, is the furthest end of disregard for the work of the pasta maker. 

"Dress your pasta with sauce and not the other way around...”

This is my core belief: a pasta dish should always center around the pasta and should not have to compete with the sauce and other embellishments. It is this singular appreciation of pasta as the true protagonist that drew me into its world.  

"Focus on technique, skill and processes …”

The brand, Ben Fatto, was founded with the preservation of the art of pasta making in mind, to stay connected with techniques of the old world and traditions of il bel paese.

Yum Hwa

Sfoglino