American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta, by Evan Funke

A comprehensive guide to making the best pasta in the world: In this debut cookbook from Evan Funke, he shares classic techniques from his Emilia Romagna training and provides accessible instructions for making his award winning sfoglia (sheet pasta) at home. With little more than flour, eggs, and a rolling pin, you too can be a sfoglino (a pasta maker) and create traditional Italian noodles that are perfectly paired with the right sauces.

Features recipes for home cooks to 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).

Includes stories from Italy and the kitchen at Felix Trattoria that add the finishing touches to this master class in pasta, while sumptuous photographs and a bold package offer a feast for the eyes.

Forget your pasta machine and indulge in the magic of being a sfoglino with the help of the rich imagery and detailed instructions provided by Evan Funke and American Sfoglino.

Evan Funke is a master pasta maker and the chef owner of Felix Trattoria in Venice, California.
Katie Parla is a food writer and IACP award winning author whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including the New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur. Eric Wolfinger is a James Beard Award winning food photographer.

Makes an excellent gift idea for any pasta aficionado or avid Italian cook.

"Like any proper sfoglino - the Italian term for a person dedicated to the art of fresh pasta making - Evan Funke has mastered the craft of making fresh pasta to the point at which he can cook by his senses. Thanks to his pasta manual, written with Katie Parla, you can, too - but first, expect lots of talk about the "ideal gluten network," "level of salinity" and "pursuit of perfection." Mr. Funke studied in Bologna, Italy, before opening Felix Trattoria in Los Angeles, and while his recipes for handmade pastas are involved, there's no machine required. The finished dishes are mostly streamlined, in keeping with his observation that "80 percent of Italian cooking is about getting the best ingredients." The rest revolves around treating them right, which you'll do with ease thanks to his careful instruction and step-by-step photography." - New York Times, A Best Fall Cookbook of 2019

"This book might just be the finest, most educational tool available about the art of fresh pasta making.Thanks to Evan's maniacal enthusiasm, you may never again be tempted to buy dried, packaged pasta at the supermarket. And before you know it, the word sfoglino will roll off your tongue as expertly as you roll sfoglia itself." —Nancy Silverton, American Chef and winner of the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef Award

"Evan Funke unlocks the beauty and craft of true hand-rolled pasta, honoring the traditions Italians have passed down through generations. He educates at-home cooks on the history of pasta shapes and the sacred bond between those shapes and their true match sauces, one of the most important steps when channeling your inner sfoglino.—Sarah Grueneberg, James Beard Award-winning chef/partner of Monteverde Restaurant and Pastificio

Evan Funke is a master pasta maker and the chef-owner of Felix Trattoria in Venice, California. He lives in Los Angeles.

Katie Parla is a food writer and IACP award-winning author whose work has appeared in numerous outlets, including the New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur. She lives in Rome, Italy.

Eric Wolfinger is a James Beard Award–winning food photographer. He lives in San Francisco.

September 24, 2019