This hands-on class explores the colourful, creative side of pasta making, focusing on the use of natural ingredients to enhance fresh pasta dough. Participants will learn how traditional Italian techniques used to produce visually striking pastas without artificial additives, using ingredients such as beet, spinach, turmeric, and other natural colourants.

The experience begins with preparing multiple doughs, each coloured using natural ingredients. Guests will learn how different additions affect hydration, texture, and elasticity, and how to properly adjust dough to maintain consistency across colours. From there, the class moves into shaping and design techniques. Guests will work with multiple doughs to create: striped pastas (rigati / laminati styles), bi-colour and layered doughs, marbled and patterned sheets, and decorative cuts and shapes that showcase colour contrast.

Particular attention is given to layering, alignment, and rolling techniques to ensure clean, defined patterns and consistent results. Any extra pasta made in class can be taken home, along with PDF recipes and new skills to impress your friends!

The class includes a selection of antipasto & charcuterie to graze and concludes with a light meal of the finished pastas prepared simply — such as with butter, Parmigiano, or light sauces — allowing the colours, textures, and craftsmanship to remain the focus.

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Anthony Sestito is the head Chef of Pastaio, one of the leading suppliers of specialty handmade Italian pastas to many of Toronto finest restaurants. Building on his Italian heritage and more than 14 years experience working in some of the GTA’s top kitchens, along with several in-depth trips to Italy to study pasta traditions from Bologna to Rome, Anthony founded Pastaio in 2020 to dedicate himself to becoming a full-time pastaio (pasta maker). @_pastaio_