I’ve been talking about Casa Barilla for a while now – and it’s finally here! Tuesday was the first day up and running, so I headed over to check it out and report back.
Taking place at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, you can enter along 5th Avenue at 69th Street and walk across, or you can walk through the park, entering lower or wherever you’re coming from, though the entrance is on the east side of Rumsey Playfield. This is what you’ll see – the entrance, where you can pay $5 that goes directly to the Food Bank of New York, which feeds 25 – that’s TWENTY FIVE!!! – people, or use one of the tickets you picked up during one of the many opportunities to do so during this past Summer of Italy.
Walk past the Pasta Face exhibit (you’ll just have to see it to understand!) and go inside, and on the left you’ll see:
the workshop area, where you can watch demonstrations and learn about the history of Italian food, olive oil, wines, and more. Register here to guarantee your spot, though walk-ins are certainly welcome!
Across from the workshop area is the Lavazza espresso bar – yes it’s free! Choose from espresso, espresso doppio (double shot), or espresso machiatto.
By the time I was able to get over there, though, they’d run out of milk so no more machiattos! I settled for a doppio and bounced off the wall, for funsies.
All the way in the back is a huge tasting station with four different dishes you can taste. I won’t give away what they all are, but they all sound yummy!
I didn’t manage to try any because I was so full after I hit up the center-right (as you walk towards the back) section: the cooking class area! (Registration is available through the same link above!)
First I took the Italian coastal pasta class (advanced) with the chef from Osteria Giotto in Montclair, NJ. He was personable, knowledgeable, and a lot of fun.
Plus, he made this awesome dish look super easy – okay, fine, it IS super easy – vermicelli mari e monti.
… which features clams, mussels, shrimp, sea bass, calamari… all in one dish.
He plated it super lovely, too. My portion stuffed me! And it was really tasty, he made it look super easy, love, love, love.
The next class I took was Seasonal Pasta (advanced).
Though this chef was slightly less personable, I still enjoyed listening to him explain how to make the dish, which was similar and yet completely different from the one I had at Spaghettata weeks ago.
With cheese, grape tomatoes, and just look how pretty.
My very hearty portion once again stuffed the heck out of me. Super tasty, with plenty of salt that left me thirsty… thankfully, an Italian imported water was on hand to quench that thirst! If you want either of these recipes, leave a comment and I’ll reply back with them!
I forgot to snap a photo, but in the dead center of the tent is a huge, brightly lit seating area for you to take your tasting portions and sit, enjoy the food, some water, or just hang out. There’s also a workshop area for kids which I intentionally did not photograph because I don’t like taking pictures of strangers to begin with, and pictures of strangers/kids is even worse. But I peeked in and it was adorable, with lots of interactive activities for those of you with kids. Fun!
Casa Barilla is open for THREE MORE DAYS, so try to get over there soon:
Donald Rumsey Playfield
Wednesday, September 14 – 9:30am to 3:30pm
Thursday, September 15 – 9:30am to 3:30pm
Friday, September 16 – 9:30am to 5pm
Also:
The first 75 people to enter Casa Barilla on 9/14-9/15 get 2 free VIP tickets to the Andrea Bocelli: Live in Central Park concert event! Rules
Enjoy!
Please note that I attended this event anonymously, though I am a Barilla blogger ambassador. While I am obligated to post about this event, I assure you that I will continue to uphold my responsibility to my readers to always be honest and forthright about what I eat and what I like or don’t like.
TT says
those pastas do look yum. pretty nice marketing that Barilla is doing.
kim says
My friend had a free ticket for me, but I couldn’t make it. It would’ve been a pleasant evening out last night. Did you also score the concert ticket? That would be a wonderful music concert!
Linda says
yum!
CG says
Can I get both recipes please. Thank you.
Feisty Foodie says
Barilla Vermicelli Mari e Monti
12 PEI mussels
12 small slams (recommended: BC clams)
1/2 lb. calamari
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup Academia Barilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
10 medium shrimp (cleaned/deveined, chopped if you like)
1/2 lb. sea bass, cut into chunks
1 cup porcini mushrooms (button are fine as well)
1 box Barilla vermicelli, or spaghetti
3 tbsp. parsley
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Steam the mussels and clams in a covered skillet. Discard the shells (or use for decoration/plating).
Cut the calamari into thin rings.
Chop the garlic into very thin slices. Heat half of the oil and the garlic in a skillet.
Add the seafood and saute for 2 minutes.
In a separate skillet, saute the porcini mushrooms until golden. Add to the first skillet.
If needed, add some of the pasta cooking water and simmer two more minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to box directions. Drain when al dente, and toss with the sauce and some pasta cooking water.
Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
*I tried to add the notes I took during the class – our chef was extremely personable and would do well on his own cooking show (even with his slight accent) – but mostly the above is copied verbatim from the booklet distributed at Casa Barilla to each attendee, with all the recipes from the various classes included.
Lisa says
I always look forward to your Barilla posts! Please forward the recipes if you can – thank you!
Feisty Foodie says
Barilla Conchiglie with Sausage and Leeks
3 oz. unsalted butter
5 sweet sausages, skinless and cut into small pieces
3 shallots, diced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 glass dry white wine
1 box Barilla Conchiglie Rigate
3 leek stalks, julienned
1 tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
3 oz. Pecorino Toscano cheese, grated
2 oz. Academia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
In a large saute pan, melt butter and cook leeks until soft and set aside.
In a large skillet, add olive oil and brown the sausages. Add the shallots and tomatoes. Add the wine and evaporate well.
Cook the pasta according to box directions and drain, reserving some cooking water.
Return the sauce to the fire, add the pasta, cooking water, leeks, parsley and cheese. Serve with fresh black pepper.
Hungry says
I’m loving that the chefs kept the cooking demonstrations lighter for the season.
Feisty Foodie says
There was a surprising amount of cheese in the second dish, but it still tasted pretty light. One thing that really surprised me and isn’t reflected in the recipes is how much oil they drizzle on the pasta – I tend to add oil to my pot/pan once, just in the beginning, but both chefs (and I saw others doing the same at the other stations) finished the pastas with more oil. I own ‘finishing oils’ – the kind you’re not meant to cook with – but I’ve never really done that as I always worry about an oily taste/feel to the pasta at the end. But neither dish tasted or looked oily, just rich. I’m debating trying that, but as I like to keep my homecooked meals fairly on the light side, the extra 70 or so calories per tablespoon might really show up on me, haha.
T.C. says
Nice pastas.
Too bad I’m missing out on the concert. Le sigh.