Coloured Pastas by Anthony Sestito

Ever wondered how to make those vibrant, colourful pastas you see at high-end Italian restaurants? Now is your chance to learn from the best. Join Chef Anthony Sestito, the head chef of Pastaio, for a hands-on workshop that dives deep into the art of natural pasta making.

What You'll Learn Chef Sestito brings over 14 years of experience and a deep knowledge of Italian traditions to this class. You won't be using any artificial additives here; instead, you'll learn how to use natural ingredients like beet, spinach, and turmeric to create visually striking doughs. You'll cover the science behind these additions—how they affect hydration, texture, and elasticity—and master the techniques to keep your dough consistent.

Get Hands-On The class is designed to get you shaping and designing. You'll work with multiple doughs to create striped, bi-colour, marbled, and patterned pasta sheets. You'll also learn the decorative cuts and shapes that make handmade pasta so special. You'll leave with your own creations, new skills, and PDF recipes to recreate the magic at home.

The Experience It’s not just about the work; it’s about the meal. The workshop includes a selection of antipasto and charcuterie to graze on, and it concludes with a light meal of the pastas you've created, prepared simply with butter or light sauces to let the craftsmanship shine.

Practical Info The workshop takes place on May 23 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at the Centre for Social Innovation – Spadina (192 Spadina Ave). It’s a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon for anyone interested in culinary arts. Be sure to check out Chef Sestito’s work on Instagram at @_pastaio_.