Author Topic: Valentino Pasta (Read 3562 times)

jeff v · « **on:** April 22, 2012, 09:57:42 AM »

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you all know what's been keeping me from making as many pizza's as I'd like to be making and eating.

I've started an artisan dry pasta company. It's been a long way coming but we are finally ready to begin selling in a couple of Chicagoland farmer's markets, and shops. Hopefully by summer or fall we'll have an online store.

I'm inviting you to connect with us on the website, facebook, and or twitter where I post about starting a business, recipes, and other shenanigans.

valentinopasta.com
Facebook.com/ValentinoPasta
@ValentinoPasta

Best,
Jeff

JConk007 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2012, 10:15:19 AM »

AWESOME !! Best of Luck Jeff I have alredy liked your Page !

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2012, 01:52:01 PM »

Congradulations! I wish you the very best of luck.

I love your logo.

jeff v · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2012, 02:58:02 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on April 22, 2012, 01:52:01 PM

Congradulations! I wish you the very best of luck.

I love your logo.

Thanks guys.

Craig-Like most decisions in this business so far, I sweated that one pretty hard. Also, like most things in starting this business, that wasn't what I had in my head at the beginning!!

jeffereynelson · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2012, 03:03:57 PM »

Hey I just checked out your page. As craig said, great logo. I also think the bags look great. I am curious how you're running business, I am starting a small specialty item business too. Do you have your nutritional facts printed on the bag? Did you pay to have someone do that for you? Or are you only selling direct to consumer and taking advantage of some type of IL cottage food laws?

jeff v · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2012, 04:23:52 PM »

Quote from: jeffereynelson on April 22, 2012, 03:03:57 PM

Hey I just checked out your page. As craig said, great logo. I also think the bags look great. I am curious how you're running business, I am starting a small specialty item business too. Do you have your nutritional facts printed on the bag? Did you pay to have someone do that for you? Or are you only selling direct to consumer and taking advantage of some type of IL cottage food laws?

Jeff-there are numerous online companies that can do nutrition labels. Mine worked out very easy as the pasta is only flour and water, but you do have to pay for each product. Farmers markets don't require them for me, but they did verify their sourcing etc.

norma427 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2012, 05:45:30 PM »

Jeff,

I also love your logo. Best of luck and success with your new business!

Norma

deb415611 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2012, 06:49:45 PM »

Congrats Jeff! I like the logo also

PizzaHog · « **Reply #8 on:** April 29, 2012, 10:31:34 AM »

Wow, how cool Jeff and congrats!
Bookmarked your site and anxiously await being able to order your pasta.
Hog

jeff v · « **Reply #9 on:** April 29, 2012, 11:42:07 AM »

Quote from: PizzaHog on April 29, 2012, 10:31:34 AM

Wow, how cool Jeff and congrats!
Bookmarked your site and anxiously await being able to order your pasta.
Hog

Hey Hog, thanks for checking in! TTY soon,
Jeff

Mick.Chicago · « **Reply #10 on:** May 01, 2012, 03:34:22 PM »

Looking good, I'll keep an eye on your F.B page to see if you're in my locality. I make my own pasta but will gladly grab some of yours if I'm able to

jeff v · « **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2012, 04:37:27 PM »

Thanks Mick. This sis definitely different than fresh pasta.

Jeff

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2012, 04:54:22 PM »

Today for lunch I boiled up some of Jeff's creste de gallo durum pasta. I sauced it lightly with the last of the tomato sauce I put up last year from my garden. I had concerns about how well the pasta would do at high-altitude where the boiling point is 198F and pasta can take twice as long to cook as at sea level. Often, the extra cooking time is to the detriment of the final texture.

That was not the case here. The pasta came out perfectly al dente. Everyone loved the taste and texture. I don't think we had every tried that shape before. It went perfectly with the sauce. Jeff has a winner here. Chicago pasta lovers are very lucky.

jeff v · « **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2012, 05:40:14 PM »

Thanks for risking the last of your sauce on the pasta Bill! Really happy to hear you enjoyed it.

Jeff

JConk007 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2012, 09:21:02 PM »

Yep Great Pasta Jeff. Had a chance to try mine as well. Followed the directions and came out pefect and al dente as well. Plowed down 3 plates !

(small ones) Great mouth feel , Flavor, and really cool shape. No fancy presentation here just some left over gravy and so KILLER Pasta ! Thanks again best of luck with the new venture. Its a no brainer y'all go and get some quick !
John

jeff v · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2012, 10:59:14 AM »

Glad it was good John!

hotsawce · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2012, 09:40:25 PM »

Question;

How is the pasta made? Extruded through a bronze piece?

I also have a suggestion if you want to try this. It's a pasta I came up with I really enjoy for pasta.

Blanch brocolli rabe briefly, put in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Crisp up some bacon in a pan, crumble into some smaller pieces. Saute the brocolli rabe in the same pan as the bacon fat, throw the bacon back into to warm it up, toss in the properly cooked pasta, take off the heat and put in a small portion of grated parm reg and toss.

jeff v · « **Reply #17 on:** May 15, 2012, 09:21:48 AM »

Quote from: hotsawce on May 14, 2012, 09:40:25 PM

Question;

How is the pasta made? Extruded through a bronze piece?

I also have a suggestion if you want to try this. It's a pasta I came up with I really enjoy for pasta.

Blanch brocolli rabe briefly, put in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Crisp up some bacon in a pan, crumble into some smaller pieces. Saute the brocolli rabe in the same pan as the bacon fat, throw the bacon back into to warm it up, toss in the properly cooked pasta, take off the heat and put in a small portion of grated parm reg and toss.

Thanks for the recipe-I make something similar but usually use sausage.

To make the pasta we knead semolina (or other flour)slowly w cold water. Then extrude it through brass dies and let it dry for very slow at relatively cool temperatures.

Keeping everything cool among other things preserves nutrition, flavor, and aroma of the grain.
Jeff

hotsawce · « **Reply #18 on:** May 15, 2012, 05:58:44 PM »

Awesome. Brass dies is what made oldschool, traditional pasta great. Creates a better surface on the pasta. That's what I wanted to hear

jeff v · « **Reply #19 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:04:23 PM »

Quote from: hotsawce on May 15, 2012, 05:58:44 PM

Awesome. Brass dies is what made oldschool, traditional pasta great. Creates a better surface on the pasta. That's what I wanted to hear

Yep makes a big difference.

Funny thing now is some industrial manufacturers are using brass dies w teflon inserts so they can claim "we use traditional brass dies". I was given one of these dies to try in hopes that I would buy them. No good. I actually ruined it trying to remove the teflon inserts.

Here is a pic of some fusilli that just came out of the extruder. You can see the great texture they will have. They will smooth out a bit when they dry, but hopefully you get the point. They hold sauce very well.