Fresh & Fast – Pasta-making at La Boca
La Boca is proud to own an in-house pasta-making factory where six different types of fresh pasta are produced daily: linguini (broad, flat noodles), campanelle (cones with ruffled edges), spaghetti, penne (tube shaped), conchiglie (shells) and fusilli (corkscrew swirls). Using only natural water and semolina flour, a healthier product is created than the super-market bought dry variety, since there are no additives or preservatives in the fresh kind.
The process is simple: the water and semolina are mixed inside special pasta machines for 7 minutes then extensions are connected to the machines to produce the desired type of pasta. After the fresh pasta is made, it is cooled for a few minutes, and then portions are packaged into special containers and transferred to refrigerators where they can be stored for up to a few days.
It takes La Boca about ten minutes to make 1 kg of pasta, and about 100 kg is made per day, with two people working from 9am in the morning until 6pm. Now that may seem like a lot of pasta, but with the delicious recipes and the restaurant’s growing popularity, there is always high demand! If you’re interested in checking out the pasta factory in person, just head upstairs where you can view the pasta-makers in action through the glass windows. With permission from the manager, you can even step inside and take a closer look.
Why use fresh pasta? Fresh is key to everyone's culinary success, especially for foodservice professionals who demand quality ingredients. Dry pasta can not match the flexibility of taste, flavour and variety that fresh pasta offers. Why eat fresh pasta? Because the substances used in making it are natural and pure - semolina is also made from wheat, and is therefore a source of wholegrain foods in your diet, which is good for you!
With the pasta made in-house and cooked right in front of you, dining at La Boca means you really know what you’re consuming. Another great thing about fresh pasta is that there is less cooking time involved, so your meal is not only going to be healthy, but ready sooner. With the delicious aromas drifting to you from La Boca’s open-kitchens, it’s a good job that fresh pasta doesn’t take long to cook, as you won’t have to wait ages for your taste-buds to be satisfied!