Good food is supposed to bring people together, but the idea of entertaining fills many of us with anxiety. It doesn’t have to, says Allison Arevalo, former Oakland restaurateur and author of “The Pasta Friday Cookbook: Let’s Eat Together” (Andrews McMeel; $22), which publishes on Sept. 17. The new cookbook includes 52 pasta recipes inspired by Sunday suppers with Arevalo’s Sicilian great-grandmother, who was 92 and needed to stand on a stepstool to flip meatballs.
Arevalo’s Pasta Friday concept is simple: Every Friday, make a huge pot of pasta, maybe a salad. Invite friends, family, neighbors — anyone you wish you could see more often — to enjoy a bowl with you. Tell them to bring wine to go with that Canneloni or Mafaldine with Porcini and Eggs, or a baguette or extra pecorino for grating. Over time, say, a year, you will grow closer to the friends you have, foster new connections and create a tasty tradition for your kids.
You’ll also never make the same dish twice. “The Pasta Friday Cookbook” features 52 tempting recipes — a dish and shape for every week of the year — plus 16 fresh salads. Arevalo, who co-founded Oakland’s Homeroom and started Pasta Friday in her Rockridge home before moving back to her native New York, has arranged the cookbook by season, so you can start in the fall section with Radiatore with Crispy Chicken, Carrots, and Sage, then move to the wintry Pappardelle with Roasted Pork and Mushrooms.
And by all means, use dried pasta. Arevalo favors the Rustichella D’Abruzzo brand; DeCecco for a lower-cost option. Whole Foods makes a three-liter olive oil blend under their 365 label that she likes for cooking. But she asks that you splurge on a high-quality olive oil for finishing, so when you drizzle it on that Citrus Salad with Avocado and Celery or Linguine with Dungeness Crab, the taste of fresh olives stands apart from the other ingredients.
Lastly, what’s the secret to that no anxiety thing? Arevalo divulges eight important tips, which include knowing your limits, keeping it casual and feeding the kids first.
Meet Allison
Before opening her new Brooklyn restaurant, Pasta Louise, Allison Arevalo will be coming back to the Bay Area for a series of book signings and dinners. Here are three ways to meet her:
Sept. 26 at Benchmark Oakland: Meet Allison, taste several dishes from the book — like Greenest Garlic Bread and Baked Cavatelli with Sausage and Herbs — and drink Italian wine. Details: $100 all-inclusive, including signed copy of “The Pasta Friday Cookbook. Seatings are at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at 499 Ninth St., Oakland. Click here for tickets.
Sept. 27 at Flora: Meet Allison and Gianluigi Peduzzi, co-owner of Rustichella Pasta, and enjoy a three-course menu featuring recipes from the book, as well as a book signing. Details: $40 plus tax and gratuity. 5:30 to 10 p.m. For reservations, call Flora at 510-286-0100.
Sept. 28 at Rockridge Market Hall: Book signing and opportunity to stock up on Rustichella d’Abruzzo pastas during bulk sale (up to 40 percent off). Sample dishes inspired by the book, like Rustichella d’Abruzzo PrimoGrano Sagne a Pezzi with Chickpeas, Arugula & Sage. Peduzzi, of Rustichella, also in attendance. Details: Free. 5655 College Ave., Oakland. Learn more here.
