Girls Trip - Day 8 Sea Day and Pasta Class

 With the port days behind us, our last sea day begins and we're starting with a pasta making class.  I've been super excited about this one and am ready to learn and taste yummy Italian goodness.

Mise en place - I love that it's all ready to go like this.  It's how you get a really good class in an hour.

We made a half recipe, but I'm giving you the full amounts.

Here we go:  the first step is to make the pasta dough.  Beat 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs.  Add to 2 cups semolina flour.  Add 2 tbsp. olive oil.

Combine dough (add a little water if it seems too dry) Move to a clean surface and knead for for a few minutes.  Let it rest.  (You can wrap with plastic and set aside for 20 minutes.  We just left it.)

Now for the sauce:  Saute 1 cup of diced pancetta until golden, drain and keep separate.

In same pan, heat 4 tbsp. olive oil and the oil from the pancetta. saute 1 tbsp. chopped garlic, and 1 yellow onion, chopped.  Add 1/2 cup white wine and reduce.  Add 2 cups of halved cherry tomatoes and cook until mashed.  

Add one cup of chicken stock and let it reduce.

Add  1 cup of  tomato sauce along with some basil and let simmer.

Back to the pasta.  Flour a surface and flatten dough with hands.  Put through a pasta roller three times, reducing the thickness as you go.

Back to the pasta roller and this time use the cutter to make fettucine strips.

They made need to be separated.

Ready to go - 

Add pasta to boiling water and cook until desired doneness (I like mine a little more al dente.)

Placed cooked pasta into sauce, add 1/4 cup pesto.  Season as desired.

Doesn't this pan just look so yummy?

Plate, serve, and enjoy.  I will say that this is the BEST pasta and sauce I've ever had.  Truth.

Last night at Chef's Table, we had a mentalist come and perform for a break in eating.  He mentioned a show today and as Kelly and I were looking for it, we ran into him.  How fun.  We wanted a selfie and he took my camera away for a pic.

By the time we get back to the show, it is PACKED!!!  I don't care, as I find a spot on the floor up front.  Gwen joins me and the lovely ladies behind us are okay with it.

It's a great show!!!  What's his name?  Manoj Balakrishnan - and he is definitely worth watching.  Check out YouTube.

Our last visitor.  I'm back in the cabin and need to get packed.  Hate this part, but want to have a little fun this evening.

All of my barrels are here --- Whew, that was a chore after a bit, but Kelly and I both did it.  The last push from the jeweler to buy more was hard.  Honest.  However, we stayed strong, took our barrels and left.

I'm packed and dressed for the evening.  Yep, I'm dressing up tonight - still wearing the tiara, and loving the Platinum moments.  A trip to the Texas chair had to happen.  

Kelly and I met up with Frieda at Center Stage bar and got the last day going with a couple of martinis.  The next part of our day is at the Steakhouse for dinner.  Well, perhaps more drinking happened, at least for me.  I found an Espresso Martini at the Steakhouse bar while I waited for the other gals.

Fun food once again - oysters for Gwen.

My choice for the evening is the surf and turf.  YUM.

Chocolate ball for dessert.

While some went to pack, I'm done so wish to stop in at the piano bar.   Frieda comes along and the night is sooooo much fun.  At one point, both of us were running around the room slapping hands with everyone else and singing "Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole" - yes, BOTH of us.  Great night and am seriously regretting not having visited the piano bar before.

It's been the best ending to a cruise.  I'm pretty toasted, but having fun.  That's it for tonight - time for some sleep and then heading home tomorrow.  Til then, be joyful, my friends.