YOU DON'T NEEDS SECRET INGREDIENTS WHEN YOU'RE THIS GOOD

I ATTEND A MASTERCLASS IN PASTA-MAKING WITH FIAMMA'S CHEF DE CUISINE ANTONIO CORSARO AND LEARN THAT THE SIMPLE AND FAMILIAR CAN GO A LONG WAY IN GASTRONOMY.

- WORDS SUFFIAN HAKIM PHOTOS CAPELLA SINGAPORE

AT SOME POINT in chef Antonio Corsaro's pasta-making masterclass, I had to consciously make the effort to reframe my approach to cooking.

The class is as hands-on as traditional pasta-making gets. I began, under chef Corsaro's calm instruction, by cracking a few eggs over a pile of durum wheat semolina flour (he uses the brand Caputo). I then kneaded the dough, its texture initially rough and shaggy but eventually transforming under my hands into a silky, pliable mass. It was engaging work, all done upon the marble counter at Capella Singapore's Chef's Table, a small but intimate space a floor up from Fiamma where the chef's authentic Italian fare has delighted many.

Under his instruction, I finally cooked a perfectly al dente pasta with a delightful chewy bite that had a subtle, comforting, slightly eggy flavour—thanks to the choice of flour. All that was needed were simple, fresh ingredients, and the right kneading techniques.

I've done many such classes across different culinary traditions. Because many of them centred around Southeast Asian cuisine, I was used to complexity in such classes. Many dishes in our part of the world, such as sambals and curries for example, tend to be complex, layered affairs. Chef Corsaro's class had a simplicity and straightforwardness I did not expect.