Speaking of pasta....

So we are hosting wine group on Friday. The way our group works is that everyone brings an appetizer to go with the wines and the hosts prepare something a little more substantial that completement the wines. Format-wise, we are doing something a little different this time. We've asked everyone to bring a red of a different varietal (Cab, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Zin, etc.) then we'll bag them up, mix them up and will try to guess what is what.

I was trying to think of what dish would complement most red wines and whether I'm correct or not, I decided on Pasta Bolognese. The group is very informal and the main dish usually gets eaten last, and served right from the stove-top. So I have a few questions about this...

1) Do I want to make the sauce the day before? Is this one of those sauces that improves with age?
2) How do I keep the pasta itself warm? I believe I will use Casarecci (shape).
3) Would it be better to toss it with the sauce and put it into a casserole dish in the oven (on warm)?

I thought I'd go right to the experts!

1) Do I want to make the sauce the day before? Is this one of those sauces that improves with age?
Sure, you could make it the day before. Not sure if it will improve, but it will be perfectly delicious the next day.
2) How do I keep the pasta itself warm? I believe I will use Casarecci (shape).
We have a saying in my house. Pasta waits for no one. IOW, when it is getting strained, get your ass to the table, unless your legs are broken. And even then....
3) Would it be better to toss it with the sauce and put it into a casserole dish in the oven (on warm)?
I would say in this case, undercook the pasta by 1/3, then combine it with the sauce. I'm afraid even a slow oven would dry it out. If you have a simmer burner, use that. Otherwise, the lowest flame you can manage, or a flame tamer. If your oven is on, you can set the pot between the burners, directly on the stove, which will be warm from the oven below. I sometimes do that with mashed potatoes.

Carrie,
I agree with John- freshly sauced pasta needs to be eaten now.

Marcella Hazan has a recipe for baked rigatoni that can be made ahead of time. Uses Bolognese meat sauce and bechamel [ I can't recall if she uses Parm in the bechamel but I always do ]. Can't remember if it can be done as long as a day ahead but certainly you can make the Bolognese days ahead, put everything together and in the oven before guests arrive. It's a great way to do pasta for a crowd without the worry of immediate service. Followed by a nice salad, cheese plate and fruit dessert ...... a great meal.

If you dont have a Marcella cookbook let me know and I'll post the recipe.

BTW- any shape will do and almost any sauce will work . I've used a mushroom ragu, duck ragu as well as Bolognese. I'll have to look up the shape you mention - I don't immediately recognize it.

[Jenise]

Pretty much in agreement with the others, but I'll add this: making the sauce a day ahead is a great hostess convenience and the sauce won't suffer. On the other hand, making the sauce on the day of fills the house with wondrous aromas. Choose based on which is most advantageous.

And there's no great way to hold the noodles themselves. HOWEVER, I have succeeded at cooking the pasta about 60% of the way (with oil in the water to prevent sticking during storage) and then refreshing for about 1-2 minutes in a new pot of boiling water (in which you can afford to crowd the pan, so 2 lbs in the pot at once isn't a problem) at the point of service works pretty well at getting you the slick fresh feel just-cooked with a minimum of last minute time away from your guests. I would do that before I'd premix the pasta and sauce.

Thanks all for your input. I think I'm going to take Christina's advice since there will be a lot going on that night with the new format of the tasting, etc. So, doing something completely ahead of time has the most appeal. Christina, I have the recipe right here--page 110 of Hazan's Classic Italian Cookbook. I think I'll make it a "porcini" bechamel.
Thanks again all!

I think I'll make it a "porcini" bechamel.

What time should we be there?