⚡ Block 13–14 Quick Reference — Pasta & Grains from Scratch

Block 13 — Sessions 50–53: Pasta Dough: The Foundation

Session	Dish	Skill	Link
Session 50	Homemade Tagliatelle + Slow-Cooked Tomato Sugo + Arugula Salad	Egg pasta dough, rest, roll, cut	Pasta · Sauce · Salad
Session 51	⏰ Ricotta Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage + Roasted Cherry Tomatoes + Radicchio Salad	Stuffed pasta — thin rolling and sealing	Pasta · Tomatoes · Salad
Session 52	Light Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter + Roasted Broccolini + Radicchio Endive Salad	Gnocchi: bake potatoes, rice hot, minimum flour	Gnocchi · Broccolini · Salad
Session 53	Spaghetti Aglio e Olio + Sautéed Spinach + Tomato Cucumber Salad	Pasta water as emulsifier	Aglio e Olio · Spinach · Salad
Service 13	⏰ Full Italian Pasta Dinner — Bruschetta + Cacio e Pepe + Fresh Tagliatelle Bolognese + Tricolore Salad	Three pasta techniques in one service	Bruschetta · Cacio e Pepe · Bolognese · Salad

Block 14 — Sessions 54–57: Grains: Rice, Polenta, and Beyond

Session	Dish	Skill	Link
Session 54	Saffron Risotto alla Milanese + Bitter Greens Salad	Risotto mastery — technique, not just recipe	Risotto · Salad
Session 55	⏰ Persian Rice with Tahdig + Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder + Cucumber Yogurt Salad	Tahdig — heat control and patience	Rice · Lamb · Salad
Session 56	⏰ Creamy Parmesan Polenta + Osso Buco + Fennel Celery Salad	Slow polenta — 45–60 min of stirring	Polenta · Osso Buco · Salad
Session 57	Farro Salad with Beets & Goat Cheese + Crispy Salmon + Arugula Salad	Farro — dress while hot	Farro · Salmon · Salad
Service 14	Grain-Forward Dinner Party — Whipped Ricotta Crostini + Saffron Risotto + Pan-Seared Scallops + Fennel Blood Orange Salad	Grains as the star of a dinner party	Crostini · Risotto · Scallops · Salad

Shopping Notes

Block 13 pasta essentials: "00" flour or all-purpose flour, large eggs (farm eggs if available — the yolks make a difference), whole-milk ricotta, fresh sage.

Block 13 Session 50 tip: Make a double batch of tomato sugo on the day before — you'll use it Session 50 and the leftover becomes Pasta 2 on the project session dinner if needed.

Block 14 Session 55: Lamb shoulder needs 4 hours in the oven. Start it mid-afternoon or set it early and hold warm. Leftover lamb becomes the ragu for Session 56’s polenta.

Block 14 project session: Scallops must be completely dry before searing. Pat thoroughly on paper towels and let them sit uncovered on the rack in the fridge for 30 min before cooking. Wet scallops steam; dry scallops sear.