Serve up Pasta Fridays for friends
The thought of entertaining at the end of a long week sounds daunting. Enter Allison Arevalo, cookbook author and cofounder of Oakland, Calif., mac-and-cheese heaven, Homeroom, to show how easy and rewarding it can be.
Late last year, an overstressed Arevalo sold all of her Homeroom shares to focus on family life. Inspired by the big, end-ofthe-week Italian meals she grew up with, Arevalo started Pasta Friday at her Rockridge home and invited her friends.
It’s as simple as it sounds: Wrapping up the week with loved ones, a big salad and a giant pot of pasta.
But not just any pasta. Think pasta al ceppo with Dungeness crab, sauteed peppers and onions; baked trenne with fresh mozzarella and basil; and paccheri with braised lamb shanks, sun-dried tomatoes and corona beans.
What began as Arevalo’s way to unplug and reconnect has evolved into a bit of a movement. There’s a Pasta Friday cookbook in the works, and talk of retail sauces and even a restaurant.
Now, Arevalo is on a mission to host 52 of these dinners — she’s currently on the 24th — without ever repeating a pasta shape. The yet-to-be-published cookbook will feature all 52 recipes, along with salad dressings, garlic knots and pasta toppings, like crispy prosciutto.
Until then, she’s sharing an easy, step-by-step guide for how you, too, can end your week with dozens of people you love, eating bottomless bowls of fettuccine and having little cleanup. The key is to set firm expectations, Arevalo says. With that, here’s how to host your own Pasta Friday:
• Send out invites: Send out a weekly email letting people know how to RSVP, what to bring (and what not to bring), and what time you’d like them to leave. Arevalo asks guests to bring one bottle of wine per adult, because, in her experience, people drink a lot when they’re eating pasta. And she asks them to leave by 9 p.m. so she can get her kiddos into bed.
• Limit the RSVPs: Arevalo’s email list has grown to 85 and on a typical Pasta Friday, she’ll host about 30 adults and 15 kids. Whether you want 50 people or 10, know your limit, and cut off the RSVPs when you hit it, she says. You can do this by using an online sign-up sheet or just emailing the group when all the spots are filled.
• Set a budget, and stick to it: Arevallo suggests using simple recipes, like a spring-centric old-school fettuccine Alfredo with asparagus, so you can splurge on high-quality pasta — Rustichella d’Abruzzo is the best, she says — and favorite cheeses. If you’re getting close to hitting your budget, ask guests to bring things like grated cheese and bread.
• Keep it casual: This is not the dinner for using wedding china or lace tablecloths, Arevalo says. Use compostable plates, aluminum serving trays and plastic wine glasses, and don’t worry if there aren’t seats for everyone. Guests don’t mind standing and chatting while they’re eating.
• Manage your time: Use an online delivery service, if you don’t have time to shop. That way when you get home from work, your groceries are waiting for you. Have the kids help with things like setting out plastic tableware and glasses (Arevalo’s 3-yearold loves that job) and a grown-up to help with chopping or salad tossing.
• Feed the kids first: That way, the parents can then relax and eat without worrying if their children are eating. Also, you’ll have more space at the table while the kids are running around playing.
• Don’t stress about tidiness: The truth is no one is going to notice if you have Legos thrown in the corner or a pile of laundry on the bed, she says. But they do care about a tidy bathroom, so keep it clean and stocked with toilet paper, wipes for the kiddos and hand towels.
• Lean back, relax and enjoy: This is Arevalo’s favorite part — laughing, drinking, eating and forgeting about the chaos of everyday life. Look around your living room and see people connecting and unwinding after a long week, thankful they don’t have to cook dinner. “They’re making new bonds and new support systems,” she says. “It’s a new way to share meals — new for this generation, at least. It really is amazing.”
Conviviality, delectable dishes can be served up every Friday night when you invite friends over for dinner