Alex Reppe still remembers the first time he tried fresh pasta. It was smoked mozzarella and basil ravioli, a quick meal before his shift at a local restaurant that lingered with him long after.
“I was really interested in the idea of fresh pasta since then. I would go home and try to replicate it,” he said. “It didn’t go too well at first, but 20 years later I got pretty decent at it.”
Reppe is more than decent at it now, selling homemade pasta at farmers markets and teaching people all over the state to make their own fresh pasta as the owner of Newport Pasta Co.
Reppe was not new to the kitchen when he embarked on his pasta-making adventures, with years of experience working in restaurants and with business management.
During the workshops, Reppe goes over the process of making pasta dough, explains all the different pasta variations and then guides participants as they make their own fresh pasta. He collaborates with about 13 breweries around the state and has hosted more than 40 workshops since founding his business in August 2021.
Reppe’s products range from classic pasta shapes and flavors to more-unique varieties. His favorite so far? Beer pasta.
“It was so good, I felt like I stumbled upon a gold mine,”Reppe said.