English Class - Bocchignano - Pasta

English classes have begun in the small community of Montopoli di Sabina - a little town in the beautiful countryside, about an hour from Rome. The classes started because of the efforts of an incredibly faithful woman – Patrizia Vaccarono, a young mother of 4 (she and her husband were converted 12 years ago because of an English class offered by the missionaries, so she feels very passionate this).
I travel in a car with two awesome Assistants to the President and two awesome sister missionaries, Sorella Marangoni and Sorella Swenson (the rule states that sisters cannot ride in the car with elders without another adult of their same sex – so basically, I’m a chaperone, but they have turned me into one of the teachers – and I love it!
We teach a class at 10am for mothers (men are welcome) and another at 4:30pm for adults and a children’s class.
Since we have such a long break between classes and it is too far to drive back and forth from Rome we spend the afternoon at her home (the hope is that the adult students will begin to take an interest in feeding us and invite us into their homes where we can get to know them and begin teaching the gospel between English classes).
It is wonderful to become friends with the Italian members and to eat authentic Italian food in their homes. Mama Mia! They do love pasta!
This Friday, Sister Vaccarono wants to have an authentic Thanksgiving tasting feast for all the students (there can be up to 40 in the afternoon and 20 in the morning classes). We all have our food assignments – however, Sister Vaccarono is cooking the turkey, her first!
Last week between classes, the sisters and I had the opportunity of taking a walking tour of Bocchignano, an ancient town in the heart of Montopoli. I’ve included photos of this town, plus photos of Sister Vaccarono preparing pasta. Enjoy!

Bocchignano

Visiting with a resident.

Tile art work (inside the home of a native) of the tower and entry arch.

Shall we knock? Yes!

An English Class flyer posted on the door to the city.

Sorella Swenson climbing these steep steps to see this great view.

At the home of the Vaccarono's

Mixing the pasta with the raw egg mixture - the eggs cook to the hot pasta and prevent the pasta from sticking. Also you see the fried bread batter with cooked cabbage inside. Her face looks blury because of the steam coming up from the pasta.

Serving pasta.

I should have made these photos larger - so just click and enjoy and larger view.

My yummy plate of pasta.

Making fry bread for the after class treat.

The beautiful view from their living room window.

Olive Tree (the Vaccarono family make their own olive oil)

Patrizia Vaccarono and me at Stake Conference.