NYC chefs use their noodles when it comes to creative pastas
Spaghetti, manicotti, those pastas are fine but Columbus didn’t sail through sunshine, wind and rain to come to America to have more of the same-old. In that spirit, we explored the City in search of shapes and creations not usually seen, deliberately sticking Italian to honor the man of the hour. We discovered Bronx Brewery Spent Grain Radiators and Red Hook Winery Sauvignon Blanc Reginetti made by year-old Sfoglini, a pasta company in Williamsburg that supplies a handful of restaurants and sells retail too (sfoglini.com for locations).
Decorative shapes are gorgeous but they also serve a greater purpose. “Every shape can help enhance a dish so that all the ingredients flow together and make each bite perfect,” says co-owner Sfoglini co-owner Scott Ketchum.
Then there are the stuffed. “Fresh, filled pasta is a treasure,” says Antonella Rana, who moved from Italy to NYC two years ago to open Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina where they make 550-pounds of pasta every day. “Here we can do more and more innovation.” She’s talking the likes of eggplant-parm-filled ravioli (it’s amazing). Her countrymen are slower to accept change to tradition. “There, it’s a revolution.”
Pasta revolution? Bring in on!
Read complete story (originally written for Columbus Day, moved to Marathon) on NYPost.com: NYC chefs use their noodles when it comes to creative pastas