Rigatoni Bolognese at Osteria Cotto e Mangiato (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)
October is All About Oodles of Noodles
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
Let’s not kid ourselves. Nobody needs a “food holiday” to prompt their appetites into eating certain items, especially when it comes to pasta. But for what it’s worth, National Pasta Day is Oct. 17, and World Pasta Day is Oct. 25. So what the heck. If you decide to act upon them before, during or after their dates—allow us to steer you in the right direction.
Monzu Fresh Pasta; East Village
The pasta and sauces are made in-house, and the meals are served on pretty plateware imported from Naples. If you’re looking for classic Roman-style carbonara complete with the essential egg yolk, you’ve hit the right place. Ditto if you’re hankering for traditional Bolognese tossed in ribbon-y pappardelle pasta. The menu is concise at this casual-chic cafe, which also slings some honorable ravioli, such as those filled with prawns or braised short rib.
Parma Cucina Italiana; Hillcrest
A quaint atmosphere and personable staff set the stage for ultra-comforting pasta dishes such as linguini strewn with house-made pesto sauce and shrimp, or lasagna made with thin pasta sheets that are layered with bechamel and meat sauces. Our most sinful fave is the fagottini al tartufo, which translates to ricotta-stuffed pasta pillows in silky mushroom sauce.
Osteria Cotto e Mangiato; Cortez Hill
Owner Andrea Provino recalls when growing up in Sicily how his mother would make beef ragu starting at 5:00 a.m., as she cooked the meat and tomato sauce in a traditional slow, simmering fashion. We had the flavorful recipe draped over rigatoni that was cooked to the perfect chew. The ratio of fat to acid to sweet struck an ideal balance in every bite.
Cori Trattoria Pastificio; North Park
You know you’re in good hands when the chef-owner is a former world champion of Italy’s annual Academia Barilla Pasta Contest. Leave it to Sicilian transplant Accursio Lota to deliver house-made pasta such as “spaghettoni” made with ancient grains, and sheet pasta using rye flour. The latter shows up in Lota’s eight-layer lasagna. All of his pasta options and their sauces are filled with heart and soul.
Buona Forchetta; South Park
Pick a pasta cut, pick a sauce. It’s easy to strike winning matches at this charming well-established Italian restaurant, whose name translates to “good fork.” The noteworthy combos we discovered are penne pasta with pomodori (organic tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil), and fettuccine with the pinkish house sauce made with cream, spicy marinara, egg yolk and Parmesan.
Cucina Urbana; Bankers Hill
Forget plain ole spaghetti dressed in old-school marinara. What you’ll find instead at this bustling, whimsically decorated restaurant are pasta dishes
with new-wave twists. How does agnolotti made with corn and goat cheese sound? Or how about radiatore pasta draped in nasturtium pesto and topped with “pine nut crunch?” An open mind leads to delicious outcomes here.
