A LA CARTE : DRY PASTAS.Byline: Larry Lipson When a restaurant chef makes the decision on what dry pasta to order, he has many options. There are plenty of low-cost domestic brands, and also the vaunted vaunt v. vaunt·ed, vaunt·ing, vaunts v.tr. To speak boastfully of; brag about. v.intr. To speak boastfully; brag. See Synonyms at boast1. n. 1. names of famous, high-quality pastas imported from Italy. Does it make a difference? Yes, of course. Not that a chef who orders the cheaper stuff will ever admit it. But those who have cooked with the various brands will quickly find out how soon inexpensive noodles break down. Here are a few restaurants where good pastas are prepared on a regular basis: Adriano's Address: 2930 Beverly Glen Circle, Bel-Air. Phone: (310) 475-9807. Brand: DeCecco, imported from Italy. Sample dish: Spaghettini spa·ghet·ti·ni n. Pasta in long fine strands. [Italian, diminutive of spaghetti, spaghetti; see spaghetti.] Noun 1. alla vongole (with fresh Manila clams). Price: $12.50. Ago Address: 8478 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. Phone: (213) 655-6333. Brand: Chef-owner Agostino Sciandri uses imported Italian Riscossa pasta for cappellini, spaghettini, pennette and linguine dishes. He uses Italian Ghigi pasta for his rigatoni rig·a·to·ni n. Pasta in ribbed, slightly curved, large-sized tubes. [Italian, from rigato, past participle of rigare, to draw a line, from riga, line, and fettuccine plates. Sample dish: Cappellini alle verdura (with vegetables) and fresh mozzarella. Rigatoni ai carciofi (with baby artichokes). Price: $9.25 and $11.50 respectively. Ca' del Sole Address: 4100 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood. Phone: (818) 985-4669. Brand: Chef Saverio Posarelli uses Divella pasta from Puglia, Italy. Sample dish: Divella rigatoni tossed with braised braise tr.v. braised, brais·ing, brais·es To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container. eggplant, tomato sauce and both pecorino Romano cheese and buffalo mozzarella. Price: $8.95. Cicada cicada (sĭkā`də), large, noise-producing insect of the order Homoptera, with a stout body, a wide, blunt head, protruding eyes, and two pairs of membranous wings. Address: 617 S. Olive St., Los Angeles. Phone: (213) 655-5559. Brand: De Cecco from Italy. Occasionally Latini, also imported from Italy, for specials. Sample dish: Linguine arrabbiatta with spicy tomato sauce. Price: $12. Drago Address: 2628 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. Phone: (310) 828-1585. Brand: Chef Celestino Drago uses imported Latini for cavatelli cav·a·tel·li n. Pasta shaped like small shells or bullets. [Italian, from pl. diminutive of cavato, past participle of cavare, to hollow out, from Latin and taglierini. Riscossa for maluredus (Sardinian shell.) Sample dish: Riscossa maluredus is combined with Italian sausage and tomato sauce, a traditional Sardinian dish. Price: $10.50. Gio Cucina Napoletana Address: 15826 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Phone: (818) 905-7446. Brand: Audisio, imported from Italy. Sample dish: Timballo di tagliatelle ta·gli·a·tel·le n. See fettuccine. [Italian, pl. of tagliatella, diminutive of tagliata, from feminine past participle of tagliare, to cut, from Late Latin alla Napolitana (crispy cake of tagliatelle noodles with mushrooms, prosciutto, green peas and Parmesan cheese. Price: $10.50. Il Tiramisu Address: 13705 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Phone: (818) 986-2640. Brand: Barilla barilla see halogeton glomeratus. for penne, linguine and spaghetti. De Cecco for fusilli fu·sil·li n. Pasta in short spirals or corkscrews. [Italian, from pl. diminutive of fuso, spindle, from Latin f  sus.] . Del Verde for pappardelle Pappardelle (sg.: pappardella) are large fettuccine. The name derives from the verb “pappare,” to gobble up. The fresh types are two to three centimetres (¾-1 inch) wide and have fluted edges. Dried egg pappardelle have straight sides. and orrechiette and farfalle far·fal·le n. Pasta in the shape of bow ties. [Italian, pl. of farfalla, butterfly, of imitative origin.] Noun 1. . Fini for fettuccine. Sample dish: Fini fettuccine in light lemon sauce with black tiger shrimp garnished with shaved lemon peel. Price: $13.95. Maria's Italian Kitchen Address: 13353 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (Also in Valencia, Encino, Northridge and Calabasas.) Phone: (818) 906-0783. Brand: Barilla, imported from Italy, the No. 1 seller there. Sample dish: Barilla rigatoni Bolognese (meat sauce with mushrooms). Price: $8.50. Posto Address: 14928 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Phone: (818) 784-4400. Brand: Luciano Chirico from Naples. Sample dish: Chirico penne rigate with quail ragu and black truffles. Price: $13.50. Zach's Italian Cafe Address: 10820 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Phone: (818) 762-4225. Brand: Riscossa from Italy for cappellini and penne. Costa for all other dry pastas. Sample dish: Costa spaghetti (seafood diablo) with shrimp, scallops, clams, calamari and a spicy marinara sauce. Price: $13.95. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion