Just in from Italy: the New Pastini Menu!
Every two years or so, we get a particular bee in our bonnet that whispers “Let’s create some exciting new dishes for the Pastini menu!”. Well, that buzz started a few months ago and on July 23rd it premiered! Executive Chef/Partner Craig Bashel has been researching authentic Italian recipes, shopping for local ingredients and making a little magic in the kitchen, assisted by partner Susie Bashel as food critic extraordinaire and dish dog (guess which role she prefers).
Wonderful new pastas include Butternut Squash-Gorgonzola Ravioli with Sage Butter, Rigatoni con Chicken Cacciatore, Cavatappi San Marzano (with Italian sausage, roasted peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes), Orecchiete with Italian Sausage, Baked Ricotta Polenta with Marinara, Gnocchi alla Vodka, Capellini di Napoli (plump shrimp in tomato-cream sauce with oregano and vermouth), Lamb Sugo with Cavatappi*, Linguini with Chicken Marsala and Orecchiete Toscana (small, ear-shaped pasta with arugula, cannellini beans, broccolini, balsamic onions, garlic and breadcrumbs). And finally we have Nonna’s Sunday Supper, creamy Maccheroni and Cheese topped with meaty Bolognese sauce…first generation Italian immigrants made comfort food like this for family suppers.
Cavatappi is one of the new pasta shapes we have introduced to the Pastini line-up, a whimsical corkscrew that is hollow in the middle. Hearty and tender at the same time, it’s a great match for several saucy combinations.
Just in time for summer Pastini has added three lovely salads. A Butter Lettuce Salad combines creamy herb-gorgonzola dressing with pancetta, tomato, chopped egg and housemade croutons. Our new Spinach Salad Balsamico starts with baby spinach and balsamic red onions, fresh tomato, parmesan and toasted hazelnuts, dressed with balsamic-red wine vinaigrette. And the traditional Panzanella Bread Salad* is an authentic combination of arugula, rustic bread chunks, cucumber, balsamic red onion, yellow and red bell peppers, tomato, capers and sherry vinaigrette.
New sandwiches are also great for summer lunches, including the Italian Deli with Pepper Relish, with soprasetta, mortadella, ham, provolone and lettuce with a spicy olive-peperoncini spread on a Pearl Bakery ciabatta roll.
We hope you will enjoy...buon appetito!
(* Sorry, not available at the NE Broadway Pastini)
Summer Drinks for a Warm Portland Evening
In Portland, like Italy, long, unhurried summer dinners begin with cool summertime beverages. This season Pastini is introducing a special mojito for summer sipping, the Mojito Milano. Rum, mint and lime get a little Italian gusto from a dash of Amaretto, served over ice with a splash of soda. Bella! Reprising as a summer special is our delicious Sangria, a mellow Merlot infused with brandy and citrus fruits. You can sip a Prosecco alla Capri, chilled vodka and Limoncello topped with sparkling Prosecco…or Pastini’s classic cooler, the Tuscan Orange Crush. Salute!
As always, Pastini will be offering our housemade fresh Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and our new Pomegranate Lemonade. And we’ve just introduced a delicious Iced Green Tea…slightly sweetened and served with a squeeze of fresh lime, it’s wildly refreshing!
 Chef's
Corner
The Provenance of Pastini Pastas
We are often asked “Which region of Italy are your pastas from?” The short answer is from all regions, but it is actually a little more complicated that that. Pasta was historically a southern Italian food while people in the agriculturally rich north were more likely to eat rice or riso, which was grown in the Po River Valley that runs from the Cottian Alps to the Adriatic Sea. Slowly pasta’s popularity spread to the entire country, with regions developing their own specialties and local names for the over 300 types of pasta found in Italy today. Certain pasta shapes have become associated with certain areas and dishes, thus Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo and so on.
Traditionally, spaghetti (“little strings”) has been connected with Naples and the lighter tomato sauces of southern Italy…think Spaghetti Puttanesca with it’s chopped fresh tomato, garlic, capers and anchovy. Linguini (“little tongues”) is the pasta of choice with pesto sauces and seafood, both typical of the coastal region of Liguria. So when we created our Linguini Pesto Pollo and Linguini Misto Mare recipes for the Pastini menu, we naturally chose linguini as the best pasta shape for those dishes.
The right pasta also means one that works well with the sauce. Bolognese, the rich meat sauce from the city of Bologna in Emilia-Romagna, needs a hearty shape so we chose rigatoni for its heft and the way it catches bits of the sauce inside the pasta tubes. Cappellini is a delicate string pasta that translates as “angel’s hair”. It is best with light sauces or just a little butter and parmesan cheese. Tortellini are also a product of the richer cuisine of the north, small rings of fresh egg pasta filled with cheese or minced meats and herbs. In Bologna, they are sometimes called ombelichi di venere or “Venus’ navels”. Ah, those Italians! Tortellini are versatile and can be served in a light broth or richly sauced for an elegant special occasion meal.
Some dishes have become associated with the cities in which they originated. Fettuccine Alfredo was created by a Roman restaurateur and is a staple in the bistros of that city. Pasta all’arrabbiata is another Roman dish made with penne or ziti and tomatoes, garlic, bacon and dried chilies. Arrabbiata means “angry” and refers to the heat of the chilies.
Finally we have our namesake pastini or “little pastas”. These small pasta shapes are used in soups and salads and may resemble letters, stars (stelline), rice (orzo) or other objects. We just thought it was a nifty name!
And coming soon on the redesigned Pastini menu (debuting in June and July with 11 new pasta dishes!) will be orecchiete or “little ears” and cavatappi, hollow pasta corkscrews with ridges that are native to southern Italy…you’ll love their whimsical shape and delightful “toothiness”.
Craig Bashel, Owner/Executive Chef |
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