A La Bolognese

Menu:

Antipasti
Ricotta and Parmigiano Reggiano Tortellini*
Dessert: Biscotti**
Wine: Frescobaldi Nipozza, Chianti Riserva, 2006

According to George, to cook pasta you have to be Italian, which I am decidedly not. Fortunately the pasta imported from Bertagni was so easy to prepare and so good, it made an Italian out of me. All I had to do was follow the cooking instruction, saute the cooked pasta in butter and olive oil till slighted browned, add grated Pecorino Grana and--voila--I had cooked the perfect pasta. Bertagni prides itself on being "The oldest filled pasta producer in Italy," and for good reason.

For the antipasti I put out Sicilian salami, pitted Niçoise olives, Italian semi-dried tomatoes, small balls of fresh mozzarella laced with olive oil, canned sardines, and bread sticks.

The Chianti did the rest.

The dinner reminded us of our visit to Bologna. Trying to come to terms with Bologna’s pasta alone kept us happily occupied. Among other things we learned was that in Bologna tortellini are round and that the pointed ones are cappeletti which come from Romagna. Tortelloni have the same round shape as tortellini, but are larger.

I think Egido’s almond biscotti are the best this side of the Atlantic, worth a trip to Arthur Avenue's Little Italy area in The Bronx. But I am no expert. For all I know, there is a better place in Brooklyn or in Staten Island. Some pastry mavens might even twice bake their own, fantastic biscotti. If you are one of them, please let me hear from you.

*Fresh Direct
http://www.freshdirect.com/

**Egidio Pastry Shop (718) 295-6077
622 E 187 St.,The Bronx