5 Crave-Worthy Pasta Dishes

5 Crave-Worthy Pasta Dishes

We have given in, and taken the air conditioner out of the window this week. It's always a sad day around our parts. After a summer spent enjoying the light flavors of Rhode Island, we do welcome the "stick to your ribs-ness" of pasta. We set out to find five crave-worthy pasta dishes and ended up dreaming of these...

 

Siena, East Greenwich, Shiaffoni Del Calzolaio

When the Tarro brothers decided to open a restaurant, there was no doubt about the style of cuisine -- these are good Italian boys through and through. Chef Anthony Tarro took the lessons learned at his mother's side first to RISD and then to Italy where he constantly honed his love of Italian cooking. He specifically fell in love with the flavors of Tuscany. His brother Chris was also working in the restaurant business and they came together in 2005 at Siena. Almost from day one, people recognized that this wasn't bad "red sauce and Chianti" Italian food, this was fresh and delicious. We love the flavor combinations Chef Tarro comes up with that balance flavors without ever being heavy handed. His touch is on display in our favorite pasta dish, Shiaffoni Del Calzolaio. Large shiaffoni (tubes like rigatoni) are tossed with ground sausage, San Marzano tomatoes, white wine and a touch of crushed red pepper for spice. It all comes together in a lighter version of a traditional bolognese with the perfectly al dente pasta grabbing all that sauce. 5600 Post Rd, 885-8850, www.sienari.com

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Pasta Beach, Newport, Pasta Carbonara

For the longest time, we would pass by Pasta Beach in Newport. It wasn't until a couple of food lovers from the city told us to "get past the name." See, we thought this was a good name of an Italian version of Baywatch, not a restaurant. We got past the name--and the line at the door--and ventured in one day when our normal spot was packed. We found, really, two different experiences: the food and the service. The service was horribly slow. We waited for everything. We normally would never recommend where the service was this bad but the food was this good. Chefs direct from Italy prepare your pizza and pasta right in front of you and everything we tried was very good. We went traditional here with spaghetti Carbonara. All the flavors were here: salty from the pancetta, rich with cream and a light sweetness from fresh peas. This was a pretty good re-creation of the Roman classic with nicely cooked pasta coated with all of that creamy goodness from the sauce. 7 Memorial Blvd, 847-2222, www.pastabeachrestaurants.com

 

Papa Razzi, Cranston, Bucatini All Amatriciana

We all know how exceptional the Newport Restaurant Group is. They run some of the state's highest-end properties, including the Castle Hill Inn, Hemenway's, and the Waterman Grille. Well, this summer, they took over--most of--the small local chain Papa Razzi. Folks in Garden City have been flocking to Papa Razzi for years for reliable Italian food. Since the takeover the N.R.G. has begun to raise the level of the food and service--the attention to detail--and we have noticed. We love the fresh baked grissini and focaccia that they serve and it sets the stage for some great pasta action. We chose the bucatini Amatriciana after having it on two different occasions and finding perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a spicy tomato sauce with pancetta, onions, chilli oil and finished with Romano cheese. The sharpness of the cheese is a perfect accompaniment to the spicy oil and the sweet onions. Bucatini are long hollow tubes that absorb and hold just the right amount of sauce. We're sucker for a good Amatriciana from a trip to Vincent's in New York City and their "hot sauce" and this is a good local substitute! 150 Midway Rd, 942-2900, www.paparazzitrattoria.com

 

Gracie's, Providence, Gracie's Russet Potato Gnocchi

We have been loving Gracie's gnocchi for more years than we care to admit.  It was during a visit when Chef Joseph Hafner was in the kitchen that we first tried these pillowy delights, and dare we say they are even a little better in the hands of Chef Matt Varga. We were sick and tired of gnocchi that were like lead swimming in un-imaginative red sauces. We always felt like they could be so much more and boy--these are. Light and toasty, this is everything a potato pasta should be. After poaching they are browned in butter to provide little caramelized spots of flavor. The seasonal preparation changes and we've enjoyed everything from truffles to the current incarnation of slow roasted chicken, Italian garden veggies and pecorino Toscano. All those earthy flavors come together in a terrific pasta dish. Really you could just eat these gnocchi with olive oil and salt and they would be perfect.194 Washington St. 272-7811, www.graciesprovidence.com

 

Al Forno, Providence, Baked Pasta with Tomato, Cream and Five Cheeses

We just wrote about Al Forno's apple crisp last week but we couldn't do this list without this dish. This is pasta perfection. So, after you order that apple crisp for later, enjoy the best baked pasta around now. There are certain dishes that you love from the first time you taste it. There is a bond to the flavor or texture or "idea" of a dish. So it became for us with the baked pasta at Al Forno. From the first bubbly bite we were captivated by the simplicity of the dish. Shell pasta--yes humble shells-- is tossed with a pink sauce and  five cheeses that all lend their own characteristics to the flavor of the dish. It is then baked in their super hot ovens until golden brown. The corners of the shells that are sticking out of the sauce get all crispy and become a textural contrast to the rest of the dish. Those crispy bits are often fought over. Split a pizza...split a baked pasta...split an apple crisp. Sounds like a perfect evening. 577 South Main St. 273-9760, www.alforno.com