I didn’t grow up in a big Italian family, the kind that makes their own pasta, simmers their own sauce and can swing by Rao’s just for an espresso and to talk ‘business.’ Instead, for our pasta needs, my mom threw some Ronzoni in hot water, mixed the lined ziti with Progresso sauce (maybe the three-mushroom type if she was feeling a bit adventurous) and voila ‘-‘- a concoction of debased Italian cuisine, laced thoroughly with plasticized Polly-o pieces.
Then with the other side of the family, the Jews, the closest we come to pasta is noodle kugel. Some might throw some egg spaghetti in chicken broth to compensate for unsatisfactory matzoh balls (reformed). Either way, I didn’t have any Italian pasta-making skills, and the closest I’ve come to perfecting the art was when I purchased a noodle maker from a Chinese restaurant warehouse somewhere in Long Island.
So, once I found out about DePasquale’s at 66a Cross Street in the North End, I was relieved that there was a way to cook authentic pasta from home that was a step above Chef Boyardee.
It’s a tiny shop nestled between Nick’s Famous Deli (from the commercial-friendly Strega guys) and the soon-to-open Caffe Graffiti, just before the entrance to Hanover Street. It’s owned by Frank De Pasquale, a restaurateur and lifelong Italiano who’s also responsible for Bricco, GiGi Gelateria and Umbria Prime, among seven other food-related ventures.
Depasquale’s main feature is pasta. With over 50 different types, one might be overwhelmed. And because each box of homemade pasta (which serves 2-3) only will cost you somewhere between $3 to $6, you’ll be able to load up for the week and still have change left over for a Maria’s cannolo.
In the window of the shop, Zoya Kogan the in-house pasta chef effortlessly rolls out yards of dough with graceful flicks of the wrist and creates tiny shells, maccaronelli and tagliatelle.
Depasquale’s offers over 20 varieties of specialty ravioli, including proscuitto and ricotta, sun-dried tomato or beef. The squash/pumpkin ravioli are pockets of stringy, fresh filling, perfect for the fall and winter weather. Try your hand at a simple alfredo sauce to pair with this pasta, maybe with a dash of clove. The pumpkin pastas are available almost year-round, however for seasonal snacks be sure to ask for the yellow and black striped spooky pasta to celebrate Halloween!
For seafood lovers ‘-‘- the squid ink spaghetti has a powerful bite and is a best with a simple garlic reduction. The lobster tortellini features the bottom-dweller in pieces stuffed inside of the dough, whereas the salmon-hued lobster fettucini is just flavored pasta.
Depasquale’s also features gnocchi, including pesto, pumpkin and sage and squid ink. The wide array of options is available daily, as the fresh pasta is either made in-house by Kogan or shipped directly from another Depasquale’s shop.
On your way out juggling your carbophilic purchases, be sure to scope out the imported cheeses and sauces, notably the aged balsamics and olive oils.
With all your gourmet Italian food needs in one quick stop and with helpful service from Audriana or Joseph, the ambassadors of la buona cucina at Depasquale’s, drop the blue-box Kraft Sailor Moon macaroni and get on the green line before dinner tonight.
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