Tutto Panino’s former sandwich chef is cooking up something new
Buon Riso is the new project from Kaitlyn Lasagna
The aptly named Kaitlyn Lasagna—who first won over Torontonians by stuffing her Italian mother’s slow-cooked braises into buns at Tutto Panino—has officially stepped away from the world of sandwiches. Her latest project, however, channels that same passion and reverence for comforting Italian flavours.
Buon Riso—launching June 14 and running through July 26, at least—is Lasagna’s new Sunday pop-up operating out of the back of Pasta Forever’s takeout shop. The concept focuses on supplì, the Roman cousin to arancini, known for its smaller oval shape and irresistible crispiness.
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The menu will rotate weekly, spotlighting classic Italian flavours as well as the bounty of Ontario produce. Think spring pea and mint, sweet Ontario corn, and other combos made using peak-season ingredients.
And it wouldn’t be a Lasagna project without a healthy dose of nostalgia on the side. “My mother’s Sunday sauce is one of the dishes that immediately brings me back home: a slow-simmered pot of tomato sauce with braised pork—rich, comforting and meant to be shared. Growing up, my nonna made it for us almost every Sunday,” says Lasagna. “I can still picture the big bowl of braised meat sitting in the centre of the table before everyone rushed to grab their piece.”
That memory became the inspiration for the Sunday Sauce supplì, one of Buon Riso’s core recipes, which will be available during the first pre-order drop announced via Instagram.
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While rice dishes naturally take a backseat to pasta and pizza in Italian cuisine, a perfectly cooked risotto or well-made supplì can leave just as lasting an impression. And as she builds Buon Riso, Lasagna hopes to eventually expand her repertoire. “I’d love to work with chefs from different cultural backgrounds around the city to create flavours that feel unique and unexpected. A jerk chicken supplì is definitely high on my wish list.”
Ours too.
Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
