Toronto’s best house-made pastas
Factory-made linguine and penne just don’t cut it anymore. These days, it’s all about making it in‑house. The silky ribbons and plump pockets chefs are crafting from flour, egg and a little elbow grease are ridiculously good. We slurped our way through the city to find the top five.
1. Buca’s duck bigoli Hand-cranked duck egg noodles are coated in a sublime ragú of soffritto, tomato, duck legs and giblets, then swirled into a towering nest rivalling Marge Simpson’s beehive. With mascarpone and basil, it’s nothing less than pasta perfection. $19. 604 King St. W., 416-865-1600.
2. Mistura’s chitarroni all’astaco
Venice meets the Maritimes in this concoction of guitar wire–cut spaghetti, sweet chunks of lobster meat, melting leeks and tomato concassée. A plate-licking emulsion of briny butter zinged with a hint of ginger cranks the volume to 11. $22 or $36. 265 Davenport Rd., 416-515-0009.
3. Tutti Matti’s pinci alla boscaiola The chewy, foot-long pinci noodles have been a staple since Tutti Matti opened in 2002. This dish bathes them in a sauce of red wine, porcini and cinnamon-scented Tamworth pork sausage. $22. 364 Adelaide St. W., 416-597-8839.
4. Zucca’s beet casonsei The dark purple filling of roasted beets and smoked ricotta glows through the gossamer pasta in these glorious half moons that are napped in a poppy seed–butter sauce. $22. 2150 Yonge St., 416-488-5774.
5. Enoteca Sociale’s squash ravioli
Simplicity reigns in these autumnal packets filled with butternut squash and parmigiano. They’re topped with crisp sage leaves and browned butter sharpened with a pinprick of lemon juice. $14. 1288 Dundas St. W., 416-534-1200.
(Illustration: Jack Dylan)
