What’s Better than the Best (Bolognese)Pappardelle ?

(Gerry Furth-Sides) What could possibly be better than my favorite, the best Pappardelle draped in classic Bolognese sauce? Let me tell you about four possibilities traveling from north to the south of Italy and you decide.

First is learning the secret, changing ground beef recipe of the ethereal pappardelle pasta ribbons with Bolognese from the chef (The Restaurant at Mr. C’s). Second is going into the kitchen for a peek at how the lamb sugo version of pappardelle is prepared (Marino Ristorante). Third is Pappardelle with Wild Boar at Sor Tino. And the fourth is having a professional chef prepare a box for you to put together at home with turkey or veggie sauce (Gourmet Pasta Kit).

Fresh pappardelle may have fluted edges and are up to an inch wide. Dried egg versions that originate in the region of Tuscany have straight sides.  Tagliatelle, (Emilio-Romano and Marche regions)  a narrower version of Pappardelle and used for lighter sauces (see below) is similar to but a tiny bit thinner than (Roman) fettuccine.

Beef Bolognese Pappardelle at The Restaurant at Mr. C’s

Executive Chef Max Farina, brought over from northern Italy to oversee the kitchen, prepares traditional Italian cuisine. His perfectly seasoned Pappardelle Bolognese is so refined it is a perfect match with the usual light as air, pink bellini sauce, also known as vodka sauce.

He combined it with beef bolognese for us and, as common practice, used the fine cuts of meat left from the menu. It turns out credit goes to the chef’s special combination of beef ingredients, which we first with deeply flavored strip loin, brisket and tenderloin. .

Mr. C’s Beverly Hills, Rest1224 Beverwil Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90035, (310) 277-2800 Website – //www.mrchotels.com/hotels/beverly-hills-los-angeles-ca/dining/ 

Marino ristorante Lamb Pappardelle

Marino ristorante pappardelle with meat sauce traditionally incorporates the flavors of beef, pork, and veal, simmered over three hours. The Neapolitan family recipe goes back generations.

The current menu also features Lamb Pappardelle. The homemade pappardelle with Autonomy Farms braised lamb sugo ($28) . Sugo is a sauce made with just tomatoes, garlic, crushed red pepper, and basil. It is known to be super-quick to make. Americans would call it, ” marinara.”

At Marino sugo may have the same ingredients but it is simmered overnight until the lamb is so tender it can be made into niblets. We were so honored to visit the kitchen with Chef Cal, and try a taste of it. This is what makes the difference.

www.marinorestaurant.net.  marino Ristorante, 6001 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038,(323) 466-881.

Pappardelle Cinghiale Wild Boar Ragu)

Pappardelle Cinghiale (Wild Boar Ragu) as Sor Tino and Caffe Roma conjures up feasts served in a forest. Its unctuous, rich, slightly tomatoey sauce includes large pieces of the Boar that had been cooked for hours in the sauce, is the equivalent of a rich man’s Bolognese,” is how our Italian-Ameican writer, Darien Morea, perfectly described it.

Pappardelle Cinghiale Wild Boar Ragu) is also served at Toscanova and Ago ristorantes, authentic Italian restaurants also owned by the master chef, Agostino Sciandri.  We met this Tuscan chef at the Q for quality Awards honoring Los Angeles restaurants for maintaining high standards of authenticity.

Sor Tino was the first to offer wild boar in Los Angeles in the early 1990’s. These days it is an Italian restaurant staple.

Owner-menu designer, Sciandri, adds “Not to name drop (but I will), I had first been introduced to this dish in a place that was once the home of the father of Leonardo di Vinci in the town of Vinci, Tuscany, and Sor Tino’s version was its equal in every way.”

Sor Tino, 908 Barrington Avenue, Brentwood, CA  90049. (310) 442-8466. (//(www.sortinorestaurant.com)

Pappardelle in Gourmet Pasta Kit at Home

Chef Cynthia Mamukari, founder-owner-chef of Taste & Company was the executive chef at the famous Joe Allen’s Restaurant in Los Angeles, after being recruited to work in their flagship New York and London restaurants. She was also the opening chef at Orso, an equally popular and more casual eatery both in West Hollywood and in Manhattan.

The Taste & Company kit includes Cynthia’s freshest pappardelle with health-minded turkey or vegetarian sauce. Her research was exhaustive to find the best taste, one that will show off the sauce the best.