Although there is a popular belief that pasta was introduced to Italy by Marco Polo following his 13th century expedition to the Far East, the origins of pasta go back even further, to the 4th century B.C., in fact, where an Etruscan tomb displayed markings of a group of natives making what appears to be pasta. Greek mythology also suggests that Greek god Vulcan invented a device that produced dough stands (spaghetti perhaps?) Furthermore, the word pasta means “paste” which refers to dough that is made from a combination of flour and water or flour and eggs, ingredients that have been used for centuries to make noodles, dumplings, and pastries.
When it comes to enjoyment of pasta, the subject can get a bit saucy. For every pasta, there is a sauce that is best suited to compliment its shape. Italy’s warm, Mediterranean climate is perfectly suited not only for growing the durum wheat from which pasta is made, but also fresh vegetables and herbs meaning an abundance of creativity when it comes to the variety of pasta sauces. From the onset, tomato-based sauces emerged as a favourite and continue to reign in popularity.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, we are grateful for the abundance of root vegetables that both color and flavor our seasonal pastas like our pumpkin spice agnolotti and sweet potato ravioli.
Toronto's Favourite Heart Shaped Ravioli are back in store! #torontopasta #heartravioli #bestpastaGTA #topchoicewinner
It has been said that the way to the heart runs through the stomach and we certainly believe this to be true as we prepare for the most romantic holiday of the year. Rather than wear our hearts on our sleeves, we put them on a plate, literally, with our heart-shaped ravioli. As timeless as Cupid’s arrow, these pillows of pasta showcase our passion for our culinary craft.
Our customers continue to fall in love with this seasonal specialty made without preservatives or fillers; in fact, even their blushing pink beauty comes from all-natural ingredients (the dough is colored with beet juice) Soft pasta hearts made using hand cracked eggs and durum semolina are filled with fluffy ricotta cheese are edible expressions of affection for Valentine’s Day. Plate them up as a pretty first-course for a romantic dinner with your sweetheart, or as a fun lunch for little loved ones who will delight in their holiday shape.
Like love, this pasta is a many-splendored thing that can be served many ways. Eat your hearts out with a classic tomato-basil sauce, rosé sauce or cream sauce (any of which can be purchased ready-made in-store along with the ravioli). And, if you choose to enter cooking, like love, with total abandon then try the ravioli fried, drizzled with chocolate and a light dusting of powdered sugar; all’s fair when it comes to love and pasta. Happy Valentine’s Day!
#torontopasta #valentinesdaypasta #heartravioli #heartlasagna #woodbridgepasta #northyorkpasta
Wine & Chestnuts
We all know the date November 11th as Remembrance Day, but this date is also significant on a winemaker’s calendar as San Martino, the day, it is said, when all must becomes wine. On San Martino, it is tradition to get a taste of new wine (vino novello) and pair it with roasted chestnuts.
While there’s nothing wrong with cracking the shells on roasted chestnuts and enjoying their nutty sweet flesh as an after-dinner snack with a glass of wine, why not try them as your main course and enjoy a luscious plate of pasta tossed in a chestnut cream sauce. The addition of some salty pancetta works incredibly well with the slight sweetness and woodiness of the chestnut to create a delectable sauce. Pick up some fresh tagliatelle from our store to toss with that sauce and you’ve got the perfect celebratory dish for San Martino.
Tagliatelle with Chestnut Cream Sauce
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 nests of tagliatelle pasta (or more depending on the size of your portions)
½ cup cubed pancetta
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus additional leaves for garnish
½ cup chopped roasted chestnuts (freshly roasted or store bought)
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano shavings
Preparation
In a large sauté pan, cook the cubed pancetta over medium heat until crispy, remove using a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel. In the fat released from the pancetta crisp up fresh sage leaves that will be used as garnish (this will only take about a minute). Remove the crispy sage and set aside.
Add the chestnuts to the pan and sauté for approximately 5 minutes until they have started to crisp up and change color. Remove the chestnuts then raise the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced by half then add in the chopped sage and cream lowering the heat back down to medium allowing the sauce to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook and drain the pasta then toss into the cream sauce to coat. Stir in the pancetta and chestnuts then serve topped with the crispy sage leaves and some Parmigiano shavings.
#torontopasta #bestpastaGTA #yyzpasta
Ready to Squash a New Season
While a certain coffee house has equated the fall season with pumpkin our preference for squash of the winter variety is the bright orange butternut.
Also referred to as the butternut pumpkin, this particular variety has a tan colored skin and a sweet, nutty, orange flesh that it a source of fiber, vitamins C, A and E, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. It can be prepared in a variety of different ways: roasted, sautéed, puréed for soups, or mashed and used in casseroles, breads, and muffins.
Naturally our favorite use for this harvest vegetable is in pasta, specifically our butternut squash ravioli; plump pillows of pasta made with squash in the dough, generously stuffed with roasted squash and ricotta. The ravioli are a seasonal staple and a customer favourite that can be served several different ways.
Classically they can be tossed in browned butter and fresh sage and topped with toasted nuts and Parmigiano shavings. They also pair incredibly well with cream sauces, from a simple béchamel or alfredo to a savoury gorgonzola cream sauce with toasted walnuts. A great way to serve them up for a fall feast would be tossed in a maple cream sauce with a hint of thyme and topped with crispy bacon or pancetta.
If you’re looking for a unique appetizer for your upcoming Thanksgiving meal try battering the ravioli in an egg and breadcrumb coating then fry them and serve with a dollop of walnut and sage pesto. Your guests will really be thankful for an invite to your festive meal after biting into one (or more) of these.
For us, butternut squash is synonymous with the fall season and our ravioli would make the perfect addition to a holiday meal or simply enjoyed as a warm bowl of comfort on a cool autumn day.
Pinch Me It’s National Lobster Day
American songwriter Jimmy Buffett once said, “I’m living on things that excite me, be they pastry, or lobster or love”. We couldn’t agree more with Jimmy, particularly when it comes to lobster and on September 25th we raise our claws in celebration of this incredible crustacean.
While lobster can be enjoyed in a myriad of ways (lobster roll, lobster Newberg, lobster Thermidor and lobster bisque to name a few) our favorite preparation naturally, is with pasta. Pick up some of our lobster ravioli and enjoy them with our rosé sauce or add chunks of lobster meat to that sauce and serve with fettuccine for two luxuriously creamy courses. Lobster can also be combined with other shellfish in tomato sauce and spoon over linguine for an incredibly appetizing pescatore.
Perhaps one of our all-time favorite preparations is by rendering a comfort food classic a little more decadent with the addition of this succulent seafood, lobster mac and cheese; the addition of lobster to this recipe elevates it to gourmet status. We love making this dish using our cresti di galli (rooster pasta) adding to the elegance of its plating. Pick some up in store along with some of our homemade béchamel and you’re already halfway there.
Cook the cresti di galli according to the directions and heat the béchamel. Combine them together adding in 1 lb. of cooked lobster meat, 2 cups of grated white cheddar and 2 cups of grated Gruyere cheese. Put the mixture into a buttered casserole dish or individual ramekins and top with herbed bread crumbs. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the pasta is browned on top.
To take your pasta presentation to the next level serve topped with microgreens. Happy Lobster Day!
Preparations have begun for the start of a new school year. A new wardrobe, new supplies, perhaps even a new journey as children venture off towards college and university. Whether preparing students for campus life or another year of elementary or school thought always goes into nourishment.
A great way to feed those young minds is by packing some pasta into their school lunch. The carbohydrates found in pasta provide glucose, the crucial fuel for brains and muscles. Pasta is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, which provide a slow release of energy. Unlike simple sugars that offer a quick, yet fleeting boost of energy, pasta helps sustain energy. Pasta can also be paired with a variety of nutrient-dense foods such as fiber-filled beans and vegetables; heart-healthy fish and vegetable oils; antioxidant-rich tomato sauce and protein-packed cheese and lean meats for nutritious and delicious meals.
Need some ideas for how to pack pasta for lunch? How about baking macaroni and cheese in muffin tins to make a bite-sized version of this kid-friendly classic that can be easily packed into a lunchbox. Another great way to enjoy pasta is in a pasta salad that can be portioned into mason jars or other reusable containers. For a unique mid-day meal try whisking leftover pasta with eggs, cheese (any other ingredients of your choosing for a filling pasta frittata. And finally, easily fill a thermos with their favorite noodles.
If on the other hand you are preparing care packages to send off with your undergrads pasta is also a great choice. Stop into Continental Noodles to pick up any one of the 50 pasta varieties we carry and partner it with our ready-made sauces that can be easily heated and enjoyed. A jar of tomato sauce will also come in handy for pizza along with some ready-made dough. In the heat and eat category we also have a variety of delicious homemade soup like minestrone loaded with hand chopped vegetables along with ready-to-bake lasagna; veal, chicken and eggplant parmigiana; and arancini. We also have bags of polpettine, 100% ground veal meatballs rolled by hand. These are great to keep on hand for pastas, soups and sandwiches.
You can confidently go back-to-school with Continental Noodles helping to feed your children’s appetites for learning.
Plating Up Canadiana with Maple Leaf Pasta
The maple leaf has served as a Canadian symbol since the 1700s. Not only has this foliage served as the centerpiece of the National flag for over fifty years but it was also the emblem of the first St. Jean Baptiste Society in North America in 1834 and it was incorporated into the badge of the 100th Regiment of Royal Canadians in 1860. The leaf of the mighty maple is included in both the Ontario and Quebec coat of arms and has appeared on the penny since its first minting.
The maple leaf is the most prominent badge of our nation so what better way to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary than by incorporating it into your celebratory meal. Cook up a Canada Day pasta dish with our special Canada150 Pasta. Festive red and white maple leaf shaped pasta made with all natural ingredients and no preservatives is the perfect way to plate up some Canadiana. Toss it with your favourite sauce or use it for a spirited pasta salad in honor of this very special occasion.
Be sure to drop by and pick up some maple leaf pasta to serve up for your Canada Day festivities.
The maple leaf has served as a Canadian symbol since the 1700s. Not only has this foliage served as the centerpiece of the National flag for over fifty years but it was also the emblem of the first St. Jean Baptiste Society in North America in 1834 and it was incorporated into the badge of the 100th Regiment of Royal Canadians in 1860. The leaf of the mighty maple is included in both the Ontario and Quebec coat of arms and has appeared on the penny since its first minting.
The maple leaf is the most prominent badge of our nation so what better way to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary than by incorporating it into your celebratory meal. Cook up a Canada Day pasta dish with our special Canada 150 Pasta. Festive red and white maple leaf shaped pasta made with all natural ingredients and no preservatives is the perfect way to plate up some Canadiana. Toss it with your favourite sauce or use it for a spirited pasta salad in honor of this very special occasion.
Be sure to drop by any of our locations and pick up some maple leaf pasta to serve up for your Canada Day festivities.
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Celebrating Continental Noodles - Franco Liberatore opened the first location back in 1965! Serving the Italo-Canadese Community for almost 50 years!
