Fresh Pasta in Pittsburgh
Fresh pasta from Handmade Pasta by Yvonne.
There’s nothing ordinary about Rebecca Romagnoli’s pasta.
To start, look at her shapes. The owner of Forma Pasta, a small-batch, handcrafted pasta shop in Allentown twists, rolls, and folds dough into shapes you’ve probably never heard of, like sacchettoni, funghetti, or fusi istriani.
Then, there are her flavors, which change regularly. (Much of Romagnoli’s business comes from a monthly subscription box, where she tries to find “new and unique things” to make.) A batch of her tortellini isn’t just egg-based dough pockets stuffed with ricotta, but a fermented black garlic dough filled with hickory-smoked potato. She makes tripolini out of corn and cilantro dough and twists sorpresine with pimento and basil.
We chatted with Romagnoli about six of her favorite, unique pasta shapes and flavor combinations. Sign up for their subscription or visit the shop to see what Romagnoli is cooking up next.
A few of the pasta shapes from Forma Pasta. Photo courtesy of Forma Pasta.
Cappelletti
Cappelletti is a type of stuffed pasta often referred to as “little hats.” Romagnoli says it’s similar to a tortellini but starts with a circular-cut of dough, rather than a square. Her favorite combination was corn and crab with a tarragon pesto.
Fusi Istriani
Called an “origami” version of pasta, fuisi istriani takes the three sides of a triangle and pushes them together in the center. The result is a triangle-shaped pasta with holes for sauce on each side. Romagnoli chose to flavor a version of this pasta with cocoa.
Garganelli
Similar to penne, garganelli is a tube-shaped, ridged-edged pasta. Romagnoli says the hollow center is great for holding robust sauces, like her favorite pairing, a pistachio garganelli with a lamb ragu.
Two-tone Fettuccine
Though most of us know what fettuccine is (flat, thick pasta noodles), Romagnoli takes hers to a new level by making it two-toned. She takes two dough flavors, pushes them together, and runs them through the pasta machine, resulting in a noodle with different-colored sides. Her flavors? Harissa and spinach.
Sacchettoni
Sacchettoni is also known as the “beggars purse.” The dumpling-like stuffed pasta is filled at the bottom, with the sides of the dough coming together at the top like a bag. Romagnoli filled hers, an Aleppo-flavored dough, with eggplant.
Scarpinocc
Romagnoli says this stuffed pasta is her favorite. Traditionally, the pasta – shaped like a shoe with a dimple in the center, perfect for holding sauce – is filled with a funkier, sharper cheese. Instead of a sharp cheese, Romagnoli has chosen to fill her upcoming subscription scarpinocc, made with an arugula pasta, with whipped burrata.
Where to Buy Fresh or Unique Pasta in Pittsburgh
Romagnoli isn’t the only one selling great pasta in Pittsburgh. Check out these three local shops and discover all the pasta-bilities.
Donatelli’s Italian Food Center
donatellisitalianfood.com
Along with their wall of dried, bagged pastas, this Bloomfield Italian grocery stocks their freezer with handcrafted noodles. Find ravioli and gnocchi, among their fresh pasta offerings, along with housemade meatballs, sauce, and more.
handmadepastabyyvonne.com
Pasta comes in all kinds of flavor at Handmade Pasta by Yvonne. Feeling adventurous? Go for squid ink or hot red pepper. And, for those interested in learning how to make pasta at-home, owner Yvonne Hennigan teaches beginner classes. Her sauce recipes are a serious treat for pasta lovers: Black Trumpet Mushroom Sauce, Classic Bolognese, and Pesto alla Genovese.
paneepronto.com
Find dried, fresh pasta on the shelves at Pane é Pronto in the Strip District. Looking for more than just noodles? Try their sister restaurant, DiAnoia’s Eatery, which sells pasta meal kits on their webshop. Each box features one pound of fresh pasta.
pennmac.com
There’s almost no limit to the number of pastas at Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. The longstanding Strip District store carries a variety of fresh, stuffed pastas – filled with everything from cheese to lobster to short rib – along with nests of noodles. Explore the variety of freshly made linguini, pappardelle, and more, or go for a new shape from one of the many bags of dried pasta.
And, with the stores’ many rooms filled with Italian goods, you’ll be able to find sauce, sides, and anything else you may need to complete a meal.
STORY BY MAGGIE WEAVER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM MILLIRON / STYLING BY ANA KELLY