Mandarin Magazine Issue 2 Issue 2 | Page 18

SEASONAL FLAVORS There are many flavors of Sfoglini pasta, along with a variety of shapes and sizes. The flavors change frequently because Sfoglini uses fresh ingredi- ents from local rooftop gardens and green markets. “We like to mix it up and try new things, so each month we change the pasta,” Ketchum says. “December featured cuttlefish ink spaccatelli, which we might make a year-round option now. January featured porcini mush- room trumpets, and February featured beet fusilli. “[They] take more time to make, depending on the ingredients we mix with the flour and water. Each ingredient needs to be added in its own unique way to best ensure a quality pasta and taste,” he explains. Flavored pasta—for example, Sfoglini basil or cuttlefish ink—opens a dish to new options. The pasta should be treated as an ingredient, Ketchum says. “Basil is used in most Italian pasta dishes, so including basil in the pasta means it may not be necessary to add anything to your sauce, or you can simply serve it alone with some olive oil and cheese,” he comments. “The cuttlefish ink adds a slight salty or briny taste to the pasta, which works well when served with fish. Cuttlefish ink also pairs and looks amazing with a cream or Alfredo sauce.” Sfoglini’s sauvignon blanc reginetti, with a fig-like texture and taste, could be paired as you would pair a wine, Ketchum says. It goes well with braised lamb or beef ragu. And, quite fitting for a New York-based company, the “everything fusilli”—which uses all of the ingredients found on an everything bagel— has endless options. “The garlic and onion notes in the pasta would work well with any tomato sauce, but you could also pair it with a cream cheese and salmon to emulate the bagel experience,” Ketchum says. Many of Sfoglini’s pasta shapes, all organic, aren’t easy to find—even in New York City. “We’ve selected pasta shapes that you may not normally find at your local market, and each shape has special qualities that work better with cer- tain ingredients and sauces,” Ketchum says. “We’ve tried to highlight these qualities on our website, but we always encourage people to experiment and try something new.” To give customers an opportunity to try new pasta, Sfoglini offers a pasta of the month club. Memberships are available in increments of three, six or 12 months. Each month, the company sends out two pastas—one seasonal/specialty and the other its signature organic variety—with a simple recipe that highlights the pasta and focuses on using fresh ingredients to complement the taste. Just like Sfoglini’s other pastas, the pasta of the month varieties are made to order. “We strive to get the pastas to our retail customers within a week of being produced, and our restaurant customers get fresh pasta made the night before or the same day they receive it,” Ketchum says. “As with all good foods, great ingredients and proper preparation create a better product.” WHERE TO BUY SFOGLINI PASTA In addition to numerous fine restaurants in the city, you can buy Sfoglini pasta at the following Manhattan shops (as well as select locations across the country). MALT & MOLD 221 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002 ABC BEER CO. 96 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009 BATTERY PLACE MARKET 77 Battery Place, New York, NY 10280 THE CANNIBAL 111 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016 NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024 BEDFORD CHEESE SHOP 67 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003 ELI ZABAR 1411 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10028 UNION MARKET 240 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002 BEECHER’S HANDMADE CHEESE 900 Broadway, New York, NY 100003 HAVEN’S KITCHEN 109 W 17th Street, New York, NY 10011 WEST ELM 1870 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 SPAGHETTI BEET FUSILLI 18 INSEASON MAGAZINE | SPRING 2013 TRUMPETS CHEF STEVE GONZALEZ AND SCOTT KETCHUM BASIL REGINETTI ZUCCA