Best Pasta of the Year (so far)...Brioso's "Penne Saporite"

Posted by: Jonny

Best pasta dish that I've tasted this year?

That's easy.

It's Brioso's of Staten Island's "Penne Saporite".

I had tasted the dish last fall upon my first visit to Briosos with Mom and Dad B and I was knocked out. I had told Nik we had to come back in order to� try it again, and the time finally presented itself
as Mom and Dad B took us out for our 2-year anniversary last month. As I perused the menu my heart skipped a beat as on the first scan of the pasta dishes I didn't see it listed. After finding it near the bottom, the only question was whether I was going with a half portion as an appetizer, or a
full dish as an entree - I went with it as an appetizer and opted to run with the short ribs over polenta as my entree.

The Saporite sauce consists of:
- sauteed onion
- cognac
- pancetta
- smoked provola
- cream
- tomatoes
and......drum roll.....radicchio. Yes, that radicchio, the purple leafy thing that we normally eat in a salad.

The sauce is similar to a vodka sauce due to the color and consistency, but the pancetta and smoked provola add further sharpness and smokiness and the radicchio adds a slight bitterness, providing� a wealth of colors for your taste buds to explore. As I shoveled the dish down all I could say was how dumb I was for not ordering an entree-sized portion (as Mom B recommended).

We're going to try and replicate this at home, so we'll do a future post on what that outcome is.

Stay tuned.

ADDITIONAL VIEWING PLEASURE FROM BRIOSO:

Photo: Dad B's Friutti Di Mare over risotto.

Photo: Nikki's Sunday Sauce complete with penne,
sausage and meatballs.

Brioso
174 New Dorp Ln
Staten Island, NY 10306
(718) 667-1700
www.briosoristorante.com

Comments

[Michele]

That looks incredible! I've never been to that restaurant in Staten Island. I'm going to ask my parents if they have. If not, we'll have to check it out asap!

[Jonny Mangia]

I kid you not. This dish is amazing.
I'm not the biggest pasta lover, that's Nikki's realm, so for me to say it's this good, I MEAN IT!

[Michele]

How can you be Italian and not love pasta? LOL

Anyway, Jonny and Nikki please check my blog. There is something there you should see...