The Little Italy of Providence, Rhode Island

My first full day in Providence, Rhode Island found me walking through downtown, the historic district, and finally over to Federal Hill, Atwells Ave., which is the little Italy of Providence. Amazing to think how many times I’ve driven through Providence on my way to Boston and never realized that this wonderful little corner of Italian culture existed here. Atwells Ave. is lined with restaurants, delis, and pastry shops, all with an Italian flair. Also along this strip I found Gasbarro’s Wines, a shop with a great selection of Italian gems and rarities, which is worth stopping at all on its own.

However, it was lunch that topped it all off. Going off a recommendation from Gasbarro’s, I made my way over to Venda Ravioli, an Italian specialties shop and grocer with an attached restaurant named Costantino's Ristorante & Caffe.

Found in a little plaza off of Atwells Ave., Costantino's Venda Ravioli is a shop I would love to live near. Everything you need to create an Italian dinner, cater an event or just grab lunch can be found in Venda Ravioli, along with a small army of employees working the deli counters and an attached kitchen that prepares the foods for both Venda Ravioli as well as Costantino’s.

Upon asking about lunch, I was escorted across the courtyard to an elegant dining room overlooking the plaza. The menu was well thought out with a number of selections that tempted me, but the one that got me was the Ravioli Gigante Sorpresa. (“giant surprise”). The surprise is that they don’t tell you what’s in the ravioli, but along with the recommendation from Gasbarro’s for the restaurant came especially high praise for the ravioli.

So what was in it? In this case, it was a mix of three different fillings. One was a simple but perfectly creamy and seasoned ricotta. It was made with romano and ricotta cheese, eggs, seasoned breadcrumbs and fresh parsley. Rich and enjoyable to the last bite, it mixed perfectly with the sage butter sauce that accompanied the plate. Next was crabmeat with bitter greens. This was perfectly good on its own, but a little odd to my palate with the sage butter. Lastly, I had pumpkin ravioli, one of my absolute favorites, and this one was firing on all cylinders. Rich and creamy with a cedar spicy twang, it mixed perfectly with the sage butter.

If there was one thing that I would like to see added to this menu, it’s a larger selection of wines by the glass. However, this was a minor issue since I was perfectly happy with a simple prosecco.

I highly recommend visiting Federal Hill on your next visit or drive through Rhode Island; any lover of anything Italian will enjoy it. On to more food and wine in Providence, but I’m happy knowing that I will be returning to Atwells Ave. to attend a tasting and dinner at the Blue Grotto this weekend… More to follow.

To check out the website for Gasbarro's wines, click here. (Unfortunately, they do not have their inventory online.)

To check out the website for Costantino's Venda Ravioli, click here.

Soave with Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Butter Sauce

Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Butter Sauce

Truly one of the most pleasing dishes you can present at a table. Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage butter speaks to our desire for a cozy, warm feeling on a cold winter night. The spicy pumpkin, with the silky fresh pasta, and the salty bite of Parmigiano-regiano, covered in a sauce that wafts aromas of woodsy sage into the air.

2008 Pieropan Soave Pieropan

As for the wine, I chose Soave Classico. Soave is a blend, primarily garganega and, in this bottles case, a small amount of trebbiano di soave. Ten years ago you would have to work hard to find a good bottle that was anything more than “just another Italian white” but times have changed and many producers are creating soave of outstanding character. One of my favorites is Pieropan. The best part is the price, around $15. Don't be mistaken by the name either, this is a Soave from the classico designation, it doesn't bear the name on it's label because its bottled under screw cap (not "yet" allowed by the rules of the Soave Classico DOC).

My Notes:
A wonderfully fresh and fragrant soave with aromas of pear and peach, lavender and a bit of fresh cut grass coming across on the nose. On the palate it shows finesse and vibrancy, from it’s brisk acidity, and flavors of apple, lemon and minerals. The finish is fresh and cleanses the palate. It paired perfectly with the woodsy sage, spicy pumpkin and rich heft of the butter sauce.

Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Butter Sauce

To keep this simple, I’m going to make the assumption that you are not making your own pasta and pumpkin filling. That’s not to say that we can’t cover that in a future installment, but for now, let’s talk about the sauce. Once you make sage butter sauce you will realize its many uses. Pumpkin ravioli is the tip of the iceberg. Try it with mushrooms, sauté chicken, poached fish or drizzled over risotto.

Sage Butter Sauce

Note: If you are buying premade pumpkin ravioli, please go for quality. Look for a fresh brand (not frozen). If you have a local gourmet deli with their own house style, than give it a try. However, I’m sure you can find it at Trader Joes or Whole foods in a pinch. Follow the cooking directions, for boiling time, on the package. Plan for four ravioli per guest, more if a main course.

Sage Butter Sauce (Serves 4)
1 stick butter
2 sprigs of fresh sage, minced
¼ grated Parmigiano-regiano
salt & pepper

1 Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and allow it to melt completely. Once the butter has stopped foaming (that’s the water cooking out), add half of the minced sage leaves.
2 Allow this mixture to cook over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes.
3 Now strain the butter sauce into a bowl. The strainer (use a chinois for best results) should capture most of the cooked sage leaves (The cooked sage leaves can be thrown away).
4 Keep this mixture warm until ready to plate.
5 When plating, season with a salt and pepper, add the ravioli and then spoon the sage butter sauce over the plate. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-regiano. Lastly, sprinkle with the remaining fresh, minced sage.

Click here to find the 2008 Pieropan Soave on Wine-Searcher