Corti Brothers Newsletter for Fall 2004   Page 3 

Please note!   Many of our past newsletter items came from a very limited stock and are no longer available.  Please check our products page or contact us for availability.

With all the talk about low carbohydrate diets, it is a wonder that Italians are so,...well, slim! In Italy, a dish of pasta is eaten at least at one meal a day. And look at them!

Pastas Imported from Italy

Ficari SAGNE INCANNULLATE fatte a mano pasta $10.99 500g
“(La)Sagne rolled on a stick,” handmade, about ½ inch wide, thick and perfect for a rich, thick sauce. 

Marella ZUCCHETTE pasta Out of stock. 500g
Imagine a ribbed pumpkin shape, cut at both top and bottom, to capture sauce both inside and out. 

Marella LANTERNE pasta Out of stock. 500g
A thick, ribbed on one side, apostrophe shape, like wall sconces or lantern holders. 

Marella FARFALLONI Pasta Out of stock. 500g
Very large, ribbed on one side, smooth on the other “bow ties” and about the same size as a bow tie.  

Alta Valle Pasta:

Alta Valle Scrivia TAGLIATELLE Pasta Out of stock. 500g
A traditional Ligurian pasta, white in color, used with mushroom sauces, pesto, or in soups. 

Columbro Pasta:

Columbro FUSILLI lunghi Pasta Out of stock. 500g
The traditional style, spiral shaped, about 10 inches long, with a hole in its middle. 

Columbro PACCHERI Pasta Out of stock. 500g
Very large diameter short tubes, either for filling or serving with a chunky sauce, or even just melted butter. 

Columbro BUCATINI Pasta Out of stock. 500g
The only pasta cut to be used in making pasta all’amatriciana. Long, narrow shape with a hole though it.  

Italia in Tavola Pasta:

Italia in Tavola CAVATELLI Pasta Out of stock. 500g
Semi curled, round shape, typically from Puglia, perfect for sauces made with vegetables or rapini. 

Antichi Sapori Pasta:

Antichi Sapori del Sole I FUSILLI corti Pasta Out of stock. 500g
These are 2-3 inch size pieces, rolled on a metal bar to give them their elongated, cylindrical shape. 

Bartolini CIRIOLE Pasta Out of stock. 500g 

Bartolini CIRIOLINE Pasta Out of stock. 500g
Traditional Umbrian pasta, a 7 inch long, square cut, reminiscent of a candle wick. Cirioline, just thinner. 

Pastas Imported from Greece

Misko Pasta:

Misko RISONI large pasta 500g Out of stock.
A large, rice shaped cut for soup, making salads, or cooking as “menestra” in a defatted lamb roasting pan.

Terra Di Toscana Pasta Sauces–from Sacramento

Pasta sauce exists in myriad variations. TERRA DI TOSCANA sauces are made by a young Sacramento friend, Alex Del Guerra, according to recipes from his Lucchesia region born mother, Edda. We offered these when
first released for sale and bring them back to remind our customers that these high quality sauces are available.

Made from true San Marzano seed tomatoes, grown in the Sacramento Valley, fresh vegetables, olives and in one instance, porcini mushrooms, TERRA DI TOSCANA sauces are made in small batches and have a rich, thick consistency. There are now five types: Sugo di Verdura Fresca is the newest, made from fresh tomatoes, onions zucchini, yellow bell pepper, eggplant, basil, and garlic. The original sauces are: Pommarola Toscana (a variant of the southern Italian sauce), Pommarola Piccante (with hot red pepper), Sugo di Pomodoro con funghi (with porcini and basil), and Sugo di Pomodoro con olive (with black and green olives.) These are all in 16 oz. jars, enough to amply dress pasta for 6 people. TERRA DI TOSCANA sauces are perfect for harried cooks, unexpected guests, or to add variety to leftovers.

Uncompromisingly good, TERRA DI TOSCANA sauces’ thick consistency makes them very appropriate for large format pasta cuts. Thin cuts may be overwhelmed by their density. If so, just thin with some pasta cooking water.

Terra Di Toscano SUGO DI VERDURA FRESCA Pasta Sauce $6.99 16oz.

Terra Di Toscano POMMAROLA TOSCANA Pasta Sauce $5.99 16oz.

Terra Di Toscano SUGO DI POMODORO CON FUNGHI Pasta Sauce $5.99 16oz.

Terra Di Toscano POMMAROLA PICANTE Pasta Sauce $5.99 16oz.

Terra Di Toscano SUGO DI POMODORO CON OLIVE Pasta Sauce $5.99 16oz.

Taggiasca Olives in Brine from Ardoino

The taggiasca is the most important cultivar in Liguria on Italy’s Riviera. A tiny olive, that is a biotype of frantoio, the important central Italian cultivar, it was brought to the Riviera by Benedictine monks who first planted it in the valley of the Taggia river near Oneglia. It is responsible for the light fruity oil produced in Liguria, and also produces very delicious eating olives.

Curiously enough, taggiasca olives are difficult to produce for eating since they require about a year’s time in curing. This very slow process produces a delicious flavor, slightly nutty with a delicate crunch. The amount of meat to pit in taggiasca olives is low, but they are addictive. Ours are produced by Ardoino, our noted oil merchant in Oneglia.

Our current production was made from olives that were not quite ripe; there are still some lightly green ones in the mix. Normally they would all be very dark since this cultivar is harvested by allowing the fruit to fall on to nets suspended between the trees. Packed in their own brine, they just need to be drained and put out to nibble on. Anointed with a bit of Ardoino Vall’Aurea oil and herbs and spices of your choice, they will disappear rapidly.

Ardoino Olive Taggiasche in salamoia 400g (drained 240g) Out of stock.