Stuffed Pastas

Fill 'er Up

by Jessica Loughery

Black might sound a little goth for pasta, but the squid ink added to this ravioli dough before cooking gives it a distinctive visual touch. Inside, ricotta cheese and fresh-chopped lobster meat are seasoned with basil, salt and pepper. The final touch consists of a lobster-stock-based sauce flavored with pepper, sherry, cream, vermouth, thyme and oregano.

When it comes to stuffed pasta, cheese filling is square one— a simple, tasteful mainstay. In one of La Collina's biggest sellers, tortellini alla panna, the dough is stuffed with a standard ricotta-and-Parmesan blend. The flavor is enhanced by an Alfredo sauce made with heavy cream, butter and salt with prosciutto, peas and Parmesan.

Although Cucina Forte's most exotic stuffed pastas are meaty, there are plenty of veg-friendly options here too. Maria Forte's ravioli are filled with Romano and Parmesan cheeses and a tasty pesto. This pasta is topped with a sauce of marinara, fresh heavy cream and more Romano cheese.

An unlikely pasta filling—raw swordfish—finds its way into half-moon-shaped casoncelli at Vetri. The fish is stuffed in with egg, Parmesan, raisins and nutmeg, then boiled. They're served in a sauce of sage, brown butter, dried prunes and pancetta.

Even though Dante & Luigi's substitutes crepes for the usual pasta shells, its manicotti is still a pasta-style dish. After the thin, light pancakes are filled with a mix of egg, ricotta, locatelli and Romano cheeses, they're rolled in butter and baked. The homemade Italian gravy's a slow-cooked combination of beef, pork, veal, olive oil, garlic and whole tomatoes.