Famiglia Baldassarre hand makes fresh pasta from scratch in all shapes and wholesale to some of Toronto’s best restaurants. It is quite difficult to eat there as it only opens four days a week (Tuesday to Fridays) for two-hour lunch service. Only a limited amount of pasta is served, and when it’s sold out, it’s sold out.
Cavatelli (CAD $12)
Wednesday is always cavatelli day. Cavatelli have an elongated shape with a hollow cavity that is perfect for trapping sauces. Tiny but packing a textural punch, it has a hearty, and bready texture that works incredibly well with flavorful vegetables like broccoli rabe (also referred as rapini), mushroom or a bright, bold red sauce. Both cavatelli dish were wonderful. The homemade sausage and sugo was very hearty and paired well with the unique texture of cavatelli. Rapini and pasta is a classic italian pairing and the sprinkle of pecorino adds saltines and makes the dish taste stronger.
Fresh pasta in the making 
Parma D.O.P. 16 month (CAD $6)
Tortellini Bolognesi in brodo di gallina is stuffed pastas in chicken broth. These delicious stuffed pasta pouches are filled with a mixture of pork loin, prosciutto di parma, mortadella and parmigiano reggiano. I really loved how well seasoned these tortellini were. The rich, fragrant chicken broth beautifully balanced the savory tortellini. This dish is delicious and comforting especially during the chilly winter months.
I’ve always had a soft spot for long, fresh pastas like tagliatelle, pappardelle, and tonnarelli. There’s something so decadent about the chewiness of fresh pastas. Paglia e Fieno (straw and hay) is a combination of plain and green tagliatelle flavored with spinach. This colorful pasta dish is served with butter and casera d.o.p cheese. The rustic flavor of the pasta pairs well with the casera cheese and has a nutty and sweet taste.
I love just about everything pasta and fresh pasta especially. Have you ever had fresh pasta? Trust me, you are missing out on an amazing experience if you haven’t. There is a huge difference between hardened pasta from a box and fresh pasta. I highly recommend Famiglia Baldassarre and is a must-try for pasta lovers.
P.S. Expect long lineups during summer time and they take cash only.
Famiglia Baldassarre
Address: 122 Geary Ave, Toronto, ON M6H 4H1
Website: http://famigliabaldassarre.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/famiglia_baldassarre/?hl=en
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