August 15 is Ferragosto, the end-of-summer holiday in Italy, so we decided we would write about one of our favorite Italian places in Chicago, Tortello Pastificio (1746 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622). Tortello is known for its fresh pasta, and there is often a sfoglino/a (pastamaker) hard at work in the front window, making the latest pastas of the day. One half husband-and-wife of the ownership team, Dario Monni is from Venice, and the other, Jill Gray, is a Chicagoan and marketing executive.
Tortello is a combination of a counter-service restaurant and a takeout pasta shop. If you are in the mood to cook at home, you can buy ready-made fresh pasta by the pound, and a variety of accompanying sauces. The pasta – made with either semolina and water, or flour and egg – is uniformly excellent, and made with the finest quality ingredients. The ready made sauces are also quite good (try the cacio e pepe), and sold either individually or as part of a meal kit. For fresh pasta to go, there is spaghetti, of course, alongside bucatini and rigatoni, but also some harder-to-find in the US varieties like corzetti (coin-shaped pasta from Liguria) and trottole (a spiral pasta from Puglia). There is also a small grocery section up front where you can get some fine Italian goods including balsamic vinegar, Calabrian chilis, and even colatura di alici, a fish sauce descended from the ancient Roman dish garum.
If you would like to eat in, there is also a small amount of tables with counter service, and outside tables when the weather is nice. The pastas on offer rotate, but we have had a good selection across several visits, and have greatly enjoyed everything we have tried. One of our favorites is the cacio e pepe, a classic Roman dish which we are quite picky about (above)! The pesto cavatelli is a standout, as were the signature burrata tortelli, topped with a simple sauce of butter, sage and hazelnuts. There are other dishes available, including some luscious focaccia (either plain or topped with ricotta and honey) and fennel and orange Sicilian salad (below). For those with a sweet tooth, the tiramisu is also sublime.
Tortello is on a busy stretch of Division Street, and has already made a mark on the Chicago food scene, offering pasta-making classes, and holding special Italian food festivals, known as sagre. Tortello has received many accolades, including a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and even garnering an appearance in the hit television show, The Bear. We think the positive press is definitely deserved. If you are looking for some of the best fresh pasta in Chicago, definitely make a beeline for Tortello.
The focus of the menu is the handmade pasta, which is divided into two categories – Pasta tipica (classics) and pasta atipica (less traditional riffs on classic dishes). Intriguing “atypical” selections included a duck egg ravioli with pork and a wok-fried arrabiata with gulf shrimp. More traditional pasta dishes included pumpkin-filled tortelloni. Appetizers, called “snacks,” included raw hamachi and octopus spiedini. Small plates included country ham with buffalo mozzarella and mushroom and polenta stuffed cabbage. Monteverde also has a good wine menu and some distinctive non-alcoholic drinks including Sicilian lemonade in the summer and spiced soda in the fall.
Eating The World 