When life gives you lemons… well, I’m sure you know how the saying goes. But when it throws you some duds (read: covid-19 and lockdowns), you can try to make the most out of a crappy situation. Turn a negative into a… pastative. For Grossi Florentino Chef Andrea Vignali, it was the establishment of his pasta delivery service Al Dente following a temporary reduction in staff at the restaurant. The food is a game changer (more on that in a tick) but importantly, Al Dente has also provided support for their team of temporary visa holders who have similarly found themselves in Chef Vignali’s situation with no support from the government.

While nothing can be done to soothe that itch to travel, you can at least get your fix of quality Italiano cuisine through Al Dente - Chef Vignali’s homemade Italiano goodies immediately transported my taste buds right back to Italy. Pasta products arrive in a fairly frozen state, suitable for popping straight into the freezer until ready for consumption. And despite my delivery sitting in the freezer for a good few days and even up to weeks before I eventually dug them out to cook (I’m not joking about the digging part, my freezer is actually quite full and I tire of playing freezer tetris every time I open it…), I was absolutely blown away by how fresh the pasta tasted when cooked. It was as though Chef Vignali had just been in my kitchen that day and made the pasta fresh, with no time spent in the freezer. Some of you will be pleased to note that the cooking requirement is minimal and as easy as popping the pasta into some boiling water and reheating the sauces. When it comes to flavour, the pairings and ingredients aren’t overly complicated but the simplicity is perfectly executed. From the silky, al dente pasta (cooking times/instructions provided) to the flavoursome backdrops provided by the lamb ragu or burnt butter sage sauce, each bite was comfort-laden and utterly delicious. I’m not usually a fan of lamb and best case scenario, I can tolerate a lamb dish BUT to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed the lamb ragu - the gaminess was virtually non-existent, the meat super tender and the richness of flavours from the tomato and herbs really sung. What a palate changer! But wait, there’s more! Without sounding too much like an infomercial, the desserts were also nailed to a T - the crostata al limone a gorgeously balanced, zesty and tangy lemon tart with an incredible buttery short crust that just melts away into deliciousness vs. the ooey, gooey soft centred chocolate pudding, a decadent treat that pairs beautifully with a nice cuppa tea or glass of milk. Both excellent, really.

I would highly, HIGHLY recommend putting in an Al Dente order through Cookborough. I know I will be - I’m currently clearing out and reserving some freezer space for it!

Items:

Pappardelle pasta - paired beautifully with the slow-cooked lamb ragu. For extra oomph, I also added some torn fresh mozzarella, roasted vine tomatoes and chilli flakes.

Tortellini Cacio e Pepe - pecorino and pepper sauce is folded into golden semolina pasta (cheese and pasta with a peppery kick, what’s not to love? Especially with a generous grating of extra cheese on top)

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca - bon bon like pasta (something I had never tried before prior to my Al Dente delivery), filled with roasted veal, crisp pancetta, pear, sage and biscuits soaked in milk (a unique filling that tasted absolutely beautiful, especially when paired with the fragrant burnt butter and sage sauce, and pan fried pancetta shards)

Burnt butter and sage sauce

Slow-cooked lamb ragu - lamb shoulder, tomato, red wine and herbs.

Soft centred chocolate pudding

Crostata al limone - traditional Italian lemon tart with shortcrust pastry, lemon curd and topped with white chocolate crumble.

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca

Pappardelle pasta with slow-cooked lamb ragu

Tortellini Cacio e Pepe

Crostata al limone

Disclosure: I received these products courtesy of Al Dente. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience.