Il Pastaficio is True Italian in the Heart of Cos Cob

 

Federico Perandin and his wife, Anissa Nouhi are the owners and creators of the well known Pastaficio in Cos Cob, a pasta shop and restaurant hybrid, which has quickly established a reputation of having some of the best Italian cuisine around Town.

When explaining how Pastaficio came to be, Anissa Nouhi said her husband Federico worked  an advertising agency in Italy but has always had a passion for food since he was young. After waiting for the right time to pursue his dreams, he and his wife decided to open Pastaficio in Cos Cob after falling in love with the town.

Their pasta is made with light, special grains and flours with no bleaching or preservatives.

Federico has a very hands-on role as a chef and as a manager. He orders his own products, with grains and ingredients sourced from Italy.

Anissa explained that even the products on the shelf, such as olives, olive oil, crackers, and other assorted goods imported from Italy, are guaranteed to be of the utmost quality. At the same time, he works in the kitchen, and has even created his own pasta; one is infused with chickpea flour and another with beet flour.

Il Pastaficio has a dish of the day, and they are always adding new kinds of pasta to the menu.

For example, Federico created an orange and black ravioli specialty for Halloween.

Their pastas are handmade in a very intricate process. Pasta such as ravioli and tortellini can take up to an hour to make a pound.

Federico has integrated a variety of techniques from his many travels to Italy. He explained that every region and sub-region in Italy has a dish that they are known for. He said that a lot of the best of the authentic Italian dishes aren’t found in popular chain restaurants, but more in the small family run businesses that only the locals know of.

Federico uses techniques he has learned from many parts of Italy and integrates them into his own style.

At Il Pastaficio, innovation and fine cuisine go hand in hand, yet another aspect of the shop which makes it one of a kind.

The American take on Italian that is common in restaurants is not the same as the authentic dishes served in Italy. Il Pastaficio sticks to the true Italian dishes.

Federico explained how many dishes like fettucine alfredo are not indigenous to Italy, and are actually very influenced by American cooking. Il Pastaficio is unique from the quality of the ingredients used and the simple but decadent style of the dishes served – Italian to its core.

Il Pastaficio is located at 213 East Putnam Ave in Mill Pond in Cos Cob.