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Italian Wine Pairings for Pasta, Page 2
Pairings at a Glance
Showing 11–20 of 28 dishes
Lasagna
Italian Lasagna is a rich and hearty dish layered with pasta, cheese, a robust tomato sauce, and often includes ground meat or vegetables. The multiple layers of flavours – the acidity from the tomatoes, the creamy cheese, and the savoury meat – demand a wine that can stand up to the complexity without being overshadowed. A wine with a full body and pronounced tannins can cut through the richness of the cheese and meat, while acidity is important to balance the tomato-based sauce. Lasagna pairs wonderfully with wines that offer a counterpoint to its savory profile, with enough structure to cleanse the palate.For an Italian Lasagna, a traditional choice would be a Chianti Classico or a Barbera, both offering acidity and tannins that harmonise with the tomato sauce and the cheese. Other options like a Merlot or a Zinfandel can also pair well, providing the necessary full-bodied and fruity characteristics to complement the dish.
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Lumachine alle Schegginese
Lumachine alle Schegginese is the Umbrian pasta with black truffle, snail-shaped lumachine tossed with shaved tartufo nero di Norcia in anchovy-garlic butter. Scheggino is the town; the truffle is what you pay for. Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG handles the earth; Grechetto di Todi DOC is the white alternative when the truffle is less generous.
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Maccheroncini di Campofilone
Maccheroncini di Campofilone are the Marche's tissue-thin egg pasta, traditionally cut to 0.3 mm by hand at Campofilone near Fermo. The pasta is served in light meat ragù or seafood broth. Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC handles the delicate dough; Rosso Piceno DOC brings the red when the ragù lead.
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Malloreddus alla Campidanese
Malloreddus alla Campidanese is the Sardinian gnocchetti with sausage-and-saffron ragù. The pasta is made with semolina and saffron; the sauce is slow-cooked pork sausage and grated pecorino sardo. Cannonau di Sardegna DOC, the local Grenache, carries the sausage weight; Monica di Sardegna DOC is the lighter option for warmer months.
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Orecchiette con cime di rapa
Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa is the Pugliese Sunday standard, hand-shaped orecchiette with bitter broccoli rabe, anchovy, garlic and chilli. Bari and the Salento both claim the technique; both use the same ingredients. Negroamaro rosato from Salento DOC mirrors the bitter greens; Verdeca from Locorotondo DOC works for lighter preparations.
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Pasta alla carbonara
Pasta alla Carbonara is a beloved dish from Rome (in the region of Lazio), featuring a rich sauce made from egg, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale (cured pork cheek), and plenty of black pepper. The key to a good wine pairing is to find something that can cut through the creaminess and richness without overpowering the subtle flavors of the sauce. Fruity red wines with a touch of acidity are ideal, as they can balance the fat and saltiness of the guanciale.Recommended red wines include Pinot Noir, Chianti Classico, Barbera, and Montepulciano. These wines offer a pleasant fruitiness and sufficient acidity to cleanse the palate.For those who prefer white wines, Pinot Grigio, Soave, Gavi, or Riesling are also excellent choices. These wines are generally lighter, with a high acidity that helps cut through the richness of the carbonara while complementing its flavor.
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Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is Catania's signature, rigatoni or spaghetti with tomato, fried aubergine, ricotta salata and basil. The dish is named for Bellini's opera; the Catanese composer wrote it, so the Sicilians wrote the pasta. Nerello Mascalese from Etna Rosso DOC brings the volcanic mineral lift; a fruity Frappato from Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG takes the summer version.
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Pasta arrabbiata
Pasta all'arrabbiata, a classic spicy dish from the Lazio region, features a fiery tomato sauce made with garlic, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes. The key to pairing wine with this spicy dish is to choose a wine that can handle the heat without overpowering the sauce. Light and crisp Italian white wines such as Verdicchio, Gavi, Pinot Grigio, and Vermentino are excellent choices. These wines typically offer high acidity which helps to balance the spiciness of the arrabbiata sauce, while their light body doesn't compete with the sauce's flavor. The wines' citrus and floral notes can also enhance the sweetness and tang of the tomatoes in the sauce.These wines are served chilled and are particularly effective at refreshing the palate when eating something as spicy as Pasta all'arrabbiata. If one prefers red wine, a light red such as Sangiovese, with low tannins and higher acidity, could also be a suitable match,
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Pasta Cacio e Pepe
Pasta Cacio e Pepe is the Roman trattoria classic, tonnarelli or spaghetti tossed with Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper, emulsified with starchy pasta water. Two ingredients, infinite technique. Frascati Superiore DOCG or a dry Orvieto DOC cut the sheep-cheese fat; Cesanese del Piglio DOCG is the light-red local answer.
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Pizzoccheri (Pizzoccheri della Valtellina)
Buckwheat tagliatelle layered with Savoy cabbage, potatoes, Casera DOP cheese and butter sizzled with garlic and sage. The signature primo of Valtellina in Lombardy, where it is De.Co. (Denominazione Comunale) protected. Pairs with Valtellina Superiore Sassella or Inferno DOCG.
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