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Chefs dish out their best at annual Pasta Bowl

The competition sponsored by Community Resources featured pasta dishes from Staten Island's top chefs

Wednesday, June 09, 2004
By SHARON COHEN

Every type of pasta dish you could possibly imagine was served up with a smile during Community Resources Third Annual Pasta Bowl competition held at its Travis campus.

Strolling musicians sang Italian ballads while guests sampled pasta dishes from some of the Island's top chefs who donated their time and talents to raise money for Community Resources for the Developmentally Disabled, a non-profit agency that provides a full range of services for the Island's disabled population.

A panel of judges ultimately selected a pasta dish from Da Noi restaurant as the winner, and bestowed second place honors on the Historic Old Bermuda Inn, Rossville. Third place went to A Taste of Honey Caterers, Travis.

The prize-winning roulade recipe, called Rottolo Montanara by Da Noi's co-owner Edward Gomez, called for homemade sheets of pasta to be spread with a combination of finely blended sauteed onions and spinach mixed with ricotta cheese and finely chopped wild porcini mushrooms.

After being rolled, the pasta roulade is wrapped in lightly buttered aluminum foil and chilled before being cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick wheels.

An oven pan then is covered with a thin layer of sauce prepared with canned and fresh plum tomatoes, a hint of cream and minced porcini.

After the pasta wheels are placed on the pan and sauced again, they are placed in the oven to cook just until tender.

When ready, the wheels are sprinkled with a layer of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and are put under the broiler briefly, for 30 or 40 seconds, to blend the flavors.

"This helps the pasta develop a crusty surface and a different flavor," said Gomez. "It also helps hold the pasta together."

Gomez said he was honored to win the competition's top award and will proudly display the Pasta Bowl trophy at his restaurant for the next year.

"I'm happy about having the opportunity to give back to the community," Gomez said. "Staten Island is a great place filled with great people."

His sentiments were echoed by celebrity judge Sen. John J. Marchi, who said he never fails to be impressed by the willingness of Islanders to band together for a good cause.

Other judges included Italian language instructor Edward Jackson; Miss Staten Island Marissa Terzino; delicatessen owner Angelo Campomenosi and attorney John Zaccone.

In addition to the winners, other restaurants participating in the event included the Rustic Inn, the Rosebank Tavern, Vida, Pane E Vino, Lorenzo's at the Hilton Garden Inn, Patricio's, Bocelli, Brioso, Italianissimo Ristorante, La Strada, Portobello Cafe, the Community Cafe, Goodfella's Brick Oven Pizza and Mauro's.

Community Resources is a non-profit agency that provides educational, vocational and rehabilitation services to over 500 Islanders each year.

Board of directors members Jane Milza, the Staten Island Advance Food Editor, and Tony Whalen of Weichert Realtors/Vitale Sunshine, co-chaired the event.

http://www.silive.com/living/advance/index.ssf?/base/living/1086792309115830.xml