An intimate, five-course dinner incorporated pasta from the esteemed family-run business, Rustichella d’Abruzzo.
Txanton hosted a very intimate dinner at Finestra, the Italian restaurant of Solaire Resort that featured a wonderful five-course pasta dinner paired with Italian wine. All pasta used for the dishes that evening came from Rustichella d’Abruzzo.
Gianluigi Peduzzi has played a key role in the success and growth of Rustichella d’Abruzzo, one of the most renowned companies in the artisanal pasta production sector. Since 1989, he has helped transform the company into an international presence, bringing Rustichella d’Abruzzo products to over 75 countries.
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In 1924, Gaetano Sergiacomo, the paternal grandfather of the current owners Gianluigi and Maria Stefania Peduzzi and son of renowned millers who worked in the Vestina area, decided to leave the family business and set up the “Pastificio Gaetano Sergiacomo” in Penne. In 1980, under the watchful eye of Piero Peduzzi, Pastificio Sergiacomo became Rustichella d’Abruzzo. Guaranteeing quality and authenticity, the Peduzzi brothers focused their energies on creating a company image that identified the Rustichella d’Abruzzo brand as synonymous with quality craftsmanship and made-in-Italy excellence.
The family is now in its fourth generation and Rustichella is considered the among the world’s best artisanal pasta, taking over 60% of market share worldwide in the artisanal pasta segment. They select the finest quality, certified wheat, creating the best recipe by perfectly balancing the percentage of semolina and water. The vacuum-sealed process is also essential to eliminate impurities and make the dough even more perfect, in terms of color and structure. Perfect roughness is given by the use of bronze die cut (unlike when producing industrial pasta with a Teflon die cut), allowing the pasta to absorb more sauce and condiments like no other.
Executive Italian Chef Andrea Spagoni prepared an all-pasta dinner paired with the perfect Giuseppe Cortese wines.
Dinner started with a single paccheri stuffed with tuna and oyster tartare, and caviar. Paccheri is a type of pasta in the shape of a very large tube, originating from the Campagnia region. They are generally smooth, but there is also a ribbed version, paccheri millerighe. The name comes from Neapolitan paccharia meaning “slap” as there is said to be a “slapping sound” made when paccheri is eaten. This can be served with sauce or stuffed.
Orecchiete with chickpeas and mussels followed. This pasta, resembling an ear, is named from the word orecchia, meaning “ear” and comes from the Apulia region. This was followed by linguine with pesto, king prawn, and pine nuts, which proved to be one of the favorites along with the papardelle served with a thick ragout made with Wagyu ribeye, aged parmesan, and black truffle.
Dessert came in the form of fregola, Sardinian pasta that is made from hard durum wheat flour —rolled, sun-dried, and toasted. It is often called the “Italian couscous” and was served with almond milk soup, dry apricots, vanilla, and coffee.
Equally great wines were paired with the dinner – Giuseppe Cortese Barbera d’Alba Morassina 2018, Giuseppe Cortese Langhe Nebbiolo 2020, Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco 2020, and Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2016.
Rustichella d’Abruzzo has several types of pasta and is celebrating their 100th birthday this year! This truly is excellent pasta now available at the deli of Txanton.
Txanton is located on the 2nd floor of Alegria Alta Building, 2294 Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City. Email [email protected] or message (0917) 6244270 for inquiries.
