Casa Di Pasta

I finally got here when the place was open, and apparently they focus on wholesale so they have limited hours. I tried some pasta and sauce from here and thought it was pretty good, and the woman here was friendly. The hours are still pretty ridiculous, though, but the food makes up for it.

Run by the Vellegia family, a staple of Little Italy for decades, this is the place to go for the freshest pasta and sauce in the city.
Over the years we’ve had Casa Di Pasta food at all of our family parties and gatherings, and it never fails to impress. And when you consider my family is Italian on both sides, that’s amazing in itself.

Got a Groupon and thought I would give it a try. Very Happy. The incredible pleasant lady at the counter took the time to tell me what everything was and what goes well with what. Had a great selection of pastas and sauces both frozen and fresh. On of the best things I got was a fresh cheese lasagna that tasted like a delicious light cheesy cloud. Great place and can’t wait to go back.

I bought some fresh cheese ravioli, meatballs, and marinara sauce from Casa di Pasta using a $ 40 Groupon, and I made it for dinner on two nights in a row. On both nights, I burnt my tongue after the second bite, but I kept on eating.
The pasta from here is just that good.
Casa di Pasta is a true gem. The owner, even though he was swamped with business from Groupon deals, took the time to walk through his pasta and sauce inventory with me, teach me exactly how to cook the pasta, and even relate some of the history of his family’s restaurant (and now, store) to me. The pasta was among the best I’ve ever had. I will definitely be back!

I’m starting to suspect that all their raviolis are pretty much the same– tasteless, ricotta filled, with only a smidge of something else for color (butternut squash looked a little orange inside– but didn’t taste like butternut, mushroom and smoked mozarella *maybe* had some mushroomy specks, not even sure). Kinda disappointed.

As I wind through the streets of Little Italy, hailed by the twinkling Christmas lights and garland-​dressed lampposts, past the titans of the local Italian restaurant industry, I stumble upon Casa Di Pasta. Nestled in the heart of the neighborhood, this unpretentious ‘grocer’ is actually one of the top suppliers of pasta to Baltimore restaurants and hotels. Not to mention the fact that they’re one of the few, if not only, places in town that makes their own pasta. Homemade pasta, for whatever reason, is a rare commodity in Charm City.
I enter the store to a beautiful display of fresh pasta, and I’m greeted by a cheerful apron-​ed man in a baseball cap who begins chatting with me about what I’m in the mood to cook, and who I’m cooking for. As I walk around the small store, picking up pastas and asking his opinion, he shares his own experiences and recipes, and recommends dishes for various occasions. His enthusiasm is contagious, and I’m completely charmed.
The prices, for homemade pasta and gourmet sauces, are completely reasonable. I spend just over $ 40, and leave with 3 different types of pasta (frozen spinach gnocchi, mushroom/​smoked mozzarella ravioli, and dried black pepper tagliatelle), his famous cream sauce (frozen), a huge canister of fresh grated Parmesan, a frozen pizza (homemade dough), and a jar of Nutella (I couldn’t resist, it’s hard to find in Baltimore!).
For those of you not interested in the cooking process, I’ll keep this short: everything was fantabulous. For even a mediocre chef, it would be difficult to mess up with these ingredients. Just make sure you pair the pasta with the high-​quality sauce & additions it deserves. I recommend buying your sauce at Casa Di Pasta. It keeps forever in the freezer, and heck, why not complement the best with the best!
The pizza was a steal at $ 6.95. The dough crisped perfectly on the bottom but remained soft in the center of the crust. The sauce was a little sweet for my taste, but I’ve found marinara is all about personal preference. The cheese… oh the sweet cheese… absolute heaven: hands-​down the creamiest mozzarella I’ve had on a pizza. Ever. Zero stringiness, even after cooling.
The customer service is unsurpassed. The chef insisted that I call the store if I needed help while cooking the gnocchi, and invited me back for future recipes and dinner party ideas. Between the warmth of the staff, and the quality of the goods, Casa Di Pasta is well worth the trip, be it a short walk or a long drive. Stock up kids!!!
***They cater all different sizes of events, so take a look at their menu for your next celebration.
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How I maka da pasta:
According to his recommendation, I prepared the spinach gnocchi as follows…
Cook bacon to a crisp in a nonstick pan, remove strips & drain ¾ of remaining grease. Keep greased pan out. Drop gnocchi (frozen — do not thaw) into boiling water (rolling) and let boil 3 min. Ignore what the label says, for this recipe cook only 3 min, I promise.
While gnocchi is cooking, melt a few tabs of butter in the bacon pan (eyeball the amount based on how many you plan to serve/​ratios of other ingredients). After the pasta has boiled 3 min, strain, and arrange in the pan to sauté over med-​low heat. The goal is to lightly brown the gnocchi on each side.
Once browned, crumble the bacon over the gnocchi, and GENTLY toss on the pan. Reduce heat and continue to simmer a few minutes to let the bacon infuse the pasta. Remove from heat and toss in a bowl with some fresh grated Parmesan, cracked pepper, and sea salt (*if needed; the bacon might do the trick). Enjoy!
NOTE: Pan-​searing gnocchi is a great idea for any number of dishes or sauce combinations. I would never have thought to try it, had the Casa Di Pasta chef not made the recommendation. I find that gnocchi can be a bit soggy at times, but this method transforms it into texture-​topia. Try it with a simple pomodoro sauce, or olive oil, cracked olives, and tomatoes, or even something heavier, like crumbled Italian sausage and cream sauce (Tip: add a sprinkle of nutmeg to your cream sauce when using sausage… sounds crazy, I know, but trust me here, it adds a whole other dimension).