Word in defense of pasta

We must admit we never thought high about pasta.

Most probably it has to do with the way we were brought up. In Italy pasta is worshipped and considered a form of art. Names are lovingly and thoughtfully given to different shapes – fettuccine, cannelloni, orzo, penne, linguini, pappardelle… Same comes to sauces – carbonara, marinara, Bolognese…Cooking pasta to achieve the desired texture – not too hard yet not overboiled soft – is considered skill that requires a lot of practice and not everyone can master.

Unlike in Italy, back home all shapes are named macaronis with the only exception of spaghetti. Macaronis, along with boiled sausage and hard-boiled egg, are considered bachelor’s food. So here we have it: no need to peel, chop, pre-heat pan to a certain temperature. Just make the water boil, drop half-pack in and single man’s dinner is ready. Advanced bachelors can add canned meat thus achieving and advanced form – макароны по-флотски or seamen’s pasta.

That is pretty much it with pasta back home.

So with that in mind the perspective of going to a restaurant and ordering something that back home can be cooked even by a culinary-challenged man, did not appeal to us.

Unappealing it was until, while hiding from unexpectedly started rain, we walked in the hospitable open doors of Rucola & Grana, Italian restaurant in La Laguna on Tenerife island.

We were full so we were not looking for anything but a cup of hot double espresso. But when a waiter gracefully placed a plate of pasta on a neighbor’s table we felt that our pre-conception about pasta started to shake.

Not only were we full but also in a hurry but we did feel that Rucola & Grana was a good reason to pay another visit to La Laguna. And what can be a better way to spend our last call to Tenerife?

For starters we ordered focaccia with extra garlic to share.

For the main course we chose two different kinds of pasta – the very reason we came all the way here. The menu was only in Spanish so till the last moment it was a mystery what we would get. We ordered Cappelletti rellenos de carne, con salsa de tomate, jamón serrano, rucola y queso ahumado - as much as we know Spanish the idea of queso ahumado (smoked cheese) seemed appealng. The other pasta was Trío de rosette de pasta rellena de: ricotta y espinacas, jamón y fontina, setas y ricotta, gratinado al horno con bechamel, parmesano y salsa de tomate - we figured that since it is trio there would be three different kinds of pasta and if we don't like one of them we wont leave hungry.
Unfortunately their official site is only in Spanish but if you happen to be in La Laguna, here you can find more info in English.

Trío de rosette de pasta rellena de: ricotta y espinacas, jamón y fontina, setas y ricotta, gratinado al horno con bechamel, parmesano y salsa de tomate

Cappelletti rellenos de carne, con salsa de tomate, jamón serrano, rucola y queso ahumado

This was honestly the best pasta we ever tried. Funnily enough, it was not in Italy (as the best pizza what we had was not in Napoli!) but this tiny restaurant on an island in the middle of the Atlantic made our day. If you want to restore your faith in pasta pay a visit to Rucola Y Grana.