Pastatria: Worth every calorie

Until corona hit, Pastratia sold only to restaurants. Now it delivers to most of Israel, from Beersheba in the South to Haifa in the North.

By LINDA GRADSTEIN

MARCH 10, 2021 10:06

Pastatria (photo credit: NETA LIVNEH) — Pastatria

(photo credit: NETA LIVNEH)

A few years ago, my husband and I took a trip to Tuscany to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We booked a meal at Cantina Guiliano, a kosher winery and restaurant run by Eli and Lara Gautier, a young Jewish couple in the town of Casciana Alta, not far from the port of Livorno.

Before lunch, we went into the family garden to help pick vegetables. It was a memorable meal, accompanied by good wine and Lara’s amazing homemade pasta.

I was reminded of that pasta when the delivery from Pastatria arrived.

I had heard about Pastatria, a factory in Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul neighborhood that produces a wide range of fresh pastas, but until corona hit, it sold only to restaurants. Now it delivers to most of Israel, from Beersheba in the South to Haifa in the North.

Owner Ma’ayan Deri said corona had encouraged her to pivot.

“When corona hit, I had four-month-old twins, and I understood that I had no one to sell to,” she said. “So I opened an Instagram page and started advertising, and today we do about 300 deliveries a month.”

The pasta was well packaged with instructions on how to handle it. The pasta comes in 450-gram packages (enough for three portions), and the ravioli in 400-gram packages (enough for two portions). The idea is to keep it in the freezer until the water is boiling. Cooking instructions come with the delivery.

We tried the pepperella spicy chile (NIS 29 for 450 gr.), which was a little too spicy for my Ashkenazi palate, but good if you like things spicy.

My kids went crazy over the four-cheese ravioli (NIS 38 for 400 gr.), while I preferred the artichoke and ricotta ravioli (NIS 38 for 400 gr.).

There is also a unique hand-rolled tortellini with labaneh and mint (NIS 106 for 700 gr.) that I especially enjoyed.

There is even a dessert pasta of Belgian chocolate with mascarpone (NIS 54 for 400 gr.) that is definitely on my list to try next time.

There are many vegan dishes available, including ravioli made of spelt and without eggs.

Prices are extremely reasonable for both the dairy and vegan versions.

We also tried two sauces, a pesto sauce with nuts (NIS 25 for 180 ml.), and a cream sauce (NIS 25 for 230 ml.), both of which were good, if not outstanding.

Deri said that even after restaurants open up, deliveries to private customers will continue.

“Before this, we were backstage, and the chef was getting all of the complements,” she said. “Now, we get the feedback and the complements, and I get to exercise a lot of creativity.”

You can order through the website pastatria.co.il or call the factory at (02) 650-2299.

Kashrut: Mehadrin Jerusalem

The writer was a guest of the factory.