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A PASSION for PASTA
By Jordan Cohen
WARREN
Perhaps the only people who might not have wanted to be among the 350 at Sunday’s Pasta Cook-Off were those worried about carbohydrates — and even they might have made an exception.
After all, what better way to decide who has the best pasta in a community with a rich pasta tradition than to have some of the best-known restaurants in Trumbull County compete against one another in one category and eight amateur pasta cooks go head-to-head in another.
“They’ve got to have that Valley authentic taste,” said Chris Pacileo of Niles, director of the local American Heart Association’s Heart Walk and one of more than 10 “celebrity” judges who tasted the offerings at the 13th annual event at Blessed Sacrament Church.
The Heart Walk receives all of the proceeds from the cook-off, which sold tickets for unlimited taste-testing at $13 each. “We usually raise around $5,000 each year,” said Sue Battison of Warren, one of the event volunteers.
Varieties were practically endless as amateurs and professionals lined the walls of the church’s Covelli Gymnasium with their specially produced cuisines in steaming-hot food trays. Each entry was judged on presentation and taste.
Ottavio Musumeci, owner and executive chef of Station Square Ristorante in Liberty, was proud of the judges’ gold award for his cavatelli with pink sauce, asparagus and cherry tomatoes, a signature dish. Musumeci said he never misses a cook-off competition.
“We’ve been doing this every year since day one — and we’ll keep doing it,” he said.
Rose Lamota, manager of Salvatore’s Restaurant in Howland, also took a gold award for her paccheri with creamy butternut squash.
“People keep asking us for the recipe, but we can’t give that out,” she said.
Proving that you don’t have to be an Italian restaurant to compete was Los Gallos Mexican Restaurant of Howland, which offered pasta and pork with pineapple and onions. The restaurant took a silver award.
Competition was just as heated on the amateur side. Scott Landy of Boardman, an employee of Meridian Community Care, took home gold for his traditional pasta sauce with farfalle. “I’ll be back next year with another dish,” he promised.
Girl Scout Troop 117 wowed the judges with cheese manicotti.
“We worked on this for three hours,” said Meredith Brugler, a senior at Warren’s John F. Kennedy High School, who has decided cooking is her calling. After graduation, she will begin classes at a culinary school in Columbus.
Many of those who returned multiple times for samples had a difficult time when asked to pick a favorite. The Rev. Thomas McCarthy, in residence at the church, decided diplomacy was the best response.
“This is the Valley and they’re all good,” he said.
One of the youngest to enjoy the food and the attention was this year’s “Heart Child,” 3-year-old Rebekah Plant of Mineral Ridge, whose presence was a reminder of the reason for the cook-off.
“She had open-heart surgery when she was 4 months old, but she’s doing great now,” said her mother, Sarah Plant. Rebekah flashed a broad smile and waved to the crowd, which applauded in approval.