Raymond Floyd &

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani

THE PGAS VICE CAPTAIN AND AMBASSADOR ON THIS MONTHS RYDER CUP,
AND PLAYING IN THE HAMPTONS
THE SEASONS 50 BEST DRESSED
A BEACHSIDE COOKOUT
with Scott Conant, Marc Murphy, and Geofrey Zakarian
hamptons-magazine.com
NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC
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Mangia!
COMFORT FOOD RECEIVES A MEDITERRANEAN SPIN AS THE EAST END CELEBRATES ITALYS
GASTRONOMIC DELIGHTS AND THE CLOSE OF THE SUMMER SEASON. BY MATTHEW WEXLER
Saffron garganelli
with lobster, corn,
micro basil, lemon
olive oil, chiles, and
mint at Topping
Rose House.
T
he last vestiges of summer are finding their way onto Tom
Colicchios menu at Topping Rose House (One Bridgehampton-
Sag Harbor Tpke., Bridgehampton, 537-0870; toppingrosehouse.com).
Saffron garganelli pairs lobster and corn with a touch of Fresno and jala-
peo chiles for a kick. Fresh mint, micro basil, and a drizzle of lemon olive
oil complete the dish. Chef de Cuisine Kyle Koenig says the pastas shape
is as integral to a successful dish as the sauce. Paccheria short-cut, wide-
tube pastais an ideal vehicle for arugula pesto, fava beans, and walnuts,
which snuggle into the crevices for a flavor-packed bite every time.
Patience is a virtue for dishes like the risotto ai frutti di mare at Sant
Ambroeus (30 Main St., Southampton, 283-1233; santambroeus.com). Technically
not pasta, Arborio rice is cooked with the slow addition of fish stock enriched
with white wine and shallots. Calamari, clams, king crab meat, scallops,
mussels, and shrimp are added at the end, along with a vibrant drizzle of
extra virgin olive oil. Housemade pastas are prepared daily and include
ravioli di spinaci e ricotta, filled with fresh spinach, ricotta, Parmesan,
and fresh herbs, and a simple sage and brown butter sauce is a delicious
reminder that fall is around the corner.
It is said that a restaurants gnocchi is the barometer by which all other
pasta dishes can be measured. Light-as-air dumplings are the result of exper-
tise in the kitchen, and Nick & Tonis (136 N. Main St., East Hampton,
324-3550; nickandtonis.com) has it mastered. There is no potato in them, and
we use only enough flour to hold them together, says Chef de Cuisine John
Baron. The delicate dumplings forgo a heavy sauce and, instead, are
combined with diced prosciutto, locally sourced broccoli rabe, butter, and a
generous sprinkle of Gorgonzola cheese, which melts into the dish.
Doppio (126 Main St., Sag Harbor, 808-3444; doppiorestaurants.com) brings
the flavors of southern Italy to Sag Harbor under the watchful eye of
Executive Chef Louis Barresi. Capellini with cockles, leeks, lemon, and
white wine captures the simple flavors of the sea while the dramatic presen-
tation of squid ink tagliolini with Portuguese octopus, saffron, and uni cream
(sea urchin) is a bolder take. Both dishes feature Calabrian chiles, which
originate from Italys boot and pack a wallop of balanced heat, smokiness,
and fruity notes without overpowering the pasta.
Executive Chef Pietro Bottero from The Patio at 54 Main (54 Main
St., Westhampton Beach, 288-0100; thepatiowhb.com) incorporates culi-
nary inf luences from throughout Italy, years working at Mario Batalis
Babbo, as well as his first-generation Italian-American father. The
home-style cacao pepe is a traditional Tuscan-style disha simple
combination of pecorino cheese, black pepper, and rigatoni pasta.
Bottero elevates it based on an experience he had in Rome with the
addition of black truff le pure. The restaurants unofficial signature
dish is the house-made pappardelle with braised steak ragu and parmi-
giana sauce. Slowly braised skirt steak, which simmers away with red
wine and aromatic vegetables until stewlike, clings to the wide noodles.
For me, its all about fresh pasta, says Bottero. Lots of people dont
take the time to make it by hand. And theres nothing like a loving,
slow-cooked sauce. H
138 HAMPTONS-MAGAZINE.COM
THE DISH