FSR October 2022

TRENDING ON THE MENU // Pasta

love,” Boyer says. Nostalgic Italian clas sics like carbonara, spaghetti and meat balls, linguine with clams, and riga toni with arrabbiata sauce are seeing an industry-wide resurgence. One trend that dovetails perfectly with pasta is the rise of plant-based com

cally already a plant-based food, except for egg pasta exceptions—made with alternative plant proteins like lentils and chickpeas, as well as cauliflower pasta and other gluten-free options. Barilla’s Legume line of pasta, featur ing Red Lentil and Chickpea varieties,

dishes really well or add a twist to them,” Felice says. “On the other hand, I’m also seeing what youmight describe as ‘pasta without borders.’ Restaurants are exper imenting with ingredients in ways that are nontraditional but delicious. Youmay see Middle Eastern or Moroccan flavors with a pasta base. Pasta is becoming a vehicle to communicate across cuisines.” Operators seeking to improve the consistency of their pasta creations and save on labor during the lingering indus try-wide staffing shortage are turning to Barilla’s new line of pre-cooked fro zen pasta. “Relying on someone to roll out fresh pasta every day is a scary thought some times, especially with the labor and skill set shortage,” Felice says. “If you can open up a package and get the same high quality and the same room for creativ ity, it’s easier on the staff, and in the end, you can guarantee your guests a better experience.” Barilla Frozen comes in four cuts: cellentani or cavatappi, riga toni, penne, and elbows. Barilla’s Lasagne Chef, a line of no boil lasagne sheets, is also designed to minimize preparation time. Sized to fit two sheets to a foodservice hotel pan, it’s ideal for holding and reheating. “Bari lla Lasagne Chef lends itself to a variety of flavors and ingredient combinations and cooks up to a wonderful texture,” Boyer says. Regardless of what any given cus tomer base considers “comfort food,” consumers are looking to experiment— with some caveats. Mintel has found that consumers need to feel in control in 2022, even as they seek enjoyment. Pasta can provide a familiar, reassuring element that makes trying a new flavor or ingredient a safer choice. “Consumers are seeking out food adventure with bigger f lavors,” Boyer says. “We’re seeing that reflected in new ingredient applications derived from world cuisines, carried by pasta. From tikka masala to kung pao, orzo fried rice and stir-fried spaghetti lo mein, and even regional American compositions like jambalaya, pasta holds up and lends itself to big bold flavors.”

CHEF MICHAEL BOYER’S LASAGNE MOUSSAKA OFFERS AN APPROACHABLE REIMAGINING OF FAVORITES FROM DIFFERENT CUISINES.

was created for restaurant guests interested in more plant-forward items. “As a chef, in the past, if you wanted to put an innovative pasta on your menu, you had to make it your self,” says Kevin Felice, director of oper ators and food and beverage at 40North Restaurants. “No one else was going to be able to do it. Now Barilla has red len til pasta and chickpea pasta, which helps keep prep relatively simple—and you still get a creative, high-quality item to the table.” However, all varieties of pasta are beginning to show up onmenus in unex pected applications. “Consumers are getting back to tradi tional items like cacio e pepe, and restau rants are finding ways to execute simple “Pasta is becoming a vehicle to communicate across cuisines.” –CHEF KEVIN FELICE, 40NORTH RESTAURANT GROUP

CHEF LORENZO BONI OF BARILLA AMERICA CREATED THIS CLASSIC RIGATONI DISH.

BARILLA AMERICA (2)

fort food—it comes in second on the Spe cialty Food Association’s list of top trends this year, right after pasta. Nostalgic com fort foods are being reimagined with entirely plant-based ingredients, accom modating popular diets like low-carb, keto, and gluten-free as well as satisfy ing consumers’ desire to eat more mind fully. According to Mintel, 83 percent of consumers are adding plant-based foods to their diets to improve their health. Given pasta’s reputation as the ulti mate comfort food, plant-based pasta straddles both of these trends. More restaurants are menuing pasta—typi

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