Owl Outings ~ Regional Ravioli
by D.E. Bentley –
I watched and captured a few images as pasta maker Finn Kennedy rolled, filled, covered, cut and hand shaped the edges on a couple batches of fresh Questa Lasagna Ravioli. Enjoy!
Needing to spend some time in Mount Morris and Penn Yan a Thursday or two ago, I decided to make the trip worthwhile. Rather than rushing about and heading out of town, I took some time to talk with some of the various downtown merchants and settled in for lunch.
There are a number of nice eateries in the area, but I wanted some wine and dine and a little something out of the ordinary. I found myself at Questa Lasagna – 55 Main Street, Mt. Morris, NY, which offered me the much needed rest and relaxation I longed for. I ordered a a shrimp pasta special with tomatoes and scallions – along with a glass of waiter recommended dry red wine. I almost went for the five cheese Ravioli.
As it says on their online site, “Upon opening, the goal of Questa Lasagna was simple: to provide the town of Mt. Morris, New York with high-quality Italian cuisine. Originally intended to serve upscale take-out, the restaurant quickly became much more.” As is the case with an increasing number of regional restaurants, “…Questa Lasagna is redefining itself as a restaurant dedicated to utilizing the freshest local produce possible…” The Culinary Institute of America trained Head Chef – and restaurant owner – Tim Knowles knows how to make you feel at home, with table-to-table guest greetings and quality, delicious food in a comfortable setting.
Lest I fail to mention it, all of the pasta at Questa Lasagna is made in house, and on this particular visit my attention was drawn to the man behind the counter who was making fresh ravioli. After finishing my meal – and ordering some of those five cheese Raviolis to go – I stepped up and spent some time chatting with Finn Kennedy. Kennedy grew up in Nunda, New York. His travels took him to North Carolina, where he spent some time working as a bread shaper in a bakery. He is now back in the Western New York area, gaining more dough experience – this time with pasta making. I watched and captured a few images as pasta maker Finn Kennedy rolled, filled, covered, cut and hand shaped the edges on a couple batches of fresh Questa Lasagna Ravioli. Enjoy!
