The meatballs were added to the gravy and served with special pasta such as cavatelli, a small, hand-rolled shell pasta that was more expensive than spaghetti or penne and therefore reserved for special meals.
Vanessa's stuffed zucchini with meatballs evoked memories of how her own Italian grandmother used to cook, while my freshly made rigatoni with a white ragout of small sausage meatballs, cannellini beans and rosemary was by far the most memorable pasta experience I had in Emilia-Romagna.
Regular diners will find the new Quattro pizzeria and grill to make a nice addition to North End, serving Neapolitan-style pizza, house-made pastaand a selection of Italian sfizi (tapas) like stuffed zucchini flowers and authentic Italian meatballs.