One of the most traditional soup dishes in Italy gets an upgrade in New York City. Goodbye, Tortellini in brodo the old fashion way, hello to a new variation made with dashi. Executive Chef Tyler Heckman and sous-chef Aaron Tomczak came up with the idea at Villanelle, an intimate restaurant nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village. Heckman’s recipe incorporates dashi, a stock used in Japanese cuisine made from a base of umami-rich ingredients such as kombu, bonito flakes, and dried shiitake mushrooms. He adds an Italian touch, adding some Parmesan rinds to the stock.
The plate on the menu at Villanelle is a clever spin on the Italian dish that draws from another type of cold-weather comfort food, Japanese ramen. “The idea came last winter,” says Heckman, “with the freezing cold and people dining outside, we were thinking about something that could keep them warm, so we created this very approachable food.”
Heckman adds a bright note to the dish as well, filling the pasta with a ricotta mixture that includes lemon juice and zest.
Heckman, who joined Villanelle as executive chef last September, was instrumental in relaunching the restaurant after a six-month closure. It’s a committed farm-to-table restaurant, relying on seasonal cooking and local ingredients. The sourdough bread, butter, cheese, and pasta are all made in-house.
Established in 2017, Villanelle is a passion project of Greenwich Village resident and owner Catherine Manning. She named the restaurant from the Italian word “villanella,” a form of Italian folk song originating in Naples in the 16th century. Manning explains, “I was looking at poetry or at something combining hospitality and entertainment for a name and Villanelle just popped up. In the spirit of this folk tradition, our restaurant brings the bounty of the countryside to the city.”