Tortello’s in Wicker Park has handmade pasta that’s a thrill to eat

When you walk by Wicker Park’s Tortello, you’ll see pasta makers mixing, kneading and shaping dough, helping transform flour, water and eggs into an exquisite homemade meal.

Sure to entertain anyone exposed to the shop’s floor-to-ceiling front window, “it’s a gorgeous way to show people where pasta comes from, which doesn’t come from a plastic bag, which doesn’t come from a shelf,” owner Dario Monni said.

Head sfoglina, or pasta maker, Alex Mulgrove added, “People do a double take. ... Everyone’s walking past giving a thumbs-up from young to old pressed against the window. You won’t imagine how excited people get just watching you crack an egg.”

People can see the pasta makers at work through the front window at Tortello restaurant.

Named after a filled pasta similar to ravioli but shaped like a plump triangular hat, Tortello, at 1746 W. Division St., offers over a dozen types of pasta that can be purchased by the pound. It’s a pasta shop in addition to being a counter service restaurant that’s casual enough for small children yet stylish enough for a date.

Monni — who is from Italy — and Mulgrove — who is British — both moved here after meeting their respective spouses, who hail from the Chicago area.

Even though Monni, a hospitality veteran, has had stints at restaurants in London, Paris, Dubai and New York, he is most inspired by his Italian roots and the traditions of his grandparents. Father of two sons (2 years old and a newborn) with his wife, Jill Gray, Monni feels a responsibility of sharing authentic pasta with the next generation.

His mother’s family owned a specialty food shop in Venice and the family spent its summers in Sardinia with Monni’s father’s relatives, who were multi-generational shepherds, cheese-mongers and butchers.

Dario Monni is the owner of Tortello restaurant.

Monni, who grew up eating pasta every day, flew in experts from Italy to train his pasta makers how to incorporate Old World traditional techniques using imported flour from Italy. Even eggs have been carefully sourced from Yuppie Hill Farms in Wisconsin. Monni craved the bright orange and red yolks he found in Europe and collaborated with the farm on the hens’ diets, placing marigold and paprika in the feed in order to create the look and flavor he wanted.

“The fact that it’s handmade is so special,” said Mulgrove. “Flour is a constantly changing product, the hydration [affects] how many eggs we have to add. … It changes based on humidity outside, how the flour has been stored, what season the flour has been harvested in …”

Alex Mulgrove, the head pasta maker at Tortello, kneading pasta dough.

“You can’t get the feel that the dough is right by just throwing it in a machine. By hand, we can tell that the dough is done,” Mulgrove continued. “It’s corny but everything is handmade with love we put a lot of ourselves into making this pasta and … that love, family, history comes through in how we make each and every pasta shape.”

Executive chef Duncan Biddulph (Rootstock, Lula, Publican) said he and his staff simply “react to the shapes.”

“Every pasta shape has a sauce that compliments it,” he said. “We look at the classic preparation of it and we think about whether it’s best to leave it alone or we should improvise a little bit and sort of add a twist.”

Biddulph goes out of his way to ensure “quality control” by getting the best ingredients, working closely with local farmers (Green Acres) and smaller, artisanal purveyors.

Executive Chef Duncan Biddulph finishing a plate at Tortello. — Executive Chef Duncan Biddulph finishing a plate at Tortello.

A standout pasta is the Chiusoni — a Sardinian pasta, similar in shape to gnocchi with a rough exterior that’s made by gently pressing it against a cheese grater. The sauce, inspired by a Monni family recipe, is made with saffron, sausage, onions and cream.

Tortelli, zucchini, casarecce, and chiusoni pastas served at Tortello.

Also popular is the namesake Tortelli (plural of Tortello) pasta that is filled with a heaping of imported burrata served in a butter and sage sauce with toasted hazelnuts.

Tortelli pasta, served at Tortello, is filled with burrata, topped with butter, sage, and toasted hazelnuts.

Then there’s the spaghetti with a fresh pomodoro sauce, stracciatella and basil.

For those looking for a carb-free option, there’s the zucchini pasta with a grass-fed beef ragu served in a crispy Parmigiano reggiano basket. There’s also a seasonal selection of vegetable plates — like broccoletti with mushrooms and a fennel, celery and orange salad.

Tortello is located at 1746 W. Division. Visit www.tortellopasta.com