Calling all pasta lovers! It’s time to get back to basics.
Sure, alfredo sauce, walnut pesto and vodka sauce are undeniably delicious, but those accoutrements are nothing without a solid foundation—the perfect pasta. Cue Vera Pasta, headed up by Joe D’Andrea in West Chester, PA.
For the past six years, Joe has been spearheading the artisanal pasta scene in the area, starting out at local farmers’ markets and eventually moving to a facility in West Chester three years ago.
Now, in big news for local foodies, Joe shared with us that after years of only offering his pasta at farmers’ markets and wholesale to restaurants, Vera has brought its prized product to the general public. The company recently acquired more space to accommodate its growing business and has opened a retail storefront, where Joe offers over 20 different types of pasta and ravioli and a handful of seasonal specials that change every week.
Hours for the storefront are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. All pasta variations are also available online.
The idea for Vera Pasta started with Joe’s Italian background and the year he spent studying in Italy. Pasta is vital to the Italian table, so as a chef, Joe wanted to develop a product that was suitable for high-end chefs to use and call their own. He wanted them to be able to trust the quality of the ingredients, something Joe always looked for in his own kitchen.
Joe employs a technique for artisan pasta called extruded pasta—a traditional style born in Southern Italy in which fresh pasta semolina dough is pushed through bronze dies that hold the shapes of common pastas.
Joe sources the absolute best ingredients he can find, as naturally and locally as possible, to create a pasta that feels right at home in restaurant kitchens and evokes the nostalgia of homestyle pasta (fresh, never frozen) the way grandma used to make it in family kitchens.
Vera Pasta is inviting all pasta-lovers to visit the shop to pick up a bag of fresh gnocchi made with creamy ricotta and fresh cow’s milk, spinach penne or spicy roasted garlic fusilli; top it off with one of Vera Pasta’s homemade sauces; and treat themselves to the perfect family meal.
Stay up-to-date with Vera Pasta by following along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For wholesale, farmers’ market and retail inquiries, email [email protected].
Vera Pasta is located at 319 Westtown Rd., Suite K, in West Chester; phone: (610) 701-5400.
- Photos: AMC Photography Studio
