The year is coming to an end quickly but there’s still time for one more Pasta Night at Penelope Wood Fired Pizza. The downtown pizza shop began these pop-up dinners earlier in the year and the upcoming/last Pasta Night experience of 2023 is on Tuesday, December 19.
Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and seating is first come, first serve.
“We’ll be slinging another insane dessert by Okashi Ice Cream and two freshly baked breads by Dirt Lady Bread,” said Jared Schwartz, owner of Penelope Pizza. “We are also offering a free dessert for Insiders.”
So, if you’re a Tucson Foodie Insider, have your Tucson Foodie app handy the night of the dinner to redeem your free dessert. Plus, there will be extra Okashi desserts to purchase that evening.
In addition to the baguettes provided by Dirt Lady Bread, Molly Carney is making walnut bread and honey butter bread for folks to enjoy throughout dinner.
Pasta Night Menu (December 19)
Starters
- Penelope’s Market Greens – mixed greens, citrus, fennel, grana padano, chili pistachio, smoked Sicilian lemon vinaigrette
- Bread & Friends – freshly baked baguette by Dirt Lady Bread with EVOO and aged balsamic
- Walnut Country Loaf – also by Dirt Lady Bread, filled with walnuts and served with whipped honey butter
Pasta
- Ravioli il Foglio – their play on ravioles du dauphine with pear, prosciutto, pecorino, ricotta, grana padano, brown butter, and thyme
- Saffron Fettucini – ricotta, crispy Calabrian shallots, pickled green chili, black pepper, parmesan, and parsley
- Malloreddus – Penelope house sausage ragu, basil, grana padano
Sweets
- Citrus Olive Oil Cake – candied citrus, fresh whip, and Okashi’s handmade ice cream
- Okashi’s Strawberry Gateau St. Honore – puff pastry base with caramelized custard-filled profiteroles and a mound of custard that’s topped with vanilla Chantilly cream
“Everything about this started by somebody helping me and I feel I have a platform to help other people,” said Schwartz. “There are so many people doing cool stuff in Tucson right now and I feel like the more the merrier. So many people want to see this town thrive. Luckily, I have found myself in the midst of those people, and it’s a wonderful community to be a part of.”
Penelope Wood Fired Pizza is located at 210 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, visit penelopepizza.com and follow Penelope Wood Fired Pizza on Instagram.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
