I started watching the Bachelor / Bachelorette series over the summer for one reason: Chad. After hearing my friends talk about him for a few weeks, I had to see what it was all about and I was not disappointed.
I'd always stayed away from reality TV because of a misguided idea that I was above it in some way, but after watching Chad walk around with his meat plate and talk about grinding all the other guys into a protein shake, I was hooked. Were there better ways I could be spending my time? Probably, but this was way more fun. I wasn't sure how this season would be able to find a villain to top Chad, but then they introduced Corinne.
The girl's crazy. I mean, aside from the fact that she's a grown woman with a nanny (for herself, not kids), she even made a voodoo doll of another contestant last week... and still didn't get sent home. Considering she's at least 90% of the show's entertainment value though, I was ok with it.
I do have one question for all you Bachelor fans though: have you noticed that only the villains ever eat food? What's with that? Corinne is shown talking about food all the time and I just don't believe that she's the only woman in the mansion who ever gets a craving for sushi.
As much as she talks about it though, she doesn't seem to know what good food actually is. She spent an entire episode raving about her nanny Raquel's "cheese pasta" only to reveal to Us Weekly that's it's literally just pasta with shredded cheese mixed in. Ok then, Corinne.
If she's that impressed with "cheese pasta," I can only conclude that Corinne has never been to a restaurant that serves authentic Italian food... and has possibly never even opened a box of Kraft mac and cheese. Could this be the true reason for her villainy? Has she just been deprived of the glory of quality pasta for too long?
I think it's a definite possibility, so here are 10 NYC pasta dishes that are so good they'll keep you from going crazy like Corinne.
1. Mac and Cheese from The Smith
The Smith's skillet mac and cheese is some of the best in NYC. It has a crispy roasted top with the perfect amount of warm gooey cheese surrounding the pasta underneath. Plus, they know how to follow the basic steps for any mac and cheese dish, like adding milk to keep the cheese from congealing, which makes this 1000% better than Corinne's "cheese pasta" recipe.
2. Sheep's Milk Cheese-Filled Agnolotti from Lilia
Lilia's agnolotti is some of the most popular pasta in the city right now and for good reason. It's topped with saffron, dried tomato, and honey to give it the perfect combination of sweetness and acidity. For anyone who doesn't like the richness of sheep's milk, I'd recommend the gnocchi with broccoli pesto, basil, and pistachios.
3. Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi from Isabella's
Isabella's tends to change up the flavors of their pasta depending on the season, but some of the best is definitely their lemon ricotta gnocchi. Lemon isn't an incredibly common flavor for pasta dishes, but it really works well to balance the creaminess of the cheese. The pasta is even topped with a crispy poached egg to add a more interesting consistency to the dish.
4. Spaghetti al Pesto Genovese from Malaparte
Malaparte has a ton of delicious pasta dishes to choose from, but my favorite is their spaghetti al pesto genovese. Both the sauce and the pasta itself are homemade and you can taste the quality. The owner grew up in Italy and most of the recipes are inspired by things he ate during his childhood.
5. Pear and Pecorino-Filled Ravioli from Felidia
Felidia's ravioli are some of the best you'll ever eat. They offer two varieties on their menu: pear and pecorino ravioli topped with crushed pepper or chocolate potato ravioli filled with corn and burrata and topped with Vermont butter, sage, and amaretti cookie crumble.
6. Pretty Much Any Pasta from Eataly
Eataly is my number one place to go in New York for some authentic Italian food. It's a collection of sit-down restaurants, cafés, and marketplace stalls that all serve some pretty amazing food. Right now there's even an Italian ski lodge themed pop-up on the roof, which serves a pasta dish called Strangolapreti. It's bread and spinach dumplings topped with butter and sage, but the name actually means 'priest strangler' because according to legend, priests used to like the dish so much that they would eat it until they choked.
7. Egg Yolk-Filled Ravioli from Black Barn Restaurant
Black Barn serves upscale rustic fare and prides itself on its use of locally-sourced artisanal ingredients. The interior is inspired by the look of a modernized barn and in addition to the egg yolk ravioli they also serve a butternut squash ravioli during the winter.
8. Linguine Cacio Pepe from Pig Bleecker
Pig Bleecker is a new restaurant from the same team that runs Pig Beach in Brooklyn and aims to put an upscale twist on barbecue classics, transforming them from backyard food into fine dining. In addition to BBQ classics like ribs and pulled pork, they also have some killer pasta.
9. Spaghetti Pomodoro from Osteria della Pace
The spaghetti pomodoro at Osteria della Pace is made with three different types of tomato, giving it much more dimension and flavor than a typical tomato-based sauce. The restaurant also makes some great linguine with roasted bell pepper purée and mint powder.
10. Capellini with Ramp Onions and Calabrian Chile from Craft
Craft is an American restaurant that uses fresh seasonal ingredients in simple dishes meant to mimic the experience of eating in someone's home. Their capellini with Calabrian chile and crushed pepper is great if you're craving something with a bit of heat, while the chestnut agnolotti with celery root and black truffle has a perfect nutty flavor.
These pasta dishes are all pretty amazing, but to be honest even a microwaved container of Easy Mac might be better than Corinne's "cheese pasta" recipe.
I really doubt that she'll be enjoying the taste of victory at the end of this season of the Bachelor, but Corinne still deserves to at least experience the taste of some quality pasta.