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Bruce Kalman Whips Up Union's Addictive Spaghetti Chitarra

Possibly the best thing to order at the Pasadena Cali-Italian spot.

by Matthew Kang
Photography by Wonho Frank Lee | Via All Union Coverage [ELA]
  • The setup All the pastas are made in house by hand using Grist & Toll flour.
  • Locally milled Grist & Toll flour using local grains
  • Kalman drops a few eggs and some tap water
  • After making the dough he lets it sit for a while
  • Pasta is rolled out, but folded every time to give it a better texture and chew
  • This method of creating pasta was popularized in Abruzzo.
  • Rolling it through this device (which looks like a guitar) gives the pasta its texture
  • Chitarra is Italian for guitar, and these strings resemble the instrument.
  • Kalman starts the sauce by sautéing thinly sliced garlic, red chile flakes, and an anaheim chile pepper in California olive oil.
  • Kalman believes in using local ingredients.
  • After a few pats of butter, Kalman cooks the pasta to about 90%, then finishes it off in the pan
  • The trademark roll cleans up the dish and makes a better presentation.
  • This chili oil gives one extra bit of oomph.
Matthew Kang is the Lead Editor of Eater LA. He has covered dining, restaurants, food culture, and nightlife in Los Angeles since 2008. He's the host of K-Town, a YouTube series covering Korean food in America, and has been featured in Netflix's Street Food show.

Bruce Kalman has an utter commitment to using local ingredients, and nothing celebrates that dedication than this addictive plate of chitarra pasta at Union, his restaurant in Pasadena. First, local wheat gets milled nearby at Grist & Toll, which becomes the basis for the chewy pasta.

Then, add California San Marzano tomatoes and a gently spiced Anaheim chile pepper for complexity. Probably the only thing that isn't local is the parmigianno-reggiano cheese, which comes from Italy, of course. Take a look at Kalman's technique and check out the dish the next time you're in the 626.

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Union Restaurant

37 Union Street, , CA 91103 (626) 795-5841 Visit Website

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