Pasta Al Fresco

Summer nights call for an outdoor celebration of food, friends, and wine. Make it a dinner to remember with seasonal produce from Sweet Wheel Farm and hand-crafted pasta from Aperitivo’s Pasta Club. 

By Hannah Meyers

Photography Silas Fallstich

To me, summer means late sunsets and gathering around a table with friends and family for a meal outdoors. Santa Barbara’s warm evenings, fresh air, and abundance of local produce make it the ideal setting to dine al fresco. Sitting down to a family style dinner in a Montecito backyard reminded me of what to look forward to in the coming months as the weather gets better and farmer’s markets start bustling.

We indulged in a seasonal Italian feast crafted by Brian Dodero, chef and co-owner of Aperitivo, who created Pasta Club. Originally an inventive way to make do with a delayed opening due to the pandemic in 2020, Pasta Club has become an integral part of Aperitivo, offering “pasta e vino” to go. Every week they focus on a different region of Italy, thoughtfully pairing a bottle of wine with their fresh handmade pasta and sauce. 

Our meal highlighted the island of Sicily, famous for its stellar cuisine. We started with a creamy burrata adorned with crushed pistachio, paired fabulously with golden Sicilian datterino tomatoes decorated with peppery wild arugula and delicate arugula flowers. The arugula from Sweet Wheel Farm had an enhanced tartness not found in typical grocery stores. The Summerland farm prides itself on pure and sustainable regenerative farming, which owner Leslie Person Ryan explains takes organic a step further. “Regenerative farmers put the soil first. We don’t use any pesticides, herbicides, push chemicals, or additives. Nothing. We believe from the ground up,” says Person Ryan. 

The quality that comes from natural farming is obvious in the bright salad that accompanied the meal. Crisp lettuce topped with sweet strawberries and juicy blackberries. The flavors of the produce speak for themselves under a light drizzle of olive oil. 

To Person Ryan, summer means welcoming in new produce that she’s excited to use in her cooking. “If you like to cook, you want to begin with the most pure ingredients. You want it without chemicals, pesticides and herbicides. If you truly care about your health and the environment, that’s what you’ll start with and all else will fall into place,” she remarks. Her passion to provide the local community with healthy and fresh food is clear. 

The farm is gearing up for the new season and expecting beautiful fruit including yellow raspberries, pineapples, and granadillas—a sweet passion fruit marked by its orange shell. In addition to fresh produce, the Sweet Wheel Farm stand also sells ready made foods including their famed tortillas and addictive black raspberry curd.  

Supporting local farms is key to Aperitivo’s impeccable food. While they started as a wine bar, Dodero has made strong use of their kitchen. Utilizing seasonal produce means no set plates, but rather a new menu of innovative meals every week. “Everything is driven by what’s in season. Every week we pick one of Italy’s 20 regions, see what’s available at the farmer’s market and turn that into Pasta Club for the week,” Dodero explains. 

A beautiful platter of steaming pasta was the centerpiece of our dinner. Perfectly al dente spaghetti swirled in a heavenly spring pea green garlic sauce was by far the most unique pasta I’ve ever had. Topped with fava beans, sun dried tomatoes, shavings of firm Sicilian ricotta salata, and delicate pea tendrils, it was a work of art bursting with color and texture. The flavors left us speechless and we quickly cleared our plates. It paired perfectly with The Hideaway Wine Co. rosé. 

Brian has no easy task crafting a new menu every week based on the seasons while still staying true to the region’s cuisine. As for this summer? He’s most excited to work with tomatoes as they’re central to Italian fare and best when fresh off the vine during the summer. He has a host of recipes and ideas up his sleeve and I can’t wait to see what’s to come. Pasta Club brings exquisite yet easy food to the community, making it a staple for dinner parties. 

“It’s great because it brings people together. It only takes ten minutes to prepare the food and cook the pasta that was made only hours before. It’s more than just a meal, you can share the experience with other people,” Brian says. Here’s to wishing Pasta Club was every day instead of every week!