PHOTOS BY BEN FURTADO


Authentic Italian Cuisine in the Foothills


A trattoria is a staple for dining out in Italy: an inexpensive, family owned eatery found in neighborhoods, small towns and rural areas. The food is fresh, simply prepared and forms the basis of Italian cooking.


Cat andMarcello helps run Club Car, just up the street on LincolnWay. "When Auburn's two


longtime Italian restau- rants closed, we decided to fill a void," says Bril. The trio settled on a


historic building from the 1890s near the new town square. They deco- rated the used-brick walls with photos from their own trips to Italy shown on canvas and created a warmTuscan decor with handsome


"A TRATTORIA IS A HOME AWAY FROM home formany Italians," writes Biba Caggiano in "Trattoria Cooking." "Eating in a trattoria is like eatingwith an Italian family." Dishes include lasagna, pan-roasted


chicken,mussels and fish, pizzas and pas- tas and charbroiledmeats. The atmosphere is cozy, lively and festive. Restaurants such as Felice a Testaccio


are Roman institutions, run by three gener- ations of the same family. In the states, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco are home to authentic trattorias, including Contadina in North Beach or Antica on Russian Hill. Now the foothills has a traditional tratto-


ria of its own, called tre Pazzi Trattoria, which opened in September. It is located in Auburn, just off a new town square that is revitalizing the downtown (see page 3). Tre Pazzi (or the "three crazies") origi-


nates froma feud between the less power- ful Tuscan nobles, the Pazzi's, who dared replace the commanding Medici's as rulers of Florence. In this case the "three crazies" are longtime friends and local restaurateurs JimBril, Gary Capps andMarcello Nolivo, who decided to open their trattoria in the height of a recession. JimownsMonkey


wooden chairs and tables and hardwood floors. Italianmusic is softly piped through the comfortable 42-seat restaurant, filled with laughter and conversation atmeal- times. "This is tried-and-true Italian cooking:


simple, fresh andmade to order," says Bril, a longtimemanager and partner of the famous Fior d'Italia restaurant in San Francisco. The ingredients include fresh pasta and


tomato sauce, fresh greens and specialities such as imported white anchovy filets and Italian albacore tuna. Themeat is top qual- ity, includingmilk-fed veal fromWisconsin. The entrees are reasonable, ranging


from$10 to $16.Most pizzas are $9. An authentic "Lasagna tradizionale


toscna" goes for $12 and is fresh pasta layers with homemade "sugo" (ormeat sauce) and beschemel, topped with parmesan cheese. Fresh pasta dishes include classics such


as "pappardelle con funghi," "pasta e poma- doro," "tortellini panna e proscuitto" and "frutti dimare,"mussels, white fish and shrimp over linguini with a light white wine and tomato sauce. There is "pollo arrosto," fresh roasted


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half-chicken with rosemary and garlic; "vitello," tender veal scallopini in a garlic- mushroommarsala sauce; and "tagliatta," charbroiled sirloin, sliced and served over a bed of sautéed spinich. Four kinds of pizza are served, with


ingredients including fresh tomato sauce, basil, Italian sausage, prosciutto, cheeses and anchovy. "Pizza tre Pazzi" includesmozza- rella, tomato sauce, anchovy and arugula. Desserts include tiramisu, lemon custard


as well as "cannolo alla sicillano," a cannoli shell filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate chips and dipped in chopped pistachio. The wine list is all Italian and includes


varietals fromalmost all the regions of the "boot." Most wines are priced around $25. A glass of Italian wine is $6 or $7. A handy map on themenu helps identify where your wine comes from. Tre Pazzi has been a hit since it opened.


Reservations are not accepted. Should you have to wait, the newly completed street- scape—including a fire pit and benches—is ideal for a leisurely night-time stroll. Fall is a beautiful time to visit this new


foothills trattoria for the kind of old-fash- ioned comfort food that brings vitality to the trattoria tradition.


928 LincolnWay, Auburn 530-823-2994 trePazzi.net

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