Favo: pasta from Salvatorica

Everyone has their favorite places, for example for that wonderful bread or that fantastic mustard. Salvatorica in Amsterdam is Marjan’s favorite for pasta, made right before your eyes, whether filled or not.

You could easily cycle right past it, the corner building with its large windows that are quite often steamed up. But you really shouldn’t. Inside pastificio (pasta workshop) Salvatorica, Roberto Mura, born and raised in Sardinia, is making pasta as if his life (and yours) depended on it.

La mamma Salvatorica

And that’s not all: he also makes the fillings for his ravioli himself, following family recipes from his mother Salvatorica. Using seasonal ingredients that he personally goes picking every few months in the land where he was born.

Eat here while Roberto cuts the pasta by hand

In February, for example, that means kilos of small artichokes. Roberto chops them up and makes a ricotta filling for the ravioli. He also makes a pesto that he combines with dried mullet roe on the homemade spaghetti. This typical Sardinian specialty, called bottarga, is of course also brought over from his home island.

Seasonal pasta

At Salvatorica, you can not only buy pasta to cook at home for a few minutes in boiling water; you can also come and eat it right there, at one of the few simple tables in the austere interior. From opening until closing time. With Roberto rhythmically kneading in the background or cutting pasta by hand.

The takeaway menu offers eight seasonal pastas, from ravioli di patate (with potato, sheep’s cheese and mint) to ravioli al limone e ricotta. The dine-in menu has eleven, plus two antipasti and tiramisu for dessert. Unfortunately, you can’t have a glass of wine with it. Roberto doesn’t have a hospitality license, so you’ll have to make do with water, coffee or crodino. Maybe Roberto could introduce a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) system?

Salvatorica,
Lijnbaansgracht 71 Amsterdam
Open daily except Monday from 12 noon. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays until 6 pm, and from Thursdays through Saturdays until 9 pm.

Image: Marjan Ippel