A favorite neighborhood experience of mine, although a simple one, is entering a timeless pasta shop like Papa Pasquale's Ravioli Company. Nestled in Bensonhurst, at 7812- 15th Ave, Papa Pasquale dates back to 1955, when the original “Papa” brought his grandmother's time-honored recipe for ravioli to the U.S. and set out to wow generations of Brooklynites.
This old-fashioned shop also has a unique hidden treasure for this pasta lover to uncover. The good news is that Brooklyn is home to it's own "Crazy Ball." . A crazy ball is, well, crazy, and it is a Saturday special that Papa Pasquale offers to his loyal patrons. The Crazy Ball is the size of a large grapefruit and it is actually a ball of pasta, fresh cheeses, Italian meats, spices and herbs, rolled in bread crumbs and deep-fried to a golden crust. The flavor is "melt in your mouth smooth," and offered at a reasonable cost of $3 dollars each. On my visit, I purchased two Crazy Balls for my teenage sons to enjoy and viola! It was a great Saturday lunch.
Papa Pasquale also offers a variety of fresh pastas and an array of ravioli including whole wheat as well as asparagus with smoked mozzarella. Still a family-owned business, Papa Pasquale attributes its success to old-fashioned family recipes along with the benefits of modern machinery and techniques. Only the freshest cheeses are selected and fillers and preservatives never see the inside of a ravioli.
Nicely done, Papa Pasquale! Keep up the good work.
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