A Michelin-trained chef couple is transforming rural Vermont into an artisanal pasta paradise.
By Lisa Cavanaugh
Lyndonville, Vermont, may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about pasta, but for Giacomo and Jenny Vascotto, it is the ideal setting for their Trenchers Farmhouse handcrafted fettuccine, rigatoni, bucatini, pappardelle, and other fresh favorites.
“We fell in love with the Vermont food scene from the producer’s standpoint right away, starting with the quality of vegetables,” says Giacomo, who met Jenny when they were
both working as chefs in his native Italy. “It’s so similar to Italy in how much people really care about their own produce.”
After several years working in top restaurants in Europe, the Vascottos relocated to America, ultimately joining Jenny’s mother in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. This proved to be a perfect place to embrace the “farm to pasta” movement. “It’s all about ingredients, and when you only have two ingredients—wheat and eggs—you have to pick them carefully and locally,” says Giacomo. He feels the essence of their philosophy is the blending of sustainable agriculture with Italian culinary customs.
“Coming from a fine-dining kitchen background with so much emphasis on details, we are focused on the specifics of creating our pasta, from the soil to the ingredients to the final product,” agrees Jenny. “Vermont has everything we needed to do that well, and it ties to Italian food in a traditional way.”
“When you talk with farmers here, they are so proud of everything they are doing and have been doing for generations,” adds Giacomo. “That really resonates with us.”
Trenchers Farmhouse makes their hand-crafted pasta from sustainably grown Vermont wheat and eggs from their own heritage-breed hens. In addition to familiar choices, they specialize in vegan and gluten-free options and less familiar shapes such as radiatori and gigli. They also prepare delicious sauces from fresh produce either grown on their farm or sourced locally. “Being able to go from the ingredient all the way to the finished product is really incredible,” says Jenny.
She feels that knowing what is going into their pasta from the soil up— “how the chickens that lay the eggs are raised, how the wheat is grown, how the people growing that wheat are treated, how we handle the wheat and turn it into pasta on your table”—is truly important to their customers. “Our ability to trace that line all the way through and ensure that it is straight from our local Vermont farms to your table in a full-circle, human-first, soil-first pasta matters,” says Jenny.
Their mouth-watering products are available at their farm store, local Vermont farm markets, specialty grocers throughout New England, and via their website, which offers shipping to all 48 contiguous states in the US. Many fine restaurants and hotels in the region proudly serve Trenchers Farmhouse pasta, and the Vascottos also share recipes and cooking tips online and host regular virtual cook-along classes.
“We want people to know that every time they buy a pack of Trenchers fresh pasta, they’re going to have a delicious meal, whether it’s simply with olive oil or they’re making a ragu and following a recipe,” says Jenny. “They can be confident that this pasta will be al dente, delicious, and more flavorful than other pasta.”
While their plans include expanding to more retailers and offering additional shipping options, the Vascottos remain focused on the local. “I’m traveling regularly to meet our customers and offer samples in stores around New England,” says Giacomo. “And we want to keep this personal relationship we have through our farmers markets every week, so we are growing that into more demos with our retailers.”
He sums up the couple’s mission as an homage to the combination of Italian tradition and Vermont ingredients. “Bringing freshly made Italian food to people and seeing their reactions is truly special,” he says. “My favorite part of Trenchers Farmhouse pasta is that it’s made with love.“
RAGU AI FUNGHI (Mushroom Ragu)
A deliciously rich take on a Tuscan Ragu. When wild mushroom season arrives in Northern Vermont, we make Ragu ai Funghi repeatedly with our fresh pasta. A variety of wild and cultivated mushrooms add layers of depth and texture to this hearty ragu.
INGREDIENTS
4 nests or 13.7 oz. of Trenchers Farmhouse fresh pasta (fettuccine, pappardelle, rigatoni, gigli)
1 1/2 – 2 cups of Ragu ai Funghi
Crème fraîche or mascarpone cream (optional)
1 sprig rosemary, chopped finely
3-4 sprigs oregano, chopped finely
¼ bunches chives, sliced
Ragu ai Funghi (makes about 4 cups of ragu)
2½-3 lbs mixed mushrooms
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely minced
2 celery stalks, finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 sprig of rosemary
2 sprigs of oregano
1 bay leaf
14 oz crushed heirloom tomatoes
½ cup dry red wine (Chianti is traditional)
2 Tbsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black peppercorns, plus more to taste
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground fennel seeds
Sherry vinegar to taste
PREPARATION
1. Season the chopped and prepared mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add ¼ cups oil to a large heavy pot and set over medium-high heat. Work in small batches to cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a large plate to cool.
2. Drain all but 2 Tbsp. of fat from the pot. Reduce heat to medium, and add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, stirring occasionally until golden brown, 8–10 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and stir constantly for 3 minutes.
4. Deglaze with wine and cook for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Add the herb bundle, meat, crushed tomatoes, peppercorns, nutmeg, and fennel seeds.
6. Add water to barely cover the mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the mushrooms are very tender, about 1 hour.
7. Discard the herb bundle. Taste and season with salt, black pepper, and sherry vinegar.
8. Enjoy this ragu with your favorite Trenchers Farmhouse pasta, and a dollop of crème fraîche or mascarpone cream. Buon appetito!
