Renato

Entering Renato’s pasta shop in Turin’s Vanchiglia quarter is like taking a step back into the past, conjuring up, say, fond memories of Sunday lunches at your grandma’s house. The business was established in 1962 by Renato Assom and has been run by his son Giovanni Assom and his wife Cristiana since 1977. Here they make Turinese agnolotti and agnolottini the traditional way, cut with a pastry cutter and filled with a mixture of two roast meats – veal and pork – PGI boiled salami, grana cheese aged 24 months, and, depending on the season, fresh escarole or zucchini. The tajarin and tagliatelle are made according to a recipe from the nearby Langhe hills, while the super-soft gnocchi are made with steamed potatoes from the Valle Gesso. Thanks to the fact that most of the other suppliers are producers in the hills above Turin, the shop is able to offer a range of ten or so fresh vegetables every, homemade deli dishes such as Russian salad, stuffed vegetables and roast turkey, and a fine selection of the finest cheeses and charcuterie.