This article is sponsored by Pranzo Italian.
Yorkshire chef Marco Greco’s fondest childhood memories are of family summer holidays in Calabria, Southern Italy.
From the age of 4, every morning, up in the mountains, he and his sister would stand on chairs to help his Grandmother, ‘Nonna’, make traditional hand rolled fresh pasta on a rickety table with a red checked tablecloth.
While they played at the beach, Nonna would make a fresh tomato sauce for lunch to go with the pasta.
It’s Marco’s love of traditional pasta – and these nostalgic memories – that inspired him to open Pranzo Italian in Ilkley and now Harrogate. It’s a modern restaurant specialising in pasta, handmade every morning.
“Pasta’s always been my thing. A lot of Italian restaurants in Harrogate do similar things, but I wanted to do my own thing which is a bit different.
“I really wanted to focus on the pleasures of having a nice big bowl of fresh pasta and a glass of red wine with your family.
“I have what I like to call a ‘modern pasta menu’. It’s a small menu, but it really puts fresh, homemade pasta front and centre.”
So what makes fresh, handmade pasta so much more superior?
“Fresh pasta has a unique texture and flavour, especially the kind of pasta we make in Calabria. The recipe we use is very simple, and doesn’t use egg, just flour and water. When you’re eating something that’s been made fresh that morning, there’s nothing better.”
After opening in Ilkley in 2018, Harrogate was always top of Marco’s list for another restaurant. He signed the lease for the Cold Bath Road site during the first lockdown, and Pranzo Harrogate opened in October last year.
Marco says he’s been “very lucky” to have amazing support from locals in the town. But with a menu as delicious as Pranzo’s, it’s not hard to see why.
Although there are only about a dozen items, it ticks every box – with creamy, meaty, seafood and veggie options. Arancini appetisers are made on site, with fillings ranging from mushroom, truffle and gorgonzola to crab with lemon aioli.
A favourite from the pasta menu is the Calabrian nduja spicy sausage pasta in white wine, spinach and cream – paired with bigoli pasta, a kind of thick spaghetti.
Seafood fans can sample the lobster ravioli, in a lobster and parsley sauce that offers a uniquely creamy and sweet flavour. From the dessert menu, the grappa tiramisu is not to be missed.
There’s also an extensive wine list from around the world, and a unique cocktail menu – the After Eight espresso martini is not to missed.
For Marco, it’s all about respecting the traditions and creating a family atmosphere:
“It all started with my Nonna, and now it’s what I do best, and it’s what I love. I learned a lot from my Nonna, and now I teach my son Antonio to make fresh pasta the same way. I just want everyone to share my love of fresh pasta – and make my Nonna proud”.
