San Francisco - May 19, 2006

Italian for Beginners

La Ciccia Restaurant

On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese was not what the Italians had in mind when they came to America.

In fact, neither do you.

Short of hopping a slow boat to Sardinia, it doesn’t get any more authentic than La Ciccia, a charming new trattoria in Noe Valley.

Owner Massimiliano Conti and wife Lorella Degan bring fruity olive oil from the ancestral grove and import pizzaiolo from Naples. Sip Sardinian varietals like vermentino and carignano with a platter of pane carasau layered with hand-sliced salumi. Follow that with hearty specialties like taglioni flecked with fresh-grated bottarga (dried mullet roe) or a tomato-y tuna stew spiked with mint oil.

End with a trio of Pecorino Sardo, a native sheep’s milk formaggio, and end with barley pudding drizzled with saba or strawberries glazed with limoncello. Swap family recipes with Conti while sipping on a glass of port before heading home.

Just please be sure to cover your meatball if somebody sneezes.

La Ciccia, 291 30th Street, at Church Street (415-550-8114 or laciccia.com).