The Best San Francisco Comfort Food Is a Slice of Pasta Pie at Mattina | Eater SF

"At the Cal-Italian all-day cafe from chef Matt Accarrino, I found a slice of pasta pie that might be the new front-runner for cozy, comforting food in San Francisco. Riffing on the classic Italian timballo (called a timpanò in the film Big Night and previously on the menu at Accarrino’s higher-end restaurant SPQR), Accarrino isn’t trying to be strictly traditional; he takes the dome-shaped idea and encloses the filling inside a pie-crust–like dough made with butter, flour and milk to keep it more pliable. Most often it’s wrapped around noodles, tomato sauce, cheese and tightly packed meatballs the size of a child’s fist, though the kitchen sometimes changes it up—for Easter they offer a Torta Pasqualina–inspired version filled with greens, eggs and ricotta. For anyone who grew up on baked ziti or chicken pot pie, the result is a perfect marriage: tender, buttery dough around warm layers of pasta and cheese, with the meatballs adding heft without landing it in gut-bomb territory. The pasta pie is offered as a special most days at Mattina (there’s a menu at the counter) but is limited in quantity and often sells out; whole pies can be ordered with enough notice. With a cold glass of white wine and a seat in the restaurant’s narrow dining room, a slice can make you forget a bad day or dreary weather." - Lauren Saria