Trattoria IL Vesuvio, Lenox

Lasagna di Verdura, featuring homemade pasta. at all.ac Among Trattoria II Vesuvio's more popular appetizers are Fried Calamari, lightly breaded and served with a marinara dipping sauce, and Melenzane Alla Griglia, a grilled eggplant dish which truly deserves the attention of a first-time visitor. Arace slices the eggplant paper-thin and marinates it for up to three days in garlic, mint, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, and red wine vinegar. The assertive flavoring comes through fully, even as the dish is served cold. Arace goes to great lengths to use fresh, local ingredients. When a winter dish such as Vitello Alla Mancini calls for roasted red peppers, for instance, she's already got it covered. In the summer, she travels to Hoosic Falls Farm in New York and buys twenty bushels of red peppers, which she then roasts, cleans, and jars for use throughout the cold months. "I always say, if you're going to do something, do it right, or not at all.ac