Field greens with fresh vegetables, olive oil, red wine vinegar
Virtú Teramane
Teramo-style spring soup of various legumes, greens, vegetables, pasta. This gastronomic specialty of the town of Teramo is typically served on May 1st. Key ingredients of this soup combine the first harvests of the summer with the remains of the winter stocks
Bruschetta alla Salsiccia di Fegato e Scaglie di Pecorino
Grilled bread topped with sautéed Abruzzese pork liver sausage and shavings of pecorino
Cazzimperio di Verdure
Assorted vegetable crudité with seasoned extra virgin olive oil for dipping. The crudité, presented at the beginning or end of a meal, has deep historical roots since the time of the ancient Romans, who believed some types of vegetables had aphrodisiac properties
Primi
Spaghetti alla Chitarra con Pallottine d'Agnello
"Guitar-cut" spaghetti with lamb meatballs, tomato, pecorino cheese. Around the second half of the 1700s a tool called "Maccharunare" was invented, consisting of a rectangular wooden frame with copper or brass wires on top. The Maccharunare quickly became popular in the Abruzzo foothills as the classic tool to cut pasta. ($4 supplemental)
Ceppe di Civitella del Tronto con Fave, Guanciale e Pecorino
Rustic hand-pulled pasta with veal ragù, sweet peppers, tomato, eggplant. The valley of the Fino River was known for its many stone mills that produced excellent flour. The name "mugnaia" (miller) is linked to the men who worked in the mills and prepared this pasta for themselves after a long day of hard work
Ravioli Dolci Abruzzesi al Sugo
Sweet ricotta and scamorza cheese ravioli with homemade tomato sauce
Maccheroni al Torchio con Gamberi Rosa, Carciofi e Zafferano
"Rustichella d'Abruzzo" torchio pasta with sautéed pink shrimp, artichokes, white wine, saffron
Secondi
Grigliata Mista di Carne
Mixed grill: beef strip loin, pork ribs, lamb chop, and Italian sausage, served with garlic-rosemary roasted potatoes. ($7 supplemental)
Arrosticino di Pecora
Traditional grilled lamb skewers with olive oil, rosemary, grilled vegetables. According to the historian Francesco Avolio, the territory of origin of arrosticini is between the valleys and mountains of the Gran Sasso National Park. Two shepherds from Voltigno cut old sheep meat into small pieces so as not to waste food. They skewered the meat with wooden sticks of "vingh", a plant that grows wild along the banks of the Pescara River, to then be cooked on the grill outdoors.
Dentice alla Trappitara
Pan-seared Gulf red snapper with sautéed escarole, fried Abruzzese peppers, olive pesto. "Trappeto" is the ancient stone mill used to grind olives for their oil. People would bring their olives to the mill and wait in line, sometimes for hours. The owner of the mill would offer them a pasta tossed with a special condiment made from the remnants of the milling process, mainly olive must, then sprinkled with cruschi peppers. ($5 supplemental)
Cosciotto di Pollo Ruspante alla Franceschiello
Braised chicken leg with white wine, olives, rosemary, pickled vegetable relish. The origins of this typical dish from Abruzzo date back to the 19th century. It was named after King Francis II of Bourbon (1836-1894), of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, because it was one of his favorite dishes
Sfritta alla Pizzoferratese (Cif e Ciaf)
Fried pork collar and ribs, scented with rosemary, garlic, and bay leaf. This peasant dish was prepared on the day of the pig slaughter as a celebration. It represented the culmination of a year-long effort to raise the pig. Entire families participated in the preparation of sausages, hams, and other products. The dish utilized the humbler parts of the animal, such as cheeks, ribs, or neck
Dolci
Semifreddo all'Anice
Frozen vanilla mousse scented with star anise, almond praline
Crema di Limone "Costa d'Amalfi"
Chilled lemon custard with toasted meringue and blueberry compote
Budino di Caramello
Sea salt-caramel pudding with dark chocolate ganache
Torta di Cioccolato Amaro
Flourless chocolate cake with vanilla bean crème anglaise
Classico Tiramisu' del Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993
Our signature version of this classic dessert of layered mascarpone mousse, Savoiardi cookies, espresso, cocoa
Traditional Abruzzo Cuisine
$75. Customize your dinner. Vegan and vegetarian options available upon request. Please select one of each:
Nestled in a historic Pabst brewery building in the heart of downtown Wauwatosa, Ristorante Bartolotta is the flagship of The Bartolotta Restaurants. Opened in 1993, Ristorante serves authentic, traditional Italian cuisine in a cozy, intimate setting.
Ristorante Bartolotta, rated four stars by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel upon opening, continues to garner high praise with both critics and customers as Milwaukee’s best Italian restaurant. The traditional menu features handmade pasta and imported Italian ingredients, with the three-course chef’s menu changing seasonally.
Ristorante Bartolotta is led by Chef Juan Urbieta, who joined The Bartolotta Restaurants in 1998 and is known by many as one of the best Italian chefs in the Midwest.