‘In the Weeds’: Ceci’s focaccia, pasta, torta delle nonna

An Italian gastronomia specializes in prepared, handmade food available for takeout, explains Francesco Lucatorto, who along with his wife Francesca Pistorio, is making rigatoni with beef bolognese, lasagna with basil pesto, and the iconic focaccia of Genoa. Lucatorto was developing a pasta bar when the pandemic hit, forcing him to work from home, where he developed a daily recipe five to six times a week. Recruiting his wife, who was in production but had a passion for baking, they began selling dishes from their house. With trips back to Italy and visa issues, the duo’s journey to opening Ceci’s Gastronomia is the subject of this week’s “In the Weeds.”