August 19, 2022

Winnipeg
25° C, A few clouds

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • Community Review East
    • Community Review West
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
    • Manitoba's Top Employers
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • Reader BridgeNEW
  • WFP EventsNEW
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Free Press Community Review
    • All Free Press Community Review News
    • East Edition
    • West Edition
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • LifestylesNEW
    • All Lifestyles
    • Business Hub
    • Community
    • Drink & Dine
    • Life
    • Wellness
    • Whiskers & Wings
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photo and Book store
  • More

©2022 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Federal Election
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photo and Book store
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Support Faith coverage
    • Support Arts coverage
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • Community Review East
    • Community Review West

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Free Press Community Review News
    • East Edition
    • West Edition
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
The Free Press

ABOVE THE FOLD

Subscribe
Articles Read Your Balance +tax

The great pasta expansion

The Maury family launches Tuco to add pasta to their Argentinian culinary dynasty

By: Eva Wasney | Posted: 7:00 PM CST Monday, Nov. 8, 2021

Scroll
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later

While employees fill and pinch dozens of empanadas in the prep kitchen at La Pampa’s St. Vital location, Alfonso Maury is hovering over a large pasta maker with a knife, waiting patiently for the tendrils of fresh spaghetti to reach the ideal length.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 8/11/2021 (284 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While employees fill and pinch dozens of empanadas in the prep kitchen at La Pampa’s St. Vital location, Alfonso Maury is hovering over a large pasta maker with a knife, waiting patiently for the tendrils of fresh spaghetti to reach the ideal length.

The Maury family has cornered the local market on Argentinian pizza with their Exchange District restaurant, Corrientes, and have been serving gourmet empanadas at their La Pampa locations for the last several years. Pasta is the next frontier.

"In Argentina, there is a fresh pasta shop in every neighbourhood," Alfonso says. "And Sunday is a pasta day in Argentina. You can see a line of people just waiting outside to buy fresh pasta."

<p>MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>Alfonso Maury with daughter Nadia.</p>

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Alfonso Maury with daughter Nadia.

The new venture is called Tuco — named after a traditional Argentinian tomato sauce — and offerings include a selection of fresh, frozen and pre-made pasta dishes. Menu items are either served hot and ready to eat or packaged for assembly and reheating at home.

While Argentinian and Italian pasta share many similarities, the former relies more heavily on flour than semolina — giving it a softer texture — and features more meat than vegetables.

"There was such a big Italian immigration to Argentina, so there’s a big Italian influence on the cuisine," says daughter Nadia Maury, who is the brand manager for the family businesses. "Some things remained the same and others were slowly adjusted over time."

<p> MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS </p><p>Tuco’s sauces include classic and spicy tuco, alfredo, rosé, pesto, bolognese, four cheese and smoked garlic cream.</p>

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Tuco’s sauces include classic and spicy tuco, alfredo, rosé, pesto, bolognese, four cheese and smoked garlic cream.

Tuco’s menu includes a rotating cast of pasta shapes, gnocchi and sorrentinos, round ravioli-esque morsels filled with anything from beef to walnuts, ham and ricotta. Sauces include classic and spicy tuco, alfredo, rosé, pesto, bolognese, four cheese and smoked garlic cream.

Since launching in October, one of the biggest draws has been vacuum-sealed bags of pre-cooked pasta and sauce. At home, the unopened bag is dunked in a pot of boiling water and processed until hot.

"For people with less experience in cooking, this is perfect," Alfonso says. "I’m gonna do the effort and you can take the credit… I’m OK with that."

<p> MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS </p><p>Tuco’s sorrentinos in rose sauce.</p>

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Tuco’s sorrentinos in rose sauce.

The products are also geared towards those who enjoy eating fresh pasta, but don’t have the time or energy to make their own.

"When was the last time you or anyone else that you know made fresh gnocchi from scratch?" Nadia says. "It’s really hard, it takes a lot of steps, so this adds to the convenience."

Adding new items to existing brands is a risk, especially when those items may be unfamiliar to most Canadian customers.

<p> MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>Kitchen manager Alicia Robinson helps Alfonso Maury switch from one to the other styles of pasta they offer. </p>

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Kitchen manager Alicia Robinson helps Alfonso Maury switch from one to the other styles of pasta they offer.

"Sweetbreads and green onions, in Argentina, is a (delicacy) that I’m sure 99 per cent of Canadians will tell me, ‘Hey, we will not eat that.’ You need to think about what the people like to eat here," Alfonso says. "Sometimes you think they’re going to love it because you love it and that is a big failure in some restaurants."

While sweetbread, an organ meat, won’t be gracing the menu anytime soon, the Maurys are looking forward to testing out stuffed pasta with local ingredients, like bison and venison.

Tuco is still in its infancy, but if Alfonso has learned anything in the last two years, it’s that it doesn’t hurt to diversify.

<p>MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>The Maury family has been serving gourmet empanadas at their La Pampa locations for the last several years.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

The Maury family has been serving gourmet empanadas at their La Pampa locations for the last several years.

"I still believe in the restaurant," he says. "But after the pandemic, you need to start to think what do I have to do, what can I do if this happens again?"

Tuco is available at La Pampa’s River Heights location at 1549 Grant Ave. Hot, ready-to-eat pasta dishes can be ordered through SkiptheDishes and pre-made bagged or frozen pasta can be picked up in-person. Follow @tucopastawpg on Instagram for updates.

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney

The Free Press | Newsletter

Try our Dish

The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample.

Sign up for Dish
Sign Up

Eva Wasney

Eva Wasney
Arts Reporter

Eva Wasney is a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press.

   Read full biography

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later
  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund
  • The Free Press is certified by

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Top