La Scena a Tavola: Penne Rosa alla Gino Quilico

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Welcome to La Scena a tavola, our new column where artists open their kitchens. Here, recipes are served up with stories—and every dish offers a glimpse into life on and off the stage. We begin with a man who knows how to make an entrance and a great pasta: Gino Quilico. One of Canada’s most celebrated baritones, he is also a generous culinary storyteller.

Gino Quilico

The dish? Penne rosa alla Gino Quilico, a comforting pasta dish made with rosé sauce, spicy Italian sausage, fennel, and mascarpone cheese. It can be made with penne or spaghetti, depending on your mood.

“A soprano cooked this for me at her home in Monte Carlo,” Quilico recalls. “I made my own version. That’s what cooking is all about! In fact, my whole family makes this recipe now, each in their own way.”

The soprano? None other than Nuccia Focile. The two shared the stage in L’Elisir d’amore at Opéra de Monte-Carlo in 2006. She was Adina, Quilico was Belcore, and Massimo Giordano sang Nemorino. A night of bel canto and a recipe that endured.

Gino Quilico’s Upcoming Concerts:

Sept. 12, 2025 | 8 p.m. Théâtre Le Patriote | Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts

Sept. 28 | 3 p.m. Théâtre des Deux Rives | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

Oct. 11 | 8 p.m. Salle Albert-Dumouchel | Salaberry-de-Valleyfield

Oct. 19 | 3 p.m. Carré 150 | Victoriaville

Oct. 23 | 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Cabaret du Casino | Montreal

Penne rosa alla Gino Quilico

Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 can (540 ml) peeled Italian tomatoes
1 whole fennel bulb (chopped, white part only)
3-4 spicy Italian sausages (approx. 340 g), no casing and shaped into small balls
1 whole onion, sliced
80 ml olive oil
250 g mascarpone cheese
500 g penne
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
Grated parmesan, for serving
Sliced tomatoes, for serving

Method:

In a wide rimmed pan, heat olive oil over medium-low. Sauté onion for 5 minutes, then add fennel, sausage balls, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes.

In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta following the package’s cook time. Add cherry tomatoes and canned tomatoes to the sauce mixture, simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add drained pasta to the pan, stir gently to coat. Continue cooking until fennel softens (takes at least 30 minutes). Stir in mascarpone at the end to create the rosé sauce.

Garnish with more tomatoes and parmesan.

Suggested wine pairing: Fabio Oberto Barolo 2020, from the Quilico family’s native region of Piemonte

Buon Appetito!