Cavatelli with pork ragu from Campana. | Jenny Kang Hand-rolled tagliatelle, pillowy gnocchi, and more At classic red sauce joints and modern Italian restaurants throughout Portland, chefs dedicate themselves to the art of making pasta. Whether restaurants extrude pasta dough or cut it by hand, it’s essential to pair noodles and various other pasta shapes with sauces that will best adhere to them. Cooks strive for the ideal al dente consistency, a balance of firm-yet-tender with a slight chew, so that Portlanders may tuck into bowls of toothsome pasta, keeping a side of bread at the ready to mop up sauce. Below, you’ll find some of Portland’s most crave-worthy pasta dishes, enveloped in hearty ragus, tangy tomato-based sauces, or velvety cream sauces, and showcasing seasonal produce. Those looking for pizza or a wider breadth of Italian cuisine can find dedicated maps to each.