Restaurant pasta dishes with heart debuted by Liechtenstein's Hilcona.

Smart chefs know how important it is to offer restaurant guests unusual and creative dishes daily. That is why Schaan, Liechtenstein-based Hilcona Foodservice is producing heart-shaped pastas that are quickly prepared and completely in tune with the trends.

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Hilcona, which takes its name from the founding Hilti family--Juergen Hilti, current ceo, is from the third generation--plus Convenience and Nahrungsmittel (food), has more than 1,000 employees at plants in Schaan and Orbe, and sales of some 320 million Swiss francs a year.

Terry Fehlman, who heads up foodservice operations, is focusing on expanding business in Hungary, Turkey, the UK, Spain and Scandinavia, with tentative efforts in Poland and Russia. The main markets now are Switzerland, Austria and France, with the largest part of the business in private label. But there are also Hilcona pizzas and Betti Bossi ready meals, and pasta.

FINA Cuorelli pastas are available in two frozen varieties: FINA Cuorelli Ratatouille with a chunky filling of zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and black olives; along with FINA Cuorelli Vitello with a filling of veal, mascarpone, aromatic morels and mushrooms.

The heart-shaped pastas boast at least 50% gourmet filling, featuring top-quality and selected ingredients and eggs from free-range chickens. They contain no flavor enhancers, artificial flavorings or preservatives. The frozen Herzpasta can be portioned as required, prepared quickly and kept warm for long periods of time.

Also new from Hilcona are VerDuo, a combination of vegetable side dishes with potatoes or rice. The two-in-one solution from Hilcona Foodservice is a practical alternative side dish.

Examples include Fusilli Tricolore Giardino, a mix of threecolored Fusilli, carrot sticks, peas, and onions with a light herb marinade, and Riso Verdura, a mix of rice, carrot sticks, broccoli and yellow peppers with a spicy herb marinade. Penne Curry Verdura consists of penne with broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, and onions with curry sauce. Those who like Asian cuisine may prefer Fussili Ratatouille with zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and onions with a tomato sauce.