Pasta is the undisputed champion of the Italian table. In Italy, it's traditionally eaten as a first course (primo). Here in America, diners are just as likely to order it as a main dish -- it's just that good. Every region of Italy has its own pasta specialty. Here are some Long Island restaurants that do them proud.

Smoky spaghetti carbonara at Bravo! Nader

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

At 23-year-old eclectic Italian restaurant Bravo! Nader (9 Union Place, Huntington), customers can find a smoky spaghetti carbonara. More info: 631-351-1200, bravonader.com

Straw and hay pasta at Abbracciamento

Credit: Daniel Brennan

Abbracciamento (174 Merrick Rd., Lynbrook), one of Long Island's best new Italian restaurants, by veteran Brooklyn restaurateur Frank Abbracciamento, serves a straw and hay pasta dish -- a steamy tangle of fettuccine dotted with peas and shards of prosciutto. More info: 516-758-7424, abbracciamento.com

Credit: Daniel Brennan

At Meritage Wine Bar (90 School St., Glen Cove), house pappardelle is tumbled with butternut squash, crispy sage, a sheen of brown butter, wilted greens, walnuts and Parmesan. More info: 516-801-0055, meritagebar.com

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Springy, housemade spaghetti pomodoro at Osteria Morini (630 Old Country Rd., Garden City) is served garnished with basil. More info: 516-604-0870, osteriamorini.com

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Paccheri affumicante at Tutti Noi (2757 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside) is a crowd-pleaser, featuring giant Neapolitan rigatoni in a tomato cream sauce with a sprinkling of smoked pancetta. More info: 516-665-3999, tuttinoiitalian.com

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At Maldon & Mignonette (243 Glen Cove Ave., Sea Cliff), gnocchi is tightly dressed with dandelion pesto, spring peas and shiitake mushrooms. More info: 516-801-3250, maldonmignonette.com

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Linguine with clam sauce at Bistro 25 East (154 Montauk Hwy., Blue Point) features al dente pasta brimming with shell-on clams and sautéed shrimp in a buttery, garlic-studded broth. More info: 631-823-0400, bistro25east.com

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Fresh pasta with lobster and tomatoes gets an herbal kick with lots of basil and mint at Pearl (4338 Austin Blvd., Island Park). More info: 516-432-0723, pearlrestaurantny.com 

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Savory pappardelle Bolognese, with a ragu made from baby back ribs, is served at Prime 1024 (1024 Northern Blvd., Roslyn). More info: 516-621-1024, prime1024.com 

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Rigatoni supports a generous special of beef braciola, sausage and meatball at Ravello Ristorante (1277 E. Jericho Tpke., Huntington). It's a dish that's sure to have a following whether it's Sunday or any other day of the week. More info: 631-271-8900, ravelloristorantehuntington.com 

Credit: Marisol Diaz-Gordon

Orecchiette Pugliesi, featuring ear-shaped pasta, sausage and broccoli rabe, is the clear winner among pasta dishes at Dodici (12 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre). More info: 516-764-3000, dodicirestaurant.com

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

Savory "Sunday sauce" at Viaggio Italian Chop House (324 Sunrise Hwy., Rockville Centre) features braciola, meatball and sausage atop rigatoni. More info: 516-208-7789, viaggiorvc.com 

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At Puglia's Italian Steakhouse (3943 Merrick Rd., Seaford), go for the paccheri alla piselli, a tubular pasta from Campania that's similar to XL rigatoni, tossed with pancetta, peas and shiitakes, in a velvety pink sauce. More info: 516-809-9922, pugliasitaliansteakhouse.com 

Credit: Gordon M. Grant

At Nick & Toni's (136 N. Main St., East Hampton), the penne alla vecchia bettola arrives in a vivid, spicy, oven-roasted tomato sauce. More info: 631-324-3550, nickandtonis.com 

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

At Pomodorino Rosso (47 Franklin Ave., Valley Stream), the spaghetti al pomodorino is tossed tableside in a hollowed-out wheel of Grana Padano cheese. More info: 516-812-6171, pomodorinorosso.com 

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The house-made pappardelle at Ruggero's (5768 Rte. 25A, Wading River) is served with an earthy short-rib ragu and is an excellent choice at this Italian restaurant located inside the Shoppes at East Wind. More info: 631-886-1625

Credit: Daniel Brennan

Spinach gnocchi at Emanuel's (1014 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport) is made in house and plated in a Roquefort-cheese sauce with shaved black truffles. More info: 631-239-2221, emanuels.business.site

Credit: Daniel Brennan

At Bella Vie (240 W. Main St., Bay Shore), Fontina cheese stars in chef Fabrizio Perinelli's best dish: gnocchi alla bava. The gnocchi, the size of bay scallops, are light, airy, perfect, finished with a creamy cheese sauce that's enriched with strands of caramelized onion and tiny shavings of black truffle. More info: 631-500-9045, thebellavie.com

Credit: Daniel Brennan

At Piccolo Mondo (1870 E. Jericho Tpke., Huntington), pappardelle alla Bolognese arrives in a creamy, rich veal ragu. More info: 631-462-0718, piccolomondoli.com

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Cena 081 (103 Post Ave., Westbury) serves a linguine with arugula, pistachio, Asiago cheese, prosciutto and pistachio puree. It leads the pastas at this Italian restaurant. More info: 516-385-3795, cena081.com

Credit: Daniel Brennan

Creamy fusilli with butternut squash, brown butter, sage and Parmesan is served at Perennial (990 Franklin Ave., Garden City). More info: 516-743-9213, perennialrestaurant.com

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Rigatoni alla vodka at Talluci's Pizzeria (1249 Melville Rd., Farmingdale) is creamy and slightly sweet. More info: 631-390-9684, tallucispizzeriamenu.com

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Savory bucatini all'Amatriciana stands out among the pastas at Matteo's Trattoria & Bar (300 W. Jericho Tpke., Huntington Station). More info: 631-421-6001, matteosristorante.com

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Pop Pops Pasta at Meta Osteria & Barra (2752 Oceanside Rd., Oceanside) includes broccoli rabe, red peppers, zesty meatballs and toasted bread crumbs. More info: 516-764-3218, metaliny.com 

Credit: Daniel Brennan

Capellacci stuffed with burrata and pistachio is finished with stracchino cheese sauce at Da Gigi Trattoria & Bar (174 Merrick Rd., Lynbrook). It's sensational. More info: 516-500-3400, ptwelvecatering.com

Credit: Daniel Brennan

Wild mushroom ravioli at Basil Cafe & Restaurant (413 Lake Ave., St. James) is stuffed with crimini, shiitake and portobello mushrooms, and is served with sundried tomatoes in a pink-peppercorn garlic sauce. More info: 516-500-3400, rayaklagi.wixsite.com/basilcaferestaurant

Credit: Daniel Brennan

"North Fork paccheri," akin to plump rigatoni, is sparked by goat cheese, with zucchini and arugula at Il Giardino (739 Main Rd., Aquebogue). More info: 631-779-3900, ilgiardinoaquebogue.com

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

Gnocchi with pomodoro sauce and ricotta is a winner at Tavern 227 (227 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff). More info: 516-200-9179, tavern227.com

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

Fioretti alla boscaiola, pasta purses stuffed with ricotta in a mushroom-prosciutto cream sauce, is a surefire crowd pleaser at Patrizia's (1040 S. Broadway, Hicksville). More info: 516-932-1600, patrizias.com 

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

Butternut squash raviolini is a comfort food classic at Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails (3026 Merrick Rd., Wantagh). More info: 516-654-9200, blackbirdli.com 

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Cavatelli forestiera fuses pasta shells with meaty mushrooms in a creamy marsala mascarpone sauce at Casa di Fratelli (477 Old Country Rd., Westbury). More info: 516-385-3700, casadifratelli.com 

Credit: Daniel Brennan

The Sunday sauce at Brunello Italian Kitchen (1945 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park) anchors a bowl of mezzi rigatoni that is heaped with meatball, sausage and braciole (beef rolls). Big enough for two, it could easily become a Sunday tradition. More info: 631-940-3620, brunelloitaliankitchen.com 

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

Spaghetti alla carbonara, a classic Roman dish, is expertly prepared at Franina (58 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset). More info: 516-496-9770, franina.com 

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

Pappardelle melanzane, thick ribbons of pasta with Marsala-eggplant ragu, ricotta and ricotta salata, is served at Vespa Italian Kitchen & Bar (282 Main St., Farmingdale). More info: 516-586-8542, vespaitaliankitchen.com 

Credit: Daniel Brennan

Pasta is the star of the menu at Gatsby's Landing (1362 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn). The cacio e pepe is a satisfyingly simple display of Pecorino Romano with fresh ground pepper and mint. More info: 516-277-2318, gatsbyslanding.com 

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Bucatini "cacio e pepe," topped with shaved aged pecorino cheese and black pepper is simple and very satisfying at Primi Italian Steakhouse (999 Montauk Hwy, West Islip). More info: primiitalian.com 

Credit: Yana Paskova

The cuisine of Emilia-Romagna is Italy's most refined, as are the region's signature pastas -- tortellini, lasagna and tagliatelle, among them. Robert Franceschini, born outside of Parma, has made homemade pasta a signature of his 30-year-old restaurant, Piccolo's (150 E. Jericho Turnpike, Mineola). Ten varieties of ravioli are available, and frequent specials include superlative spinach-and-ricotta crespelle (crepes) and lasagna verde Bolognese. More info: 516-248-8110, piccolosny.com 

Credit: Yvonne Albinowski

The Veneto in Northeastern Italy is better known for its rice and polenta dishes than for its pasta, but bigoli -- thick, rough-hewn noodles usually made with whole wheat -- are the exception. At Stresa (1524 Northern Blvd., Manhasset), the bigoli alla Latina is a hearty amalgam of pancetta, cabbage, tomatoes and pecorino. More info: 516-365-6956, stresa-restaurant.com 

Credit: Jessica Earnshaw

Before the tragic earthquake in August, 2016, the town of Amatrice, about 100 miles northeast of Rome in the region of Lazio, had one claim to fame: Sugo all'Amatrice, a lush sauce that owes as much to cured pork -- guanciale (pig jowl) or pancetta -- as it does to tomatoes and Pecorino Romano. Much of the menu at Trattoria Diane (21 Bryant Ave., Roslyn) is devoted to the cuisine of Lazio, and the bucatini all'Amatrciana does the region proud. More info: 516-621-2591, trattoriadiane.com 

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