Devouring the country of the boot
1- THE BEST MORTADELLA IN THE WORLD
One of the emblems of Italian gastronomy are sausages and among them, the classic bologna mortadella, She is the queen. The best, since she has been selected by Slow Food, is the Bonfatti , elaborated according to the process that is collected in the book Novo de Cristoforo of Messisburgo (1557), in which a chopping machinery is already described, very similar to the current one. The process is simple: the meat goes through a grinder with five shredding discs that give it its particular texture; then the diced bacon, spices, salt, etc. are added. The farce is stuffed into natural casings, cooked and aired. The Bonfatti is an artisan mortadella , which is prepared with certified Italian pork, in which the preservatives have been eliminated and whose extraordinary aroma is given by a skilful blend of spices. Cut into very thin slices, with the help of a berkel slicer , and diced, is a delicious appetizer.
The mortadella is this and nothing else
2- PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO
Nicknamed the "king of cheeses" the _ Parmigiano Reggiano _ It's pure "umami" . It is not made to be eaten in large quantities, but to be enjoyed in every bite. I love it cut into irregular pieces seasoned with a few drops of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar –authentic, dense and dark- another of Italy's gastronomic treasures. I admit that it also works wonderfully, cut into slices accompanying warm vegetables or salads.
It is not a cheap cheese, but it costs much less than it is worth. It is produced in an absolutely traditional way, just as it was eight centuries ago in the Parma area. As with luxury brands, there are also imitations. The authentic one has its name branded on the bark Together with thousands of little brown dots, it is the so-called “mark of origin” and in any piece, no matter how tiny, it must be visible.
pure 'umami'
3- AMERIGO'S OSTERY
Italian comfort food . This charming eating house is an address for insiders only. The boss, alberto betti , swore fidelity to the land and the ancestors. As a missionary of the culinary faith, he has dedicated himself to reviving popular recipes and tracking down the best products of the region. The menu, simple, homemade, popular , It's a show.
A perfectionist to the limit, Bettini knows the product, knows how to treat it and masters the technique. the tortellini -made by hand, as tradition dictates with the little finger- is served with chicken and cow broth. They are a scandal, the best I have ever had. the ragu -badly called Bolognese sauce- is so good that it has decided to market it in a can. The menu, which is always brilliant, during the truffle season reaches memorable heights. Osteria d'Amerigo 1934. Via Marconi 14-16. Savigno (Bologna). Price: €50
An eating house for beginners
Any place is good to taste Italy
4- 'SLOW FOOD', THE LUXURY OF EATING SLOWLY
The opposite of fast-food; its icon a snail, a symbol of slowness . This gastronomic and cultural movement emerged in 1986 encouraged by the journalist Carlo Petrini, outraged after the inauguration of the first McDonald's in Rome. In the beginning it was a kind of "Food Intelligence" with traces of a sect, whose members met in "convivium" to taste products and assess their excellence. Its mission: to defend the planet's biodiversity, rescue lost products and fight against food globalization . Today, having lost the radicalism of the beginning, his intelligent speech has penetrated deep into Italian society and has spread to other countries. Many chefs around the world have adhered to his kilometer 0 kitchen manifesto , which seeks to defend the kitchen of proximity, of territory.
5- BLACK OR WHITE: THE MAGIC OF THE TRUFFLE
Of the truffles, black or white, little is known, as it is a rare and scarce snack. Rugged, amorphous, strange and coveted, truffles hide underground. There are many varieties, not all are edible, not all equally tasty. Italy is one of the countries where the largest number of varieties are collected , among them, the queen of truffles, the Tuber magnatum pico or white truffle , nicknamed "of Alba".
In the country of the boot there are 5 truffle producing regions. The white is above all aroma, that's why it is consumed rolled or grated raw ; the black one has a powerful flavor and a deep aroma that improves with a slight increase in temperature. Around this gourmet product, a buoyant derivatives industry : sauces, preserves and truffle oil (an ingredient that many chefs have made fashionable, perhaps without realizing that most of those sold are synthetic and do not come from truffles; they come from an unhealthy petroleum derivative) .
Truffles, black or white, are the culmination of a perfect Italian menu
6- PINO CUTTAIA, THE TASTE OF SICILY
Pine tree he is an exquisite craftsman transforms Mediterranean rusticity into subtlety , just like a couturier who is inspired by regional costumes to fine-tune his haute couture collection. Connoisseur of the product only works it when it is in season. He knows the most innovative techniques but uses them sparingly “they are useless by themselves - he affirms convinced -. They are there to provide solutions. The essence is tradition, although my kitchen would not be the same without the spanish revolution ”.
How to make a caprese salad even lighter and more flavorful? He asks. the answer is one ball of foamy mozzarella that melts in your mouth , par-dried baby tomatoes, breadcrumbs soaked in olive oil dressing, fresh basil...a memorable bite. Obsessed with the black and white of sepia, Cuttaia has created a risky bicolor menu a proposal that invites the diner to delve into his most creative cuisine.
the madia Corso F. Re Capriata, 22 Licata. Agrigento. Sicily. Closed Sunday night and Tuesday. Average price: €110. Black and white menu (2 people): €190
Pino's cuisine is subtle and daring
7- EATALY... OR HOW TO EAT ITALY
** Eataly ** is a large store where you can buy and taste pasta, sausages, oils, wines, preserves, books... or attend cooking classes with internationally renowned chefs . An active proposal to democratize gastronomy, a philosophy they share with the Slow Food movement they work with tightly.
After opening a good number of stores – Turin, Milan, Genova, Bologna, New York, etc. - have finally landed on Rome with a very appropriate slogan for these times: "Beauty will save Italy" . It's worth taking the time to browse and buy products of guaranteed quality that are not easily found, not because they are extravagant, but because they are authentic and that is a quality in danger of extinction.
Ostiense Air Terminal. Piazzale XII Ottobre 1492. Open from 10 a.m. to midnight.
The gram warehouse of Italian gastronomy
8- FRENCH OSTERIA: BOTTURA UNIVERSE
Massimo Bottura he gave up a brilliant career because he wanted to be a cook. Horror! His parents thought. That little scandal was forgotten when success smiled on him and his efforts were rewarded: the ** Osteria Francescana ** was ranked among the best restaurants in the world. Today it occupies position nº 5 of the controversy 50Best list.
Bottura is a cultured and sensitive man, jovial and passionate. He not only wants to feed well, he pursues being an artist through cooking and he looks for philosophical transcendence in everything he does . A landscape, a product, a trip are transformed into concepts that are reflected in recipes. The apotheosis of culinary abstraction are dishes like "a grazing cow" . He is a master at varying the textures of the ingredients, thereby seeking to give them another dimension and stimulate the sensory registers of the diner, forcing him to reflect, to rethink cooking. He staunchly defends his territory and does not hesitate to use the balsamic vinegar, cotecchino or mortadella. Between the plates of him icon the bolito misto non bolito and the tagliatelle al ragu .
Via Stella, 22. 41100 Modena. Price: €150
9- IDENTITA GOLOSE: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE
Identity Golose is a compendium of the best signature restaurants in Italy -and also in the world, because it has an international section- selected by the good eye of the journalist Paolo Marchi and a group of colleagues he trusts. It deals with making young chefs known, supporting them with awards and recognition. Contrary to what happens with other guides, this one, which includes long comments and many explanations , holds few surprises: once the choice is made, one finds a reality that responds –almost always- to what he had read. There is not only r avant-garde restaurants, there are also trattorias and traditional establishments and even some other noteworthy pizzeria. It is, therefore, a magnificent travel companion to tour the country of the boot.
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Here the plates are murals