The original Carbonara
No, this is not another Italian to add to the immense list of places that make up what many already call 'the Italian boom' of Madrid.
And we can summarize why in three words: bacaro (which is the Venetian equivalent of our tavern), cicchetti (the tapas that are served there) and ombre (wine glasses) .
And just as we go out for tapas, the Venetians go from bacaro to bacaro to drink their wine and snack on something.
That concept –although with a more elaborate proposal than that of the tapas– is the one that has wanted to bring Fabio Gasparini the heart of Chamberí. And boy has he succeeded.
His bar fills up every night in an environment where the Italian essence dances between traditional nuances and the Aperol Spritz shamelessly flirts with the beer while the carbonara simmers.
Welcome to El Bacaro by Fabio Gasparini!
Cichetti of sardines in saor, burrata and dried tomato, gorgonzolla and coppa and Aperol spritz
ARE WE GOING TO BACARIS?
“Our philosophy is simple: a place where you can eat something in a relaxed atmosphere” , sums up Fabio in a few words.
And specify: “We offer quality, tasty and authentic Italian cuisine. The menu is short but varied, as we seek precisely that dynamism and that energy of the Madrid taverns and the Venetian bacari”.
One step away from the roundabout of Bilbao , this charming place brims with Italian essence on every side, starting with the boss of all this: Fabio Gasparini, a Venetian living in Spain for twelve years.
A Venetian tavern in the heart of Chamberí
“Before I did private events, dinners at home, clandestine dinners, I collaborated with the Italian Embassy... and now, I am very excited about my bacaro!” the chef exclaims.
Behind the project are the Guerrero brothers, Aaron (La Malaje and La Tía Feli) and Mesala (La Tía Feli), who are now betting on this concept of tasca alla veneziana.
Paccheri with veal ragout
WE BEGIN!
The Bacaro menu changes with the season, always offering fresh produce arriving from Italy every week.
In section antipasti (starters in the language of Cervantes), we find an appetizing table of cold cuts and Italian cheeses, the traditional caprese salad with tomato carpaccio or a delicious tartare with burrata cream and truffle.
Now, if we have to choose, we will definitely stay with sardines in Saor and vitello tonnato.
Vittello Tonnato
“The sarde en saor (flavor) are one of the most typical and ancient recipes of Venice. Sailors ate it when they were away from home for a long time, since its preparation allowed them to preserve the fish and take it during their long voyages”, he tells us.
The dish -made from sardines, flour, onion and vinegar – later became part of the daily life of the Venetians and continues to this day!
The vitello tonnato , for its part, is a typical Piedmont dish: “it is about a round of veal machine cut into very thin slices on a base of tuna sauce, hard-boiled egg, anchovies and capers”, says Fabio.
Sardines in saor
PINSA, NOT PIZZA
Instead of the classic pizzas, Fabio has chosen to offer a section dedicated to the Roman pins.
But what exactly is a pinsa? Although the appearance is similar, since it does not look like anything other than an elongated pizza, the secret, and in this case also the difference is in the mass.
The pinsa, a word that comes from pinsere, which means to stretch (hence the oval shape), is prepared with a mixture of wheat, soy and rice flours ; so that a lighter and more digestible dough is obtained, with 80% hydration.
Pinsa of mortadella, burrata and pistachios
To the above are added aromatic herbs, olive oil and salt , left to ferment for 72 hours in the refrigerator and ecco là!
In the Bacaro the ingredients of the pinsas vary with the season.
Mortadella, burrata and pistachios; grilled vegetables and mozzarella; cecina, parmesan and arugula; anchovies, capers and olives; or the one that Fabio presents us as a novelty, a delicious pinsa of ham and gorgonzola.
Pinsa of cecina, parmesan and arugula
THE ORIGINAL CARBONARA
In the pasta section we find infallible classics such as the ravioli –boletus with truffle sauce or basil with cherry tomato–, the homemade lasagna of the day, the gnocchi with pesto, the puttanesca or the amatriciana.
Dishes that will also vary and go through the blackboard of Bacaro. Of course, there is one essential that will never succumb to the draft: the original Carbonara.
Mamma mia!
“Do you know what the most complicated test of Master Chef Italia is? Make a carbonara! Because the most classic and authentic, without variants or versions, is the most difficult to achieve” Fabio says.
And of course, his carbonara passes the test with flying colors: egg yolk, pecorino and guanciale. In this case he opts for the pici, a typical type of pasta from Tuscany similar to spaghetti although somewhat thicker. And always al dente, of course.
Tiramisu
For dessert, because obviously it is mandatory to leave room for dessert –and for a shot of limoncello–, more Italy and more irresistible delicacies, such as the homemade tiramisu served in a cup of coffee, the mini Sicilian cannolo or the panna cotta with truffle honey.
Do not forget to accompany the food with the classic Aperol Spritz or with one of the Italian wines (they have more than 30 labels) that populate their cellar.
Do you have a plan this afternoon? We're going to bacari!
Fabio Gasparini and Aaron Guerrero
Address: Calle de Hartzenbusch, 9, 28010 Madrid See map
Telephone: 914 45 46 68