The Luxury of  Simplicity at the International Chef Congress

For the second time Pastificio dei Campi will take part to Identità Golose, the international Chef Congress organized by the italian food journalist Paolo Marchi. The event will take place in Milan from the 30th of Janury until the 1st of February 2011 at the Milano Convention Centre.

This seventh edition of Identità Golose arrives after an incredibly rich 2010: Identità di Libertà in San Marino in March, Identità London in June, the week of Identità milanesi in Shanghai, and the opening of Identità New York. Here in cooperation with Eataly, ten chefs and one pastry-chef proposed a contemporary Italian cuisine to a metropolis which doesn’t only want to eat well at the table but also to enjoy itself.

The theme of the year is “The luxury of simplicity: the signs and gestures”. As said by the founder  "a will to understand what remains unchanged, clear and defined with time in a recipe, those signs and gestures which characterize even the most creative among chefs. As there is no still and unchanged tradition so there is no 100 per cent new change. There is always movement in the first and something known in the second, it’s only that in the first case it’s too slow to be perceived by the majority of people and in the second it’s too fast, so much that it hides the elements of continuity. In Milan, we are going to search for these details."

Last year the "Identità di pasta" day was so successful that they’ll do it again this year into the Sala Blu on Sunday the 30th, with a stronger attention to the taste of pasta and sauces, after deepening 12 months ago the topic of different cooking techniques.
And to follow the Luxury of Simplicity theme, during the breaks, the Pastificio dei Campi stand will  offer 3 typical dishes of our simple italian tradition: beans, lentils and chickpeas pasta soup.

If you are thinking in a short break to Milan, don't forget this event and come to say hello!

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Joining the worldwide ola of Homemade Pesto Genovese

Today, 17th of January is International Day of Italian Cuisines again, and this time is all dedicated to the Pesto Genovese.

As in the past editions, the IDIC is a worldwide celebration of authentic and quality Italian Cuisine, to defend it from bogus and counterfeiting. Hundreds of chefs and restaurateurs all around the world will prepare simultaneously on today Pesto Genovese with pasta, according to an authentic recipe. 

All the food lovers too where invited to join the ola and cook some Pesto, and i couldn't miss this international call to action.

The International Day of Italian Cuisines is born from a mission: "we certainly aim at educating worldwide consumers, but more than anything else, we want to protect their right to get what they pay for when going to eateries labeled as "Italian", that is: authentic and quality Italian cuisine." says Rosario Scarpato, GVCI Honorary President, and IDIC 2011 Director.

With this in mind,  today i won't  just give you here the most classic and official recipe for the real pesto, but i will also tell you about the best combination of pasta you can have with this sauce.

But let's start from the recipe as written by the cooperative of the Pesto Genovese:

- 50 gr of fresh young basil leaves.

- 1 big spoon of pine nuts

- 6 spoons of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese freshly grated.

- 2 spoons of Pecorino cheese

- 2 garlic cloves

- 10 gr of  gritty salt

- Half a glass of  Extra Virgin Olive Oil (better if it's from “Ligurian Riviera” d.o.p.)

- and finally 600 gr Trofie Pastificio dei Campi (the name comes from the genoese dialect and the way to call the manual movement necessary to create the shape).

The procedure is quite easy, but to be traditional, you will need a marble mortar and a wooden pestle. This because instead to chop the leaves you will need to crush them to have the leaves' oil necessary for the sauce.

Wash the basil leaves in cold water and dry them on a paper towel. Don't squeeze them.
Then crush in the mortar the garlic clove the pine nuts and the basil leaves, add  the salt, the Parmesan, the Pecorino cheese and keep pounding using a light circular movement of the pestle.

Add some of the Extra Virgin Olive from time to time and keep  mixing until  you obtain  a smooth creamy sauce. Pesto should not be greasy and the amount of oil used must be well absorbed and not floating on top.

Trofie and Trenette are the pasta used in Liguria, however linguine or spaghetti al dente will make a good companion to this sauce. The original recipe also says to cook the pasta in the water with french green beans and potatoes and serve all together dressed with pesto (more like a salad type of dish), but you can just mix this with pasta and will be great!

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A recipe to celebrate the local producers and the good food.

Today it's for the second time Terra Madre Day, a celebration of food diversity and the right to good, clean and fair food, organized by Slow Food. Last year  more than 1,000 events took place across 120 countries. Lots of different events have been organized this year too and you can find all of them here.

Following the invite by Carlo Petrini, Slow food International President, to highlight today the importance of eating locally, I thought could have been nice to create a recipe with english and italian ingredients made by local, traditional and very careful producers.

It so happens that i have been finally to Taste of Christmas the past weekend and between stands of wines, fudges, bread and cheeses, I found also the english cheese winner of the title of World Champion Cheese 2010: the Cornish Blue, a handmade ArtisanFarmhouse Cheese from Cornwall, right case of english local producer.

I couldn't miss the occasion to buy it and considering the taste, similar to Gorgonzola but much less strong (I'm simplifying just to let all of you understand), I though to put it together with walnuts, a classic seasonal ingredients!

Then Pasta di Gragnano PGI from Pastificio dei Campi with its old history and traditional and careful way to produce the pasta, from the  bronze extraction to the drying process, it's a perfect representative of a local south italian producer.

So here is my "locally sourced" recipe!

Ingredients for 3 people:

300 gr Mezzi Occhi di Lupo from Pastificio dei Campi

120 gr of cheese gorgonzola

60 gr  walnuts

40gr butter

Finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

The preparation is not very long so i suggest you to put some  water on the fire as soon as you start. Then add some salt and the pasta when it's boiling. Meanwhile in a saucepan melt the butter then add the chopped cheese and let melt it too over low heat, stir well together until the mixture is as smooth and creamy as possible.

Then take the walnuts and chop them finely,  the more the better. Add them to the pan and stir well, to mix all together. If the cheese tends to stick to the pan just add some water from the pasta.

When this is ready and "al dente", drain it  and pour into the pan with the sauce and toss it. I serve it without Parmesan to don't miss the Cornish blue's taste, but with some chopped parsley.

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Do you have any plan? Here are some ideas for you

Since few days in all UK started to snow and you have definitely the sensation to be already in Christmas. All the decorations, all the people running for shopping and lots of ice rings around the city. In Italy we use to decorate our house and Christmas tree  the 8th of December, that is holiday and it's a good occasion to stay with all the family.

So I have decided to spend  next weekend in markets and typical english events around London to look for my Christmas decorations and typical products to be ready for the 8th.

Here are 3 nice events for all the people who love food and the Christmas mood and atmosphere:

The first one is  the Real Food Christmas market taking place at the Southbank Centre Square this weekend:

"Traditional seasonal fare of mince pies and mulled wine will sit alongside other delicacies including fabulous cheeses, delicious chutneys and pickles, wild game, hams and charcuterie and all manner of chocolate delights. Why not stock up your Christmas larder with gourmet goodies and find the perfect food gifts for your friends and family"

The second one I can suggest you is Taste of Christmas held at ExCeL London, located just 10 minutes from Canary Wharf.

"Twelve of London’s top restaurants will be serving up seasonal menus of everything from traditional classics to cutting-edge cuisine - plenty to fire up the imagination, and your tastebuds."

There will be stands with the typical ingredients for your Christmas dishes and famous chefs will share their secret recipes for some special menus'.

And last but not the least, is the Underground Christmas Market organized by Marmitelover, great food blogger and creator of one of the first UK supperclubs 'The Underground Restaurant'

On Sunday the 5th of December, in her secret house in Kilburn there will be music, an ironing board cocktail bar,  a ruffle, cooking demonstrations, Christmas puddings, craft stalls and lots more! When you will buy the ticket here, you will be informed about the precise address.

Are you curious to know which one i will choose? You will see it in the next posts. In the meantime I hope you will enjoy the weekend in one of these events or just staying at home and maybe cooking a good plate of pasta.

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... and Pastificio dei Campi will be there

From the 19th to th 21st of November, near Caserta, in the Campania region, will be held "Eccellenze" an exibition of luxury and good quality brands in any field, from technology to fashion to gastronomy. 

A really innovative occasion and way to enjoy the Christmas shopping experience, organized this year for the second time, after the success of the first edition.

Pastificio dei Campi with the PGI pasta from Gragnano, will be there also this year, to show this high quality product and to meet consumers and people with "good taste".

Have you ever been to a similar fair here in UK? Anything like this taking place in the next weeks?

The pictures from the event will follow soon!

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For the joy of the lovers of quality pork

Let's participate to the party for one of the most traditional english food: a classic in the english breakfast, very tasty for lunch accompanied by the most classic mash potatoes and what about bangers on the barbecue? Just delicious!
 
From the 1st to the 7th of November it was Bangers week and all their variants and ways to cook them were welcome to commemorate this clever and versatile food. Look at what they invented here:  a bangers and mash sculpture competition!

I couldn't miss to join the party also with an italian dish and I made one of my favorite recipe for the cold season: pasta with mushroom, sausage and cream. I used some spaghetti, but this sauce has to be amazing also with some more consistent pasta like the Mafaldine.

Here the ingredient for 4 people:

- 150-200 gr organic pork sausages

- 350 gr of spaghetti Pastificio dei Campi

- 250 gr of mushrooms 170ml single cream

- 2-3 garlic cloves

- a bit of butter

- fresh parsley and some rosemary

- a glass of white wine
 

Cook some garlic cloves in some butter and when they get goldish, add the mushrooms in slices, the rosemary, same salt and pepper, and parsley. Let it cook and when dry add the white wine.

Open the sausages long the side and take off the skin. Divide them in little pieces and add them to the pan. Let it cook with some more salt and pepper.
In the meantime cook the pasta and when everything is almost ready, add the cream to the pan and let it get thick.
Drain the pasta, keep some water in a side just in case the sauce is too thick for the quantity of pasta and toss the spaghetti with the sauce in the pan.  
When ready serve with Parmesan or Pecorino cheese if you like and a bit of fresh parsley!

I have to admit the taste of the english organic bangers here in England it's really good, so let's enjoy them!

PS. But do you know why the sausages are called also bangers? Because during WWII the sausages contained a lot of water and would explode in the pan (as seen here).

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Respecting the brand philosophy in the packaging design

Posting some amazing pictures from the Salone del Gusto event in Turin, I can’t help myself; I just have to show you the packaging and display set up at the event by Pastificio dei Campi.

When it comes to events it’s always important to show your products from their best angle. In the case of Pastificio dei Campi it’s also a good opportunity to show off the artistic work behind the packaging.

Once you have seen the beautiful and creative packaging idea behind it, it’s not that easy to forget about the brand and the amazingly good pasta.

Pastificio dei Campi has a very strong link between the pasta and the packaging, a design created with great attention. Behind the idea of the packaging a necessity to come up with something solidly built that at the same time would allow the perfect conservation of the pasta. At the same time a dream and an idea to tell the story about a 500 year old pasta tradition and the creation process and at the same time something that would give the purchaser an image and a face of the creators behind the pasta. This dream and idea was realized by the images and phrases written on the 6 faces of the cubes. 

Why the cube? For different reasons: first because in the transport they can be stuffed in a better way and it also makes the shipment safer and easier. It’s also makes the exposition in the shop nicer as it distinguish itself from other more traditional pasta packages. On top of all that the box packaging makes it easier to keep the pasta fresh after the opening.

What differentiates the boxes between is just the size; apart from that they are all designed in the same way. The only thing that personalizes them is the small ribbon with the name of the shape of pasta and the cooking time, the ribbon also works as a guaranty seal. This packaging is shock proof to keep the pasta protected at all times, but it also gives you the possibility to see the product when the box is closed.

The box is carried out in a thick paper material that allows the pasta to breath and to keep away condenses that could destroy the product and the packaging. Our pasta needs care and attention; this is one of the main reasons for why every box is made manually with precision. A final benefit of the box is that it’s to be reused as a container for other products.

Have you seen what a nice stand they created for this Salone del Gusto edition? And each cube and pack is so beautiful that it always tend to leave everyone impressed. You can’t imagine the compliments I receive every time I bring this pasta to my friends.

Here I leave you also a short video of the event to give you a real feel of the mood of the festival in Turin. I hope you will enjoy and that you will be able to participate next time.

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