Giorgio, his great menu and ... our pasta!

Last Tuesday was one of these day when nothing goes according to plan… but sometimes this also means that an unexpected phone call can change your night… and just in a better way.

This call in fact brought me to Locanda Locatelli, for me THE Italian restaurant in London and the one that I have never been to yet. The day was finally saved thank to Giorgio and my brilliant host!

The place is simple but elegant, the light is soft and relaxing and I felt really spoiled by the service and of course by the nice meal.

Homemade Parmesan breadstick and bread are brought to your table just to intrigue you.

I had Pan fried scallops, celeriac purée and saffron vinaigrette as a starter, a Locatelli special invention absolutely stunning for the combination of taste and texture.

The main needed to be Linguine with lobster, tomato, garlic and chilli. This Linguine ( like the Orecchiette) in fact are Pastificio dei Campi Linguine and they were just top in my opinion. I tried also the Cod parcels with chickpea purée and rosemary oil but there I understood I’m not a big fan of the fresh pasta filled with fish.

Then we ordered more fish and also if the Char grilled mackerel in herb crust it was good The Pan fried fillet of plaice in basil crust, potato, olives and tomato sauce was much more tasty and smooth and ... there was a perfect balance and combination of ingredients.

To close this amazing dinner we ordered some sorbets, and a Chocolate and pistachio fondant, with milk ice cream and toffee sauce, but they also gently brought a plate full of sweets from trulles to amaretti and mashmellow.

This was my PARADISE and in a day like hell, a dinner like this one can really save your soul. 

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More than 6 dishes made with Pastificio dei Campi pasta.

As you probably know if you read this blog, on the 24^th of January a special event took place in Massimo Restaurant and Oyster bar , in the stunning Corinthia Hotel: a pasta night to die for! 

Massimo Riccioli decided to hold a night just dedicated to this  versatile and simple ingredient and he used of course  our Pastificio dei Campi Pasta from Food in the city, to realize 6 great recipes.

It was a real tour from the easiest Italian pasta dishes to the most elaborated ones, until the last minute sweet creation: Trofie with Mascarpone , ricotta, lemon zest, some orange juice and  a sprinkle of chocolate in powder.

But do you want to know what was served before? Have a look at these pictures (you will find all of them on my Facebook profile):

Calle dei campi with Extra virgin Olive Oil and Parmesan : the simplicity made dream!

Spaghetti with two tomatoes sauce: reach and tasty as only the fresh tomato and a good quality of pasta can do.

Gnocchi sardi with spring onions, prawns, colatura di alici  (anchovy droplets) and bread crumbs…: stunning!

Kingdom of the two Sicilies: Linguine with fish ragu, aubergines and salted ricotta!

And from a roman chef I could not ask more than an original Amatriciana with Mezzi Paccheri (pecorino cheese, chilli, pork cheeks and tomatoes)

And the best element that bring life to all this dishes and to the night, what Massimo’s passion in cooking and make everyone part of his secrets and experience…

Are you sorry you couldn’t make it? Don’t worries there will be soon another event!

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An exclusive event with the Chef & Pastificio dei Campi

I have a great news for all of you today: I’m proud to announce a very special evening taking place on the 23^rd of Januray at Massimo, the London’s new speciality fish restaurant and oyster bar.

Italian chef Massimo Riccioli, of the celebrated La Rosetta in Rome, will help you to forget the winter blue with a night dedicated to Pastificio dei Campi.

 "Join Massimo and Niccolo Bittante of Food in the City on Monday 24th January at 7.30pm (£25 pp) for an exclusive evening and see the chef create his famous signature dishes with pasta by Pastificio dei Campi (Gragnano, Naples). 

To book your place, call our reservations team on +44 (0) 207 998 0555 or email tables@massimo-restaurant.co.uk"

In love with this chef since I was in Rome, he recently opened his new restaurant in London between Trafalgar Square and Embankment, in the Corinthia Hotel and I can’t wait to comeback to say hello. The restaurant offers a great Mediterranean menu specializing in the highest quality seafood and he is the most adorable and nice person I ever met.

It will be a great night and I just tell you… don’t miss it.

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Lunch at Fornata and a quick stop in Melograno Deli

 
What does it means when daddy is at home? That excitement and positive vibe is in the air and everyone starts to organize lunches, dinners and coffees trying to meet him, while he is rushing and jumping from a place to another. You need to be quick if you want to reach him.
 
So in all this messaging, texting, chatting, being careful about scheduling and flight-trains departures, I was lucky enough to meet him in Fornata where we enjoyed a quick but great lunch with Niccolo from Foodinthecity too!

A part from the classic and well known starters made of Arancini with meat ragu' and Mozzarella in carrozza (delicious), we had directly from the artistic inspiration of the chef Douglas Santi this great pasta mista dish with courgettes, endive, anchovies, a sprinkle of chili (soo tasty) all combined by just a bit of fresh ricotta! Gorgeous! Then we couldn't miss one of the signature dish of the place the FORNATA hamburger: a delicious hamburger in a focaccia. It has all the taste of my childhood bread, the rosetta, that my mum used to give me with the meat, when I wasn't happy about the meal.  

And finally, to complete the feast, we had a slice of tiramisu... And I repeat a slice! Go and try it... I won't tell you anything more but you then will understand what I'm speaking about.
 
I didn't even had the time to finish the dessert that he was already gone for a quick hello to Dino at Melograno! 

Anything else you want to do in the last five minutes before your flight?

Torna presto!

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A new place to try and buy Pastificio dei Campi

We are so excited about the opening of Fornata next week in Kingly Street, Soho. Created by the Chef Douglas Santi already proud owner of the plury-awarded Babbo on Mayfair, Fornata will be the new place open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, where to enjoy great Italian food and high quality products of our gastronomic tradition.

With an exposed kitchen where the oven, "forno" in Italian, will be the protagonist, the restaurant is divided in two floor: a ground floor where it will be recreated the atmosphere and the vibe of the classic Italian aperitif, while over ground it will be offered the most simple, honest and great Italian food.

It’s a long time since the last new opening of a restaurant, but this time it’s even more special because Pastificio dei Campi won’t be just used by the restaurant in their menu but it will be also sold there and in two new formats:  Egoista, the 125gr box and  Duetto, the 250gr.

Then freshly baked Italian breads and pastries served with authentic Italian coffee all the morning while the bar will be open until 1.00am for late night cocktails. I can’t wait to have my Negroni at the bar and try the chef Santi's cuisine, for a perfect Italian style night out.

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What is on a daily menu of a Michelin Stars chef

An interesting recipe book is coming out today: it's “Taste of Home: 200 quick and easy recipes” written by the chef Angela Hartnett.

A protégé of  Gordon Ramsay she has won few Michelin stars for London’s Murano restaurant.
 
Famous for her Italian and Mediterranean cuisine coming from her roots (Italian grandparents), in this book she share with us some of her simple and straightforward recipies from her everyday life and her childhood. 

Nothing too long, too complicate, fussy or too expensive but simple dishes cooked by someone that knows a lot about food.
 
So I was curious to see her way to cook pasta, which recipes she could have included, what shape of pasta she could have chosen and if she has combined the original recipes with some special ingredient or flavour.

Here I found this Spaghetti with mussels in tomato sauce...and you can feel the sun from the south of Italy. No bad eh?

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2kg mussels
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 thyme sprig
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• bunch of flatleaf parsley, stalks removed and leaves chopped
• 150ml white wine
• 350g dried spaghetti- Pastificio dei Campi to make the dish really south - Italian
• 250g basic tomato sauce for pasta
• pinch of dried chilli
• handful of chopped basil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Clean the mussels under cold running water, scrubbing the shells well and removing the hairy beards. Discard any mussels that are already open. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add the thyme and garlic and the stalks of the parsley. Add the mussels, then pour in the white wine. Cover the pan and cook until the mussels have opened. Discard any that don’t open. Remove the mussels from the pan and reserve the liquid. Take half the mussels out of their shells. bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and stir. Cook according to the packet instructions, until the pasta is al dente. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large pan, add the tomato sauce and dried chilli and warmthe sauce through. Check the seasoning. Drain the spaghetti and put it back in the pan. Toss with the tomato sauce, basil, chopped parsley leaves and shelled mussels. Add the remaining mussels in their shells on top and serve immediately.

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From the art of painting to the art of cooking

 
A friend of mine came in London last weekend and, with my big surprise, I discovered he is one of these people who don't want to try any new recipe or cuisine expect their usual one. So the choice was basically to go out and eat italian food or cook it by myself.

Luckily walking throw Covent Garden it appeared in front on me on Long Acre a new italian place: Machiavelli ! I couldn't believe my eyes: so nice, so new and so inviting. We had to try it... And you will do it too I think!

It opened just  one month ago and, as the name says, it's created by a family from Tuscany who has is own meat and coffee production in Italy! All the rest of the product are truly italian and purely good!
 
The  bread sticks, the ham and cold cuts in the big platter,  was a delicious starter, really fresh and tasty! They even have a good choice of wines too. Then we ordered gnocchetti  alla sorrentina (tomatoes and melted cheese), really gorgeous, and  a dish of some little pasta with grilled squid, olives and broad beans, I never tried before. The size of the pasta with the texture of the rest of the ingredients was awesome.

Finally the dessert: bites of ice cream in dark chocolate,  strawberry and almond crostata and why not try lime and mint semifreddo! Perfect to close the night!
 
The price was around 40 pounds each but I really think is worth for what we ate! I need absolutely to comeback  for a coffee...I'm too curious to taste it!

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