Food tastings, storytelling and fun with your children

Chef Massimo Riccioli and Slow Food UK’s CEO Catherine Gazzoli are happy to invite you this saturday to a really innovative event: Massimo's Restaurant and Oyster bar will be open to let you play with food, to get to know better some ingredients and to show you how to prepare some of the chef's favourite dishes.

While you will be able  to interact with food and to watch demos carried out by the chef and his team,  Slow Food’s Taste Adventure will take children on an exciting journey through the five senses and the role that they play in our enjoyment of food. The focus will be on key ingredients such as freshly baked bread, extra virgin olive oil,vegetables and...  pasta of course! Pastificio dei Campi will be there to give all his support speaking about good and healthy food.

Drawing and story telling activities will also run throughout the event and food and drink will be served.

Massimo has always worked with Slow Food even in the past , in Rome. Now he is really happy to be able to collaborate with them again, especially for an event like this one, that will raise money for Slow Food UK to educate and raise awareness about sustainability and social justice issues surrounding the food we eat.

I really hope to see you there, to enjoy some good food, have fun and even to donate something to a good cause.

The family fundraiser will take place at Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar from midday until 3pm on Saturday 25^th February 2012; tickets will cost £20 for adults and £10 for children, with the under-5s going free.

For more information and to buy the ticket, please see the event webpage here: http://sfmassimofamilyfundraiser.eventbrite.com/

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Some artistic use of... Spaghetti!

Ready for the weekend? here some amazing pictures i found on Pinterest, my latest addiction!

I thought this was the best way to wish you a very nice, relaxing, creative, or greedy weekend!

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...and the most romantic  S. Valentine dinner!

I spent all the weekend thinking about the right recipe to cook for S. Valentine.

Last year, i wanted to go for some aphrodisiac ingredients and i gave you the recipe for some spicy seafood Paccheri, but this year I was a bit in trouble.

Then a friend of mine reminded me about one of the most romantic and cute cartoon from Disney and the recipe was just there for me to recreate that magical atmosphere: who can forgot the famous Spaghetti & Meatballs scene from Lady and the Tramp.

So here is a not so Italian recipe, revised in my way to wish you a very romantic or just greedy night!

For 2 people:

200 gr Spaghetti Pastificio dei Campi

Pork mince meat 50gr

Beef mince meat 50gr

Ham 25gr

Breadcrumbs 20gr

1 egg

Salt, pepper and nutmeg

2 spoons of chopped Parsley

Grated parmesan 30gr

A little onion

1 garlic clove

Tomato passata 400gr

Let’s start with the meatballs: place in a bowl the ground beef and the pork, the ham chopped in little pieces and mix with your hands. Then add the bread crumbs, the grated Parmesan, the chopped parsley, egg, salt, pepper and a bit of nutmeg.

Mix again the ingredients with your hands and then let the mixture stand for 10-15 minutes to cool. Mean while chop the onion and garlic and put them to brown slowly in oil. Add the passata and some salt and cook it slowly for sometimes.

Pass now to the creation of the meatballs (I have done them quite little, about 10 grams each). As soon as the tomato sauce boils, add the meatballs gently in it (I put all in a pan to don’t break them) and cook for at least 40 minutes over low heat until the sauce has thickened.
Put to boil a pot of salted water for the Spaghetti spaghetti and when they are al dente, drain and pour the sauce along with meatballs. Mix  everything together and serve them to your lucky guest.

Happy S.Valentine’s day to everyone... and tomorrow you will see the pictures of my dish :)

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"Pasta per Alieni" at Identita' Golose in Milan

Last weekend in Milan was really exciting and not only because was snowing like it didn't happen in years (that probably was more a problem than a bless) but because in Milan took place Identita' Golose, with a very special guest... a group of Aliens.

The Martians in fact were at Identita' Golose for the event Pasta for Aliens.

This is a  show to discover everything you ever wanted to know about PASTA.

The documentary tells the story of the travel of these aliens who, attracted by the "constellation of pasta"  meet 12 stars of the Sorrento Peninsula. These will reveal all the secrets to try the best pasta ever. In fact the protagonists chefs (Alfonso and Ernesto Iaccarino, Danilo di Vuolo, Mimmo de Simone, Peppe Aversa, Peppe Guide, Michael Deleo, Nino di Costanzo, Christoph Bob) interpret a typical recipe of Campania, spaghetti with tomato sauce, giving life to this unique spaghetti dish made by 12 stared chefs

And with the aliens there was also a big quantity of people, interested in discovering the secrets of the pasta into a 50-minute documentary film, from raw material selection to the secrets of its production, the techniques to cook pasta and enjoy it in the best way.

The idea was born from the desire to share the knowledge about a product that is as loved as "banal" and consumed without worry, a product that has ancient historical roots and an unbreakable bond with the territory.  

The documentary soon will be shown in episodes on www.pastaperalieni.it… so stay tuned if you want to have all your possible questions about pasta answered.

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Pastificio dei Campi for couples and singles

As any other year it’s almost Saint Valentine's Day and everywhere is an explosion of heart, adverts with chocolate boxes, flowers, champaign bottles etc.

It’s true that lots of people don’t really care about this day anymore, but finally it’s an excuse as another to spend some quality time with their other half. But what if you are alone…

In Italy we solved the problem proclaiming the 15th of February the "Singles' day" and Saint Faustino, the saint of the day, is now also the saint of all the singles: big parties are organized in clubs and between friends and finally everyone has is own day of fun.

At Pastificio dei Campi we think we are in charge to make everyone always happy especially if in love with the good food. So we made specific packaging for couple but also for singles who want always change shape of pasta and enjoying it alone!

Here I present you... Duetto (250 gr) and Egoista (125 gr) from Pastificio dei Campi.

Choose the shape you like the most and dedicate the dinner to your other half … or just to you! Look for them at Foodinthecity or at Melograno Deli.

So, are you going to have a romantic dinner or just a … “selfish” one?

Anyway, we hope you will enjoy it!

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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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The International Chef Congress  in Milan

We are in February and this means that one of our favourite food appointments of the year is starting again! Next weekend from the 5th to the 7th of February,  Pastificio dei Campi will be in Milan for Identita' Golose 2012,  an event all dedicated to the most famous chefs and their creations.

We couldn't miss this gourmet appointment, especially considering the theme of this year: "Oltre il mercato' 'Over the market', to underline the importance of the raw materials, of the content and of the simply, natural and high quality products.
To embrace the event in the best way, we will host  in our stand  everyday some great italian chef, who will cook our pasta following the great Neapolitan recipes... but it's not all.

We are also putting together the past and the future with a funny surprise that will have place on Monday in the "Sala gialla"...i can't wait for Mafaldina to tell me more :)

If you are passing by milan this weekend and especially if you are actually going to identitta' golose, don't miss our stand... The best from the italian cuisine all in one event!
And come to say hi!

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