I've been working this over in my mind for days, and people could write chapters about Italian food. I mean, think, there are 20 regions in Italy, and each region has at least 1 specialty, most have far more than that. I was also trying to figure out how to word this without sounding like a jerk, and I think I have it. I won't criticize those that speak of authentic Italian food, in the US, because I'm certainly no expert. Cooking in Italy, just finishing culinary school, does not make one an expert by any means. I just have a small inside look at it. So, I will chat a bit about some of the great food I've made while cooking here in Orvieto.
We can start with Cinghiale or wild boar. Wild boar here, is like deer in the US. It's bountiful, although I'm not sure how because of the number of hunters and number of gunshots heard throughout the day. My only explanation is maybe they reproduce like bunnies during the off season.
There are multiple uses for boar, like almost any meat. Cure it, grind it, steaks, chops, roasts, you get it. One of the ways we use it at Ristorante Zeppelin is in a Cinghiale stew. It's a simple preparation, can't reveal the ingredients, but I can tell you that it uses great local olive oil, juniper berries, and chef's Matile Merlot. It's thick and hearty, and perfect for the weather that I hear the Midwest is experiencing right now.
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| Cinghiale stew with sauteed red bell peppers and salata mixta. |
You also have Umbrichelli with cinghiale ragout. Umbrichelli is native to the region of Umbria, and it's a pasta made with no egg. It is thicker than spaghetti and has chew. It pairs perfectly with a ragout made with wild boar. The umbrichelli hugs the thick, warm ragout tight, so with every bite, you experience the full flavor and labor of everything that was put into this recipe.
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| This was one of our staff meals. This is the Umbrichelli served simply with olive oil, black truffles, and parmigiana reggiano. |
One of chef's favorite things to make, which he does with vigor and confidence is his tagliatelle. Pairing that with a guanciale carbonara finishes this dish. Guanciale is cured pork cheek, rubbed with salt, pepper, sugar, and other curing spices. It's delicate, however it has a more aggressive flavor, than say your typical bacon. But in a carbonara, the flavors just marry together. For those that do not know, carbonara is a creamy, cheesy, eggy, porky sauce that, for me is like a bowl of your Mothers chicken noodle soup. It's been a life changing dish, and something I will never look at the same again. And the tagliatelle, which is native to Emilia Romagna or Marche, is an egg pasta, similar to fettuccine. The difference comes in the width. Although it may seem minor, even the slightest difference in width makes a difference. Chef Lorenzo Polegri, is accurate, but not overly accurate(wouldn't want it to look like factory made pasta), and quick with his hand cut pasta. His passion shows in the flavor or this dish.
You must be thinking, it's all pasta, pasta, pasta. Most of the time, yes, it's pasta, pasta, pasta. In the home, it's simple, quick, and filling. But the restaurant offers a second and one of the most requested is the Maiale(pork chop) al vino rosso e saltati radicchio. The pork chop with red wine and sautéed raddichio. In the below photo it is plated with a savory chick pea flan.
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| Maiale al vino rosso e saltati radicchio(Pork Chop with red wine and sautéed radicchio and chick pea flan) |
Red wine and pork? Yes, because it works. Most food served at the restaurant is typical of Orvieto/Umbria/Etruscan cuisine, but sometimes you have to think beyond. I mean, who makes the rules? If you are a sommelier, you may question the above dish because white meat(Chicken, Pork, Fish)=white wine. Because white wine is delicate and can cleanse your mouth of the fat, etc. But here, Chef's Matile Merlot is used to essentially do a quick braise like method, after the chop is pan fried. It penetrates the fibers of the chop, giving flavor from the center to the exterior. Then as the merlot cooks away holding the chop, it begins to reduce. When you add just a touch of balsamic reduction, the richness of the reduced merlot triples, lending a tender, rich, unbelievably flavored chop. Finish this and you just want to sleep. But, you can't because you can not leave with out dessert, those are the rules.
Desserts here, are constantly changing. Sometimes traditional, more often than not, something off the cuff. But even the off the cuff desserts begin with a traditional base, but then complimented with whatever sauce the chef decides, sometimes he gives us a bit of a license to be creative. Below are examples.
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| Zuppe Inglese with a myriad of sauces. |
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| Another version of zuppe inglese with chocolate/espresso sauce and a biscotti. |
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| Ricotta/Alkermes pie. |
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| Ricotta mousse, topped with shaved chocolate. On the side candied almonds and biscotti. Around the plate, various sweet sauces. |
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| Chocolate mousse, topped with a sweetened ricotta, alkermes sauce, and biscotti. |
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| Unconventional biscotti. |
And let's not forget about bread. Bread come with every meal, but don't be caught eating bread with your pasta. Bread comes before the meal, traditionally with the antipasti, but if you order pasta, you use the bread to clean your plate. That is also a compliment to the chef to show that you enjoyed the sauce so much, that you don't want a drop to go to waste. So, to clarify, eat your bread with your antipasti and soup. Then eat it again after you finish your pasta, to clean your plate, Scarpini(little shoes).
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| Various breads and focaccia dough. |
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| Simple rosemary focaccia. |
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| Lumachelle(Snail bread-no, no snails in the bread). |
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| Focaccia with zucchini, pecorino, and pachino tomato. |
We had many large groups that passed through the restaurant. This is one of the things that Chef offers to the public. He will demo making tagliatelle and then serve a multi course meal to the group. He also offers small cooking classes to people passing through Orvieto and have heard of him, Ristorante Zeppelin, and his reputation. Sometimes it was one on one, sometimes two, three, or four people. These are the times we do things off the menu.
There is so much more I could write about, so many more photos I could share, but most of you reading this are my Facebook friends, and can refer back to my page to check the photos out. If you are not a Facebook friend or following my Facebook group-FORK OFF https://www.facebook.com/groups/409586672531205/?fref=ts, then please feel free to send me a request.
Remember, you can have these experiences, the choice is yours to make. And I will write more on the experience, Chef Lorenzo and Kim, Chef Carlo Alessandro, Casa Segreta, and about a few of the people I've met while here.
And if you can't swing a trip to Orvieto, there are always cookbooks, which Chef happens to have, which also has stories, recipes, and anecdotes. If you catch me before Jan. 25, let me know and I can grab copies. Thanks to my friends I already have 6 copies coming back with me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading, following, and offering words of encouragement. More writings to come!
I leave you with one of my favorite and true to life scenes from the movie-The Big Night.
