Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i Gourmet Traveller

Welcome to our annual Italian issue. We’ve done something a little different this month and changed the format of the magazine to mirror the country that it’s dedicated to, dividing the issue into three distinct sections: north, south and central Italy. In each section we explore the food, wine and places that make the region special. Though in Italy you’re only ever really scratching the surface, aren’t you? Up north we’re drinking Amarone and nebbiolo, eating zuppa and risotto al Barbaresco, and hopping between mountain and lake in the picturesque surrounds of Lake Garda. Down south it’s all about Marsala from Sicily and the purple primitivo from Puglia, chicken with ’nduja, white chocolate and ricotta cannoli, and the hidden treasures that lie waiting for visitors to Naples and Matera. In…

GRILLED PRAWNS WITH CAPER LEAVES, Bells at Killcare Grill some nice big king prawns. Daub them with brown butter and a little lemon, scatter the plate with some herbs from the kitchen garden. Throw in some caper leaves for piquancy. And there you have it: winter at the beach on a plate. Bells at Killcare, 107 The Scenic Rd, Killcare Heights, NSW, (02) 4349 7000. DAVID MATTHEWS, SENIOR EDITOR SPAGHETTI, OMBRINA AND PESTO AL FINOCCHIETTO, Vinoir Natural vino aplenty. An address on the canal. Smiling service. All reasons I clocked plenty of flying-hours at this new-school Milanese wine bar. The dining is as rewarding as the wining, especially when lunch options include this splendid fennel and umbrine pasta. Vinoir, Ripa di Porta Ticinese, 93b, Milan, +39 02 3981 1202. MAX…

WHO Elena Swegen had been making cheese for more than a decade before she discovered her passion for buffalo mozzarella. “I spent two-and-a-half months visiting buffalo farmers across Europe,” she says. She ended up in Campania, where the tradition of buffalo breeding and mozzarella making is “old, rich and well-preserved”. There, Swegen ate mozzarella three times a day and met with local breeders who really knew their curds – their families had been making mozzarella for four centuries. Swegen moved to Bungwahl in northern New South Wales and started Burraduc Farm, where she produces fresh buffalo mozzarella and ricotta daily. HOW The milking and mozzarella production is completed under the same roof, on the same day. “In Italy, they say good mozzarella is so fresh you can feel the buffalo’s…

Strega is the Italian word for “witch”, so it’s no surprise that the liqueur has an unusual backstory. The digestivo hails from Benevento, in Italy’s south, and legend has it that a witch (there’s one on the elaborate label) offered the recipe of 70-odd herbs and spices to the merchant Giuseppe Alberti as a reward for coming to her rescue. His family began bottling the yellow elixir in 1860, and it became popular for its mint-driven, fennel-laced sweetness. Its herbal flavour profile is what appeals to Ryan Gavin, national bar manager for Rockpool Dining Group. At Rosetta, his team has made it the star of Witch Direction Should We Take. “It’s a herbaceous style of a gin sour,” says Gavin, “with plenty of citrus and a rosemary garnish to tie…

Nobody’s been clamouring for a broccolini-based spin on the Caesar salad. Tuck into John Paul Twomey’s rejig of the classic though and you’ll wonder why not. Warm broccolini at the base, diced, fried smoked pork belly, aïoli heftily flavoured with Grana Padano, chopped hard-boiled egg and a generous shower of black pepper over the top. It looks great, tastes better and will have you signing on for a return visit before the plate is scraped clean. Welcome to the Carlton Wine Room rebooted. Twomey is a third of a new CWR team that’s like a hospitality version of fantasy football. He was Andrew McConnell’s right-hand man for years and is joined here by Andrew Joy, another McConnell alumnus who won the GT Maître d’ of the Year gong when he…

Veal cotoletta with cabbage, mint, apple and dill  SERVES 4 Veal cutlets really are special. Italian butchers will prepare them so they’re quite thin. Alternatively, ask for flattened-out veal slices from the leg. 40 gm fine fresh breadcrumbs 40 gm panko crumbs 25 gm (⅓ cup) finely grated parmesan 10 sage leaves, coarsely chopped 4 veal cutlets (200gm each) Plain flour, for dusting 1-2 eggs, beaten 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil 30 gm butter Lemon wedges, to serve CABBAGE & MINT SALAD ½ small Savoy or white cabbage, thinly sliced on a mandolin or with a food processor 1 apple, thinly sliced on a mandolin 1 cup (loosely packed) mint, thinly shredded 2 tbsp finely chopped dill 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp sherry vinegar Squeeze of lemon, to…

Bagna càuda SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 10 MINS This classic dipping sauce is traditionally served in a terracotta pot over a candle flame, but it also works at room temperature. Pour in a little milk to add creaminess, or for a modern twist, follow the lead of chef and writer David Tanis by adding a dollop of crème fraîche. As for things to dip, go for whatever suits the season – we’ve chosen roasted winter vegetables and bitter leaves. 125 ml (½ cup) mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil 125 gm butter, coarsely chopped, at room temperature 12 high-quality anchovy fillets 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped Raw and cooked vegetables for dipping, such as roasted Jerusalem artichoke, cauliflower and beetroot, and radicchio leaves Crusty bread (optional), to…

It’s not technically lasagne. That would be the traditional dish of Emilia-Romagna, whereas vincisgrassi comes from Le Marche, the region just east of Umbria along the Adriatic. But just as everyone has their favourite lasagne recipe, there are just as many variations on vincisgrassi, too (although, tomatoes are usually left out). The typical Marchigiano version is made with wild mushrooms, prosciutto or lardo, and chicken innards: le rigaglie del pollo. The savoury meat filling is assembled with alternating layers of besciamella and sheets of fresh pasta, before it’s covered with parmesan and knobs of butter, then baked. As to the beginnings of vincisgrassi, the common tale is that it was first created by adding extra ingredients to a Bolognese to impress an Austrian general called Windisch-Graetz. But we’re more behind…

Broccolo romanesco is from the same family as cauliflower and broccoli but it has a more delicate flavour and bright green florets that are tightly packed in conical clusters. It hails from Lazio, where it’s still widely grown, and is harvested from autumn until early spring. Romanesco is often made into a pasta sauce with pancetta, or eaten as a side dish. In its native region, a traditional soup combines the florets with broken spaghetti and skate. Whatever the preparation, be wary of overcooking it; romanesco’s alluring shape is best retained by keeping it al dente. In Italy, romanesco is handled a little differently to many other brassicas (which often get the twice-cooked treatment). In Pellegrino Artusi’s 1891 Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, for example,…

It’s morning coffee time in the terraced gardens of Rome’s Hotel de Russie and Fulvio Pierangelini looks every bit the sixty-something rock star in shades and black Issey Miyake jacket. “Now you are in Rome, you are in paradise,” my host smiles, gesturing at the oasis around us. He sips espresso and tells me the jacket, which he bought on sale, has been incredibly useful for a globetrotting chef. Whenever he finds something in his mouth that he doesn’t care to eat, he pretends to cough, palms the offending morsel and drops it into a pocket. In Western Australia a few years ago at the Margaret River Gourmet Escape Pierangelini found himself with a mouthful of kangaroo. He didn’t like it – “it’s like a big mouse!” – so he…

Getting there The nearest international airports to the key towns on the Piero della Francesca trail are Florence, Rimini and Perugia. The painter’s hometown, Sansepolcro, is about 90 minutes’ drive from Florence and Rimini, and an hour from Perugia. The main stops on the trail – Sansepolcro, Perugia, Urbino, Arezzo and Monterchi – are all within a radius of about an hour’s drive, and the landscapes and villages between are among Italy’s most beautiful. Della Francesca’s art Arezzo Saint Mary Magdalen, Arezzo Cathedral. Via Ricasoli The Legend of the True Cross, Basilica of San Francesco. Piazza S Francesco, pierodellafrancesca-ticketoffice.it Monterchi Madonna del Parto, Museo Civici Madonna del Parto. Via della Reglia, 1, madonnadelparto.it Perugia Polyptych of Perugia, Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria. Corso Pietro Vannucci, 19, gallerianazionaledellumbria.it Sansepolcro The Resurrection and Polyptych…

“It’s difficult to find peace in Naples. That said, there are a few oases of calm, like the Parco Virgiliano, with views that stretch across the Bay of Naples, the city and Mount Vesuvius on one side, and the Phlegraean Fields on the other. It’s breathtaking.” Valentina Solano is a Naples photographer known for documenting city life. Before becoming an artist, she trained as an architect, and this background translates into her work, which captures the impact Naples’ built environment has on its spirited denizens. THE LIFE AQUATIC “When I have guests visit me in Naples, I take them to the Parco Sommerso di Gaiola at the far western end of the Bay of Naples, just past Posillipo. The ‘sunken park’ is a protected marine area where you can go…

2016 Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo, Campania $45 Full-flavoured dry white with a deep mineral backbone: perfect for seafood pasta. Imported by arquilla-wine.com 2015 Girolamo Russo A Rina, Mount Etna $50 Great example of Etna red: fine red-fruit perfume, deeply earthy and savoury taste. Imported by enotecasydney.com.au 2012 Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria, Sicily $75 Extraordinary sweet, golden, luscious wine made from partially-dried moscato grapes. Imported by arquilla-wine.com…

Enoteca dai Tosi Spanning several subterranean levels, this bar (above) has interiors by a Belgian design firm and features green-glass lights that illuminate the cavernous spaces, including a former cistern. The list includes classic Italian cocktails and some 250 Italian wines. Via Bruno Buozzi, 12, enotecadaitosi.it Stano Near the edge of Sasso Barisano, where the old town meets the new, this family-run trattoria serves Matera’s traditional cucina povera, featuring humble ingredients such as legumes, dried peppers and durum-wheat pasta. A highlight is lamb stew with potatoes and wild herbs, cooked in a terracotta pot sealed with dough. Via Santa Cesarea, 67/69, stanoristorazione.it I Vizi degli Angeli The small but well-chosen selection of natural flavours at this artisanal gelato shop ranges from classics such as hazelnut and pistachio to unique blends…

I ’ve been returning to Naples, city of my birth, for more than 40 years, drawn irresistibly by the same mix of life-affirming chaos and beauty that has bewitched travellers, artists and writers for millennia. Yet for decades, sharing plans to visit Naples would elicit warnings about pickpockets and violent street crime or an assumption that the city was merely a stopover on the way to Amalfi, Capri or Pompeii. That still happens, but there’s also a growing awareness of Naples’ revival. Frustrated by the glacial response of sclerotic state authorities, an entrepreneurial generation of artists, architects, writers, chefs and environmentalists are finding original ways to open doors to their city. Architect Roberto Fedele, director of the Ezio De Felice Cultural Foundation, has been instrumental in opening the Baroque theatre…

Helen Anderson, travel editor; Lewis and Harris, Scotland Harris Tweed redefines the overused word “artisanal”: a world-class cloth dyed, spun and handwoven in homes on the spectacularly beautiful island of Lewis and Harris. @handersonglobal Pat Nourse, managing editor; Shanghai Martinis atop The Peace Hotel after a GT x APT tour that roamed from Beijing to Hubei, up the Yangzi to Chongqing, on to Xi’an and finally Shanghai. @patnourse Sarah Oakes, editor; South Yarra A trip to Melbourne that included checking out luxurious new boutique hotel United Places: thoughtfully designed rooms with Scott Pickett’s excellent restaurant Matilda conveniently located on the ground level. @sarahaliceoakes…

For Paola Bacchia, the Adriatic Coast is more than a simple entry in an atlas. It’s the groves of ancient olive trees on the Salento peninsula, the spindly wooden fishing machines along the shoreline between Ortona and Vasto, and the horses on the coast of the Gargano taught to trample on sun-hardened broad beans to release their edible seeds. The author’s love of the region was inspired by her father, Nello. “He grew up on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, on the Istrian peninsula, which was part of Italy at the time,” says Bacchia. “It is the sound of my father’s words and the taste of my mother’s cooking that drove me to write Adriatico.” As Bacchia researched dishes from the northern part of the Adriatic, she realised they…

Hotel Caesar Augustus, Anacapri Perched on Mount Solaro, the highest point on the isle of Capri, this elegant, family-run hotel has spectacular views of the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Many of the hotel’s 55 rooms and suites face this vista; all are furnished with antiques and heirlooms. The unpretentious little town of Anacapri is a 15-minute walk, or take a taxi to the island’s more glamorous hotspot of Capri. Guests can pick their own produce from the hotel’s garden for hearty dishes in the restaurant or at four chef’s tables. travel-associates.com.au Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento Guests arriving by sea at the Marina Piccola will ascend the Sorrentine cliff face in a glass-walled lift to one of Italy’s finest hotels, an essential stop on the Grand Tour…

Italians are famously protective of their food culture. Note the outrage when Nigella Lawson added cream to her carbonara or when Milan-based chef Carlo Cracco dared to make a healthy Margherita pizza. (He was also criticised by Amatrice locals when he added garlic to Amatriciana.) This national commitment to culinary integrity is captured vividly by Italians Mad At Food, a Twitter account (@italiancomments) run by Zach Champion, a Michigan musician. He started the project when he noticed the outrage provoked when food websites posted not-so-traditional versions of pizza and pasta on Facebook. In 2016, he began screen-grabbing and reposting commenters’ reactions – and while recently the level of intensity seems to have “tragically” dropped a little, Champion still has plenty of fuel in the tank. “I still have, I think,…

WALTZING MATILDA Scott Pickett’s daughter is the namesake of his new restaurant, Matilda (above), a moodily lit wood- and coal-fired grill designed by Projects of Imagination. Under a scalloped ochre ceiling, Pickett keeps the flavours of his well-sourced produce (Lakes Entrance octopus, Macedon Ranges duck) and an Aussie accent (kangaroo tartare, tiger flathead) front and centre with char and smoke kept to a well-balanced supporting role. 159 Domain Rd, South Yarra, (03) 9089 6668 TASTE OF ITALY Riccardo Momesso (Sarti, Valentino) puts a modern Italian spin on breakfast and lunch at café Ferrovia in Pascoe Vale. Eggs Benedict get a makeover with pancetta, Napoli sauce and salted ricotta, while Calabrian poached eggs come with ’nduja and cannellini beans. At lunchtimes, and on Friday and Saturday nights for dinner, there’s gnocchi…

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR ROSETTA, SYDNEY, NSW New Restaurant of the Year? Isn’t this just a carbon copy of a fancy trattoria Neil Perry opened in Melbourne in 2012? Not by a long shot. There are similarities of course – the broad, pan-regional sweep of the menu, the reassuring heft of the prices, the white-jacket service. But between the glamour of the room and the gutsy finesse head chef Richard Purdue and his team bring to the menu, is it just possible that this is the rare sequel that surpasses the quality of the original? In short: The Godfather: Part II of the restaurant world. LAURA, MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VIC The serious ambition and coin thrown at the restaurant and sculpture park at Pt Leo Estate have not rattled chef…

“For a day trip out of town, I like Isola Comacina on Lake Como for the eye candy. It’s got dreamy landscapes, ancient architecture and cobblestone streets.” Uberta Zambeletti is an interior designer, fashion consultant, stylist and founder of Wait and See, a quirky concept store located inside a former 18th-century convent in Milan. Zambeletti stocks a wildly colourful collection of clothes and accessories by local and international designers, and also offers a good strong espresso. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH “I love roaming around in Milan. The flea market in Ripa di Porta Ticinese every Saturday is amazing. I also adore Milan’s outer boroughs, with their urban archaeology, graffiti and rather run-down restaurants and bars. I’m very into Bovisa, a neighbourhood north of the centre, where the Pirelli HangarBicocca [an exhibition space…

Please don’t throw away your balsamic vinegar. You should use it to finish your dinner, like a Medici. Dear Massimo, I have a bottle of beautiful, thick, aged balsamic vinegar that was given to me as a gift. The problem is, I don’t really know what to do with it. It’s too dense to dress a salad with, and too expensive to throw out, so it’s just sitting there gathering dust. What can I do? Please don’t throw away your balsamic vinegar. It never expires, and it’s a precious thing. Let’s say it’s a very high-quality balsamico that you’ve got. You don’t ever, ever have to cook with it. It has great balance and acidity; you should use it to finish your dinner, like a Medici. Don’t use a metal…

Mountain or lake? It’s a northern Italian dilemma. It’s also something of a personality marker. In Lombardy, Italy’s richest region, the weekend getaway is as often a casa di montagna as a casa al lago. So you’re either a skier or a swimmer, a high-pasture, wild-boar hunting, après-ski-in-furs type, or more of the lakeside passeggiata-and-aperitivo persuasion. About an hour’s drive east of Milan is Brescia, Lombardy’s second-largest city and a centre of industry and agriculture. Like his Milanese cousins, my Brescia-born husband, Giuliano, has seen his share of mountains and lakes. Between the craggy alpine peaks to the north and the hazy stretches of the fertile Po river valley to the south, the Lombards have spectacular lakes to play by. The big lakes include Maggiore and Lugano, Orta and Iseo,…

Take a 16th-century monastery. Add flowers, duck ragù and Gio Ponti chairs. The result is Six Project, a collaboration quite unlike anything else in Milan. “We’re luxury punk,” says Milanese entrepreneur and former music producer Mauro Orlandelli of his brainchild: a gallery, bistro and floral-design studio arranged around the courtyard of a restored monastery in the city’s hip Navigli district. There’s rock ’n’ roll pedigree at Sixième Bistro, which is co-owned by local musician Sergio Carnevale and Nic Cester, frontman of Australian rock band Jet, though the interiors are deliberately understated. “We wanted to create a traditional atmosphere because this city can go a bit over the top,” says Cester, who has lived in Milan and Como since leaving Melbourne in 2010. A handful of tables are set in the…

1 Prepare a batter with 70gm flour, 1 egg, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 60ml white wine, salt and pepper, mixing until just combined. Rest batter in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until needed. Cut 400gm (about half a head) of romanesco into bite-sized florets, no thicker than about 3cm. 2 Pour vegetable oil into a saucepan (enough so the florets can float in it), then place saucepan over medium heat and heat oil to 170ºC. 3 Dip florets in the cold batter, let excess batter run off, then fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp outside and al dente inside (2-2½ minutes). Drain on paper towels, season with salt and serve immediately.…

Getting there Airlines including Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Cathay Pacific and Singapore fly with one stop from select Australian cities to Rome. Eat and drink Da Claudio stall Campo de’ Fiori, in front of La Carbonara restaurant, +33 92 063 085 Meglio Fresco Via da Boccea 350, megliofresco.it Antico Forno Roscioli Via dei Chiavari 34, anticofornoroscioli.it Roscioli Caffè Pasticceria Piazza Benedetto Cairoli 16, rosciolicaffe.com Ristorante Salumeria Roscioli Via dei Giubbonari 21, salumeriaroscioli.com Il San Lorenzo Via dei Chiavari 4/5, ilsanlorenzo.it Emma Via Monte della Farina 28/29,emmapizzeria.com Pizzarium Via della Meloria 43, bonci.it Stay Hotel de Russie U2 are in residence when I arrive. I assume the barricaded crowds on Via del Babuino must be there for me (so I wave), but no – they’re waiting for Bono. Typical. Everyone who’s anyone…

Sarah Cicolini arrived in Rome a decade ago from Abruzzo, a mountainous region in central Italy known for its grazing sheep and rustic, rural cuisines. She had come to study medicine but was also a passionate cook, learning at her grandmother’s side as a child and working in hotels as a teenager. At first, she tried balancing restaurant shifts with her university coursework but soon realised her love of the kitchen was eclipsing her desire to be a doctor. “Neither doctors nor cooks can have second jobs,” says Cicolini. “Eventually, the time came for me to choose one and I have been working in restaurant kitchens ever since.” After working in bars, pizzerias and fine-dining kitchens in Rome, the 30-year-old chef is now running her own restaurant, Santo Palato, which…

“You’re as beautiful as a cassata,” goes the Sicilian saying. The ricotta-filled sponge cakes, elaborately covered in jewels of candied fruit and found all over Sicily, are certainly the pasticceria’s most flamboyant sweet. But it’s not all about looks. The cake can also be seen as a snapshot of thousands of years of Sicily’s history. From the sweetened-ricotta filling – sheep and goat’s milk ricotta was made by Greeks in Italy as early as 650 BC – to the marzipan, royal icing or fondant outer layer of the cake that can be attributed to the Arabs who invaded in the 9th century and planted sugarcane. The pan di Spagna or sponge, meanwhile, was likely brought to the island by the Spanish. A Sicilian proverb says, “sad is the one who…

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Chef Tim Siadatan worked with Jamie Oliver at Fifteen and Fergus Henderson at St John in London before opening his Italian-focused restaurant, Trullo, in London’s Highbury with business partner Jordan Frieda. Showcasing signature dishes from the restaurant, Trullo, the book, is a collection of Italian classics with a British sentiment to be shared with family and friends. Here, Calabria’s spicy salame, ’nduja, becomes a sauce for roast chicken in the best of ways. “Holy moly, this is finger-lickin’ good! Sometimes we make it for family meal – everyone goes bananas for it.” Roast chicken thighs and ’nduja with rosemary potatoes and anchovy mayonnaise SERVES 6-8 “This is finger-lickin’ good!” says Tim Siadatan. “Sometimes we make it for family meal – everyone goes bananas for it.” 2 tbsp ’nduja (see note)…

Toasted flour fig roulade with lemon mascarpone SERVES 8-10 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS COOLING, SETTING) “A chef from Puglia once told me how farmers from the area would burn the remaining grain and seed on the land after they’d finished with their crop – this helped fertilise the soil for the next crop,” says Jaclyn Koludrovic. “The peasants would glean the leftover grains and seeds from the field and use them in their bread and pasta-making, the result being beautiful smoky and nutty flavours. Toasting flour for a sponge cake likewise results in a lovely nutty and savoury flavour here. Fresh figs, lightly grilled, are lovely in season, too.” Start this recipe a day ahead to soak the figs. 80 gm plain flour, sifted…

Measures & equipment • All cup and spoon measures are level and based on Australian metric measures. • Eggs have an average weight of 59gm unless otherwise specified. • Fruit and vegetables are washed, peeled and medium-sized unless otherwise specified. • Oven temperatures are for conventional ovens and need to be adjusted for fan-forced ovens. • Pans are medium-sized and heavy-based; cake tins are stainless steel, unless otherwise specified. Cooking tips • When seasoning food, we use sea salt and freshly ground pepper. • To blanch an ingredient, cook it briefly in boiling water, then drain it. To refresh it, plunge it in plenty of iced water, then drain it. • We recommend using free-range eggs, chicken and pork. We use female pork for preference. • Makrut lime leaves are…

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Ben, does hospitality run in the family? My uncle had a restaurant up the road. Two of his sons are chefs, and it turns out I have a grandparent on each side who worked as chefs, in RSL clubs. Which ingredients are you currently excited about? Citrus fruit. Rangpur limes are tasty – they look like you’re going to bite into a mandarin, but then they taste like a lime. Do you have any kitchen disaster stories? One of the chefs didn’t cover his garums properly. You usually add salt after 24 hours and he forgot to, so this fish sauce ended up sitting in this room for 48 hours. Eventually the smell left that room and started disturbing guests. That was certainly frustrating. The room is still part of…

Bentley isn’t the one with the views. That’s Cirrus, the fish place. And it’s not the wild one. That’s the wine bar, Monopole. And it isn’t the one that’s all about vegetables. That’s Yellow. Bentley is the one that started it all. Word on the street is that Bentley has the hardest-working kitchen in town. If you’re an ambitious chef looking to test your mettle in Sydney, this place will take everything you can throw at it and more. Brent Savage has his people fermenting saltbush and pickling muntries to garnish slow-cooked beef tongue. They make curd from camel’s milk (yes, the milk of camels) to complement watermelon radish, and place tiny Mexican cucamelons on pistachio butter and linseed crackers for a bar snack. Figs on a plate it ain’t.…

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RICE While plenty of cooks argue arborio rice has the right consistency when cooked or toasted, Italian author and cooking teacher Marcella Hazan proposed carnaroli is best for a creamier result. Just don’t wash the rice. SAFFRON Brick-red threads of saffron are behind the yellow “gold” colour. The moment when the saffron is added, however, is open to interpretation. Elizabeth David in Italian Food, preferred to pound the saffron to a powder, steep it in a cup of hot broth for five minutes, then add it at the very end of cooking. Others add the saffron with the stock at the beginning. ACCOMPANIMENTS The rice is rich, so often it’s served as a standalone dish, but the classic accompaniment is osso buco, cooked “alla Milanese”. Traditionally, the cut is from…

1 FONTINA VALLE D’AOSTA DOP It’s no surprise that the only raw-milk cheese among these five, and the one aged the longest, also has the strongest flavour. Aged for six months, this semi-hard Fontina is firm, sticky and quite meaty. If you’re not up for fondue, melt it over baked Brussels sprouts with sage. Aosta Valley, $14 for 250gm. 2 STRACCO DI CAPRA The Italians aren’t huge on making goat’s milk cheeses – cow, buffalo and sheep are more common – but judging by this goat’s milk version of Taleggio, they should reevaluate that. Pale, fudgy and mildly floral, the challenge with this young cheese is to still have some left by the time you’ve turned on the heat. Lombardy, $17 for 250gm. 3 TALEGGIO DOP Sticky, smoky and yes,…

Getting there The town of Desenzano, a central launch pad for Lake Garda exploration on the southern shore, is on the train line between Milan and Venice. The lake towns of Salò, Gardone, Toscolano-Maderno and Gargnano are all within 90 minutes’ drive of the international airports at Verona and Bergamo, and about two hours’ drive from the airports at Venice and Milan. Stay Grand Hotel Fasano This classic 19th-century hotel has history and atmosphere in spades. Also in the grounds is the historic Villa Principe, a hunting lodge once used by the Austrian emperors. Corso Zanardelli, 190, Gardone Riviera, ghf.it B&B Villa Vittoria This boutique lakefront property has a pool and eight elegant guestrooms. Corso Zanardelli, 176, Gardone Riviera, bnbvv.it Villa Sostaga A few kilometres up the hill from Gargnano, this 19th-century…

“There’s no gallery in Rome quite like Galleria Lorcan O’Neill. The artwork he displays is, of course, exceptional, but I especially love how you enter through a courtyard with a fountain, turn the corner and the hidden gallery reveals itself.” Born and raised in Rome, Umberto Mantineo is an architect, designer and gallerist. He designs and produces limited-edition lamps, tables, sofas, chairs and ceramics. He displays his work alongside museum-worthy vintage pieces by such premier Italian designers as Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti in his studio in central Rome. BAR ITALIA “I work, eat and drink in the area around my studio, and my preferred place to unwind with friends is Il Goccetto, a well-loved wine bar that serves as sort of the living room for its corner of central…

NV Paltrinieri Radice Lambrusco di Sorbara, Emila-Romagna $28 Old-school Lambrusco: savoury, rustic, tangy, and a cloudy pale-pink colour. Imported by godotwines.com.au 2016 Damiano Ciolli Silene Cesanese, Lazio $36 Medium-bodied, undergrowthy, wild berry-flavoured red made from the cesanese grape. Imported by trembathandtaylor.com.au 2015 Poggerino Chianti Classico, Tuscany $40 Consistently brilliant, cherry-juicy Chianti from one of the best in the region. Imported by trembathandtaylor.com.au…

The sun is rising and the sky is pale blue, flecked with a few sparse clouds. The land is empty save for a hilltop village, a crenellated watchtower and a scattering of trees, some leafy, some bare – a reference to the advent of spring and to the renewal of mankind, embodied in the haloed figure of Christ in the foreground. He stares fixedly at us as he steps from a sarcophagus. His left foot is resting on the marble balustrade, and in his right hand he’s holding a Guelph banner, a red cross on a white background. A pink cloak is draped over his left shoulder and the right side of his torso is bare. The stigmata are visible on his ribcage, left hand and foot. Four Roman soldiers…

When the opportunity arose to open a venue in Perth, it didn’t take long to agree. I have loved travelling to Western Australia over the years, being lucky enough to travel for both business and pleasure. Both the produce and the people are amazing. I’m always blown away by Western Australian hospitality. We also fell in love with the building. It’s the old Hibernian Hall in Perth’s East End, and it has so much character. The design was intended to maintain as much of this character as possible, keeping the original structure intact and highlighting its history. We wanted to do something more specific than just Italian, and we felt the Roman concept worked well with the history of the building. We named it Garum after the Roman fish sauce,…

Take a crash course in the cheeses of Basilicata and neighbouring Puglia at La Bottega del Vicinato. Varieties include goat’s cheese aged in wild herbs and caciocavallo made from the milk of the local Podolico cattle (Mercato di Via Marconi, Box 28). SEE MUSMA The wide-ranging collection of the Museo della Scultura Contemporanea Matera (MUSMA) spans sculpture from the late 19th to early 21st centuries. It’s housed in Palazzo Pomarici in the Sassi, where its grand halls and courtyards, and even humble pantries are the backdrop to works by acclaimed artists including Carla Accardi, Maria Lai and Guido Strazza. Via San Giacomo, musma.it STAY Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita Located in Civita, the Sassi’s oldest district, this 18-room boutique hotel takes a minimalist approach to décor in refurbished centuries-old cave…

Sorbello pizza MAKES 4 // PREP TIME 45 MINS // COOK 40 MINS (PLUS PROVING) The Dolphin uses a wood-fired oven and a highly absorbent flour; we’ve adjusted the recipe for “00” flour and a domestic oven. Start a day ahead to prove the dough; at The Dolphin, they prove it for three days in the fridge to develop more flavour and strength. The Dolphin, 412 Crown St, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 9331 4800 40 gm (1/2 cup) finely grated parmesan 400 gm fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced 250 gm (1 punnet) heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved Handful of basil leaves, torn PIZZA DOUGH 600 gm (4 cups) “00” flour, plus extra for dusting 1/4 tsp fresh yeast or 1/8 tsp dried yeast 3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil…