The secret of Italian cooking
I have been living in Umbria for about five years now, enjoying every day. I have discovered a few myths and theories debunked… Italian cooking? Every 30 km it changes. Every region has its specialities and particular methods. The one stand-out thing I have learnt, is however,
“ La rispetta della materia prima” the respect of the main ingredient.. Too often we try to over complicate recipes with fancy sauces and over spicing. True Italian cooking is fresh, simple and true to its roots.
Recently the Famous chef Carlo Cracco whispered into a masterchef contestant’s ear, that the secret of a good Amatriciana pasta sauce is… Garlic… well, the uproar was felt around the globe. The elders of the town of Amatricia, in Abruzzo were so outraged that the world famous Michelin star chef had to make a public apology. Such is the seriousness that true Italians observe when it comes to their traditional recipes.
Keep it simple, use top fresh ingredients, and leave a part of your heart in every dish.
• Sugo di Amatriciana : a basic tomato base pasta sauce, made of Pork cheeks, San Marzano tomatoes, dry white wine, chilli, black pepper, Grated Pecorino cheese and extra virgin Olive oil
FYI : Pork cheeks are prepared much like Pancetta , thus, those packs of smoked bacon cubes work fine ( dont tell the Amatricianese)
BRON – Chris van Rooyen
