Long or short, fresh or dried, pasta is the absolute protagonist of Made in Italy food in the world. Acclaimed by doctors and nutritionists who are supporters of the Mediterranean diet, pasta also develops a turnover on a global level which seems to increasingly reward the commitment of artisanal pasta makers. It is to them that "Pasta Excellence" pays homage to the event to be held in Rome on 3 and 4 October at the headquarters of the Coquis by Excellence Academy advanced training center in Via Flaminia, 575 with the participation of 30 famous chefs from the capital who will give life to cooking shows in the 3 classrooms and respectively dedicated to the "First courses of tradition", "Cinefood" and "Formati di pasta".
“We strongly wanted this event; says the creator Pietro Ciccotti - especially in view of the difficult historical moment we are going through caused by the pandemic.
We are convinced that Rome cannot miss an appointment dedicated to a food that is the basis of Italian gastronomic culture. The formula is the one that has characterized and rewarded us up to now: a business square for professionals in the sector open to the public, carefully selected exhibitors, a large representation of the best Italian chefs protagonists of cooking classes and cooking shows, and a round table who will discuss the issues of pasta for a comparison between experts”.
It is memories and memories that make pasta a special food, due to the fact that it has always been present in our lives, as some of the protagonists of Pasta Excellence 2020 testify.
“The party, the perfumes, the memories, the tablecloths spread, the territories, the farmers, the farmyard, the crop and the culture. For me, all of this is pasta” declares Mauro Secondi of Pastificio Secondi. “My mother lovingly told me that when I was in a wheelchair and they took me to the restaurant, on the way between the kitchen and dining room my father and the waiters fed me pasta prepared for customers and I was happy. The pasta represents the love of the people who were there with me” recalls Arcangelo Dandini of the Arcangelo restaurant. And again Davide Del Duca of Osteria Fernanda for whom "Pasta is a versatile food, especially dry pasta represents the Italian spirit for me and cannot be missing from the menu of a creative chef". “Pasta is in our DNA, and we also transmit this strong identification abroad. It was the smell of pasta prepared by my mother that led me to love this job” says Giuseppe Di Iorio of Aroma Restaurant, one Michelin star. Finally, the xenophile vision of chef Gigi Nastri: “For some time now I have often found myself in the United States, where pasta is the essence of Italianness. The problem is that there is still a very backward culture on this product and you often find recipes that don't exist here like chicken parmigiana. Pasta events are essential for making people understand the work behind it and for conveying the true meaning that this food has for us”.
Finally, the event will be enlivened by a series of talks held by journalists and sector experts on the topics: The pasta supply chain in the Rome and Lazio area; Future scenarios of Pasta; Fresh pasta; The value of craftsmanship. Cognitive path between raw materials, production techniques, training and information.
Some of the protagonists of Pasta Excellence: Giuseppe Di Iorio, Aroma Restaurant 1 Michelin Star; Pierluigi Gallo, Giulia Restaurant; Riccardo Zanni, Professor of Excellence Academy; Ettore Moliteo, Relais & Châteaux; Mauro Secondi, Secondi pasta factory; Luciano Monosilio, Luciano Italian Cuisine; Davide Del Duca, Osteria Fernanda; Marco Claroni, Osteria dell'Orologio; Federico Del Monte, Anchovy; Arcangelo Dandini, The Archangel; Paola Colucci, Pianostrada; Daniel Celso, Against Contemporary Bistrot; Dino De Bellis, Vyta Regional Enoteca of Lazio; Mirko Moglioni, Alfredo alla Scrofa; Thomas Moi, Moi, Nicholas Amici; Bunker Kitchen Club; Andrea Pasqualucci, Moma; Gianfranco Pecchioli, San Lorenzo pasta factory; Antonio Gentile, 47 boutique hotels; Diego Filipponi, Osteria dei Pazzi; Daniele Roppo, The Marquis; Daniele Creti, Qvinto; Claudio Favale, That's Amore Group; Valerio Mattaccini, Tree Folks; Luigi Nastri, Fundim Gjepali, Antico Arco; Gabriele Muro, Adelaide; Roberto Campitelli, Osteria Monteverde; Giuseppe Milana; Umami.
In particular, Pierluigi Gallo will inaugurate the kitchens of Pasta Excellence 2020 who, on Saturday 3 October at 12:00, will perform in a cooking class on the theme of "Traditional first courses". For the occasion, he will create a version of Spaghetti alla Nerano, a typical dish of the Sorrento peninsula revisited in a creative and surprising key.
“Pasta alla Nerano is a typical first course of the Neapolitan gastronomic tradition, tasty and tasty. For my cooking class I will offer the participants an easy and delicious version thanks to the addition of a fondue of provolone del Monaco and a cream of fried zucchini. A further boost to the dish will be given by cooking the pasta in a broth based on onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, fried courgettes and the preservation whey of fresh smoked mozzarella,” explains Gallo.
Giuseppe Di Iorio Michelin star chef
On the same day, at 12:30, for the "Cinefood" theme, the starred Giuseppe di Iorio will instead present a real comfort food, a dish made with simple ingredients that are a symbol of our peninsula: Spaghetti with tomato and basil.
“Spaghetti with tomato and basil is an institution of the Italian gastronomic tradition. – explains Di Iorio – The dish I will present will be as faithful as possible to the original recipe. I'm going to make a sauce of oven-baked cherry tomatoes to season the pasta, then creaming it with excellent seasoned ricotta”.
Andrea Pasqualucci Michelin Star Chef
At 18:30 it will be the turn of Andrea Pasqualucci who, again for "Cinefood", inspired by the film "7 kg in 7 days", in homage to the Roman gastronomic tradition, will revisit pasta all'Arrabbiata using strictly local ingredients, in the supply chain certain and controlled, always in compliance with that ethical choice which, for some time, has been the basis of its gastronomic proposal in the Moma kitchen.
“The leitmotif of my recipe will be the consistency. Everything will play on the fluidity of the ingredients, from the strictly smooth pasta (the Pennoni), to the sauce, cold marinated and with a strong taste of garlic and chilli pepper. It will be a very strong recipe, made even tastier by a sweet garlic extract, a parsley absolute to refresh the palate and an anchovy and black garlic sauce. Each flagpole will contain all the aromas of the Arrabbiata thanks to the gravy and sauces that will recall and enhance the basic ingredients of the recipe”.
Sunday 4 October, at 15:00, Daniele Roppo will present his Cacio e Pepe with the addition of a sprinkling of truffles for the theme "The First Courses of Tradition" while for "Pasta Formats", at 15:00, Antonio Gentile will liven up the Aula Gusto with two recipes: Fusillone with smoked aubergine, red prawn, marjoram and orange and Spaghettone with peppered mussels and mushrooms.
Antonio Dear chef
“For this first edition of Pasta Excellence – says Daniele Roppo – I will propose a cacio e pepe with truffles, a traditional dish that can be easily replicated in the 40 minutes available for the cooking class. It will be a recipe made in the traditional way, but with cold-worked pasta like we do in the restaurant and with the addition of a sprinkling of Lady Truffle truffle.”.
“I chose to propose impepata di cozze because it is one of my favorite dishes. At Pasta Excellence I will present it in a revisited version with a spaghetti creamed in a cream of peppered mussels and lemon, garnished with a mushroom carpaccio. A different touch but which gives the dish a nice push. Also very interesting are the Fusilloni creamed in a red prawn bisque and served on a smoked aubergine cream. It is a complete dish, with sweet, sour and smoky notes, which I have kept on the menu for a long time and which I am very fond of”.
Hours: Saturday 3 October from 12.00 to 19.30 (last admission), Sunday 4 October from 12.00 to 18.30 (last admission). Entry only by reservation Mail. info@excellencemagazine.it
