Saturday Night - 'A Pasta in Piazza

Summer = Saturday night in piazza.  And throughout the season, after a day at the beach, the piazzas come alive with music, good food and good wine.  Last Saturday night was no exception.  The sun went down in Gragnano (Na) and said goodnight to 'A Pasta's  day 1 of celebrating this wonder made from wheat. Gragnano pasta.    And to participate in the celebration, all you needed was a round yellow ticket or two...or seven. Seven top chefs set up stands in a circle around the fountain in the middle of Piazza San Leone.

Events like this are always interesting because it gives you a chance to watch the chefs in action, exchange a few words, and try their dishes in a casual, laid back environment.  At the end of the evening such as this, I'm always asked "Which dish did you like the best?"  Well for me, that question doesn't really have an answer. I don't like to judge, per se, but I did have my favorites.

My Favorite Wow What a Refreshing Surprise! Dish goes to Antonio Pisaniello with his three colors for Gragnano..pasta with .tomatoes, ricotta, and mint.

Antonio Pisaniello

Antonio was the first chef ready to serve. The mint gave the sauce a refreshing flavor as cool as the Gragnano breeze.  Buono, Tonino.


My Favorite You Can't Judge a Book by it's Cover Dish goes to ... Agostino Jacobucci and his fried candele pasta stuffed with ricotta from fuscella on a bed of creamed zucchini and zucchina scapece.

Each bite a surprise, with a variety of textures and flavors.

My Favorite I'd Love to Try This in a Restaurant Dish goes to Michele  De Leo with his pasta with sea urchins, buffalo ricotta, rucola pesto and confit tomatoes.

I enjoyed watching De Leo and his team at work. From tossing the pasta with the pasta sauce, to plate presentation.  All that was missing was a  table with a white linen tablecloth and porcelin plates and silverware with a view of the sea.

My Favorite Just Like my Mother - In- Law  Makes Dish goes to Angelina Ceriello and her pasta 'lardiata' with piennolo tomatoes from Vesuvius.

Past cooked al dente, al dente.  Fresh tomato sauce.  A sprig of basil, a grating of cheese.   We all need an in-law like Signorina Angelina.

My Favorite All the Comforts of Home Dish goes to Giuseppe Iannotti and his  pasta with potatoes.

The perfect comfort foods, potatoes, cooked in a vegetable broth, cuddling up with the pasta.

My Favorite Fun and Flavorful Dish goes to Raffaele Vitale's Cotrone bean soup with mixed pasta, tossed with anchovies and aromatic herbs.

Each bite was full of fun, flavor, and fagioli.


Last but not least...My Man I Missed This One ! Dish goes to Giulio Coppola and his candele pasta with a genovese sauce and ricotta.

I heard it was good, and when I went to try, he was momentarily out.  No problem.  I have another reason to go back to Gragnano.  To visit the chef in his restaurant.

Ci vediamo