Devotion on a Dish - Ristorante Lo Stuzzichino, Massa Lubrense (Na)

Pesce bandiera grattinata al forno  con provola affumicata.  
That's what  Mimmo De Gregorio told me as he set the plate in front of me and poured me another glass of wine. Silver scabbard fish  'au gratin' stuffed with smoked provola cheese.  This was surely going to be a treat, I thought.  It sure looked delicious.

From my table, I could hear the voices of the kitchen staff, including Mimmo's dad, Chef Paolo De Gregorio, and his wife Mamma Filomena.  Voices that reminded me of home.
As I took my first bite, I thought about what into creating this simple dish.
I thought about how much time and dedication it took to carefully clean the fish removing the large quantity of tiny bones.

Then stuffed with just the right amount cheese,

sprinkled with bread crumbs,

a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil  (Massa Lubrense  has some of the best I've tasted ).

This is what makes a simple dish so special.
Time, dedication...
and devotion