andiamotrips - campania, italy with karen phillips

I didn't know what to expect that afternoon at lunch as I sat down at the table.  Actually, that's not really true.  I did.  I knew that I by placing my appetite in the hands of Chef Lino Scarallo- and that's not a bad place to be.  Here's a look at the primi piatti portion of his Lino, fai tu tasting menu - Palazzo Petrucci, Naples. First up, Cannelloni bean soup. Yes, a summer bean soup served with caromate prawns, pork snout, and lime. Then, A creamy creamy zucchini risotto, a melt in your mouth scampi, and crispy, crunchy pork toppings. And them- One of my favorite pasta formats - spaghettone! Served with octopus and fresh spicy chili peppers. Fantastic!

There are times when I look at a menu and have a hot desire to try something new...but then there are  times when I open a menu hoping to find the chef's classic .  One of his signature dishes. T hat's exactly what happened during a recent visit to Jose' Restaurant in Torre del Greco.  There, in the kitc hen of this spanking new restaurant I found an old friend- Chef Domenico Iavarone - and his classic  Linguine con scuncilli alla puttanesca ...Linguine pasta, sea snail and a puttanesca sauce. I had the opportunity to be in the kitchen as Iavarone began the final countdo wn to plating up a plate for me... Chef Domenico Iavarone A first course perfect for this hot summer... why? I asked... Fresco perché il gazpacho e' freddo e c'e' questo contrasto che a me piace... I t's fresh because the gazpacho is cold and I like this contrast, he answered. He added this plate to his family 2 years ago and treats it as a bel...

On that particular sunny Saturday afternoon, hordes of tourists headed for the beach, their boats, and the beautiful grottoes of that magnificent vacation island - Capri. I, instead, headed for the cable car to take me to the piazzetta, up the stairs to the right, and down a cool little alley to the Michelin starred Ristorante Mamma' . There Chef Salvatore La Ragione prepared these three appetizers paired with a glass of white wine and a spectacular view. First: Red mullet... a green pepper pesto... and marinated sliced onions. Next: Cuttlefish tagliatelle... fresh cool garden greens... and a beet and sesame seed oil mayonnaise. Then: Roasted octopus... broccoli, zucchini... and Jerusalem artichokes. Amazing!

In Campania, marvelous fresh buffalo milk mozzarella cheese is available daily.  It's eaten  alone,   maybe with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, sometimes  with fresh tomatoes, or on a pizza. Mozzarella di bufala cheese - A Campania classic and an idea that sparked a fire in the mind of Salvatore Maresca  when deciding to open up a restaurant that focused on something new.. .the new black, so to speak. Salvatore Maresca Muu Muuzzarella was born!  And there I sat, four years and three locations  ( plus a temporary restaurant in Sardinia) later. I decided to visit their location which boasts a view of Napoli's seaside... Muu Muuzzarella Seaside on Mergellina's boardwalk. Maresca and company have a philosophy.  Campania's gold incorporated  in various parts of a full menu.  Like the quick lunch I enjoyed that hot Thursday afternoon.  Take a look. Boccocini di mozzarella, mela e pesto   - bite size ...

Lunchtime, chef's table, Dani' Maison , Ischia.  A table in the kitchen  so close to Chef Nino Di Costanzo ' s pass, that if I desired,  I could actually reach out and touch the tiny herb garden that sits on the opposite side of his mini white wall. I sat on my side of the wall at a tiny marble table looking over the menu.  Di Costanzo quietly watched and patiently waited for me to decide.  The decision was easy - Up to you, Chef! That was all the chef needed for him to burst into action.  A serious series of dishes came from his side of that mini white wall, some that I have already written about here and here . Some including this pasta dish - Di Costanzo' s Linguine 'Gerardo Di Nola'. Linguine pasta, with a creamy sauce made with codfish,  garlic, and extra virgin olive oil... and a mildly spicy puttanesca sauce. Fantastic!