Saturday, Sunday, and Monday - Chef Antonino Montefusco, Terrazza Bosquet, Sorrento (Na)

If there is one thing that I have learned in the past 26 years as a expat in the provincia di Napoli, is that there are certain icons that the locals hold dearly.  Very dearly.  I'd like to talk about two of them -  actor, screenwriter, playwright and poet Eduardo DE Fillipo and ragu.

Everyone has heard of De Fillipo and nearly everyone has read his book and/or seen the movie version of Sabato, Domenica, and Lunedi.  I personally adore the movie version with Sophia Loren.  The book/movie gives one a peek inside the Neapolitan cuture and family life - with many scenes based on the traditional preparation of the ragu tomato sauce.  A sauce that, depending on family traditions and tastes can vary - cooking times, cooking procedures, choices of meat...the list is endless.

Chef Antonino Montefusco of the Michelin starred restaurant Terrazza Bosquet in Sorrento decided to tackle this recipe and present it in a particular way on his fall menu which he premiered last Saturday night.  Saturday, Sunday and Monday - an idea that the chef admits, took a few years to get it just as he wanted.  Putting a classic Neapolitan dish deep in tradition and family values on his gourmet menu could be met with some serious scrutiny and criticism.  But he dove right in.  I'm glad that he did.

When I casually walked into the kitchen late Saturday evening during the dinner service, the chef was packing up my meal.  Two miniature alluminum pots which he was in the process of wrapping up in a red and white checkerboard tablecloth.  

Chef Montefusco

A ritual that his grandmother performed everyday at noon.  A hot meal that she would take to his uncle, a bricklayer, who had his lunch break at that time.  

In the dining room, the package was unveiled.  In one of the pots, Montefusco served the classic ragu sauce based on his mother's recipe.  San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, beef, braciola,  pork ribs, cotenne (pork skin braciole) and sausage cooked slowly for around 8 hours then served with  al dente paccheri pasta.

The second pot contained Montefusco's version.  

The challenge here was to conserve the flavors of his homestyle memories but present it in a new way.  Phyllo pasta filled with tomato sauce, ricotta, and salt and pepper..those same flavors from the traditional dish!

Then a  won - ton faggotino filled with the ingredients from his beef braciola; pine nuts, dried grapes...

Then last, but not least, a crispy version of the cotenne filled with parley, pecorino cheese, garlic and dried grapes - all rolled up in the shape of a cannoli.

After a meal like this, it is a crime to not perform the scarpetta ritual.  Basically cleaning the plate with a piece of bread.  Montefusco's bread is made with a combination of semolina and white flour.  He bakes it, then lightly fries it to make it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Grated cacciotta cheese sits on top. Perfect for dipping into that amazing tomato sauce!

Every culture does not serve Neapolitan ragu, but every culture has their version of the spirit behind a  dish such as this one.  One deep in tradition, one that stirs up memories of  our own childhood Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.