One of the best things about hopping around for a post for my blog, is that magical moments pop out of nowhere. Like last month while I was rolling in Ischia with Ivano Vecciato meet our Instagram contest winner. I thought it would be a great opportunity to stop by Chef Ciro Mattera's restaurantIl Saturnino in Forio d'Ischia.
Chef Ciro Mattera
Mattera was preparing to open for the season so he figured it would be a great opportunity to warm up the stove tops! Here's a look at what went down!
Silver scabbardfish filled with hake roe and marinated red cabbage.
Bonito fish with oil, lemon and mint emulsion.
Crunch cod on, velvety onion and fava beans.
Fish fillet on cold fennel fondue and friarielli.
Mattera's dishes delicately represented the spring season teamed up with the sea that could be seen outside the restaurant's window. It was a great afternoon, I must admit. A chance to relax a bit before I needed to catch the ferry back home.
Also a chance to chat with amica blogger Valentina Scotti, a true Ischitana and chef Ermanno Nicoella. Scotti and I managed to convince the chef to hop into the kitchen for an invention test featuring some of the ingredients that Mattera had served us at lunch for an impromptu' primo piatto.
Scotti and Nicolella
Fedelini pasta with a creamy spring onion sauce, friarielli greens, fava beans and peas tossed together in a pan with silver scabbardfish.
An
appointment for lunch. Coppola had even
invited his close friend, Pastry ChefAntonino Maresca, to share in the
festivities.
No stress, just good food-good friends, just the type of
event to kick off the Christmas season.
Coppola’s restaurant, La Galleria, is located in the heart
of pasta land, Gragnano. The streets of
the town were dressed in Christmas red ready to host their annual mercatino di
Natale/Christmas market.Inside the
restaurant, the spirit continued featuring Christmas lights and decorations winding
up the staircase and spread throughout the dining room.
But I was
curious as to what as going on in the kitchen of course! Preparations for lunch
in progress!Coppola, Maresca, and the
small kitchen brigade were at work to set out a Christmas spread that was original,
entertaining, but above all appetizing!
Here’s a look…
Aperitifs prepared by La Galleria; rice chips with beet
cream and gorgonzola. Chicory stuffed with hollandaise sauce. Roulade of marinated meat with ricotta cheese...
Toasted panettone (made with olive oil and verbena) topped with
butter, anchovy, lemon and truffles.
Topinambur
(Jerusalem artichokes) chips.
In addition, a series of
breads made by Maresca including an olive filled cornetto.
Then on to the
appetizers;
A light, delicate chard ravioli
alla marinara (shrimp, octopus, clams) with infused lemon.
Spaghetti with spring
onions, lemon, and smoked cerino, a fish from the mullet family.
Plin pasta stuffed with cauliflower
and sea snails.
Topped with purple
cabbage and its fantastic broth.
Second course-
It would not be Natale without
cod and Coppola did not disappoint.
Still have room for
dessert? Of course!
Maresca presented a
series of dolci like this predessert – cubo di Natale/Christmas cube. Smoked grapefruit, corbezzolo (strawberry tree)
and fresh pine nuts.
A personal Christmas message from Maresca included.
Then “Mi Sembrano Mille”,
Maresca’s take on a classic Italian dessert, the millefoglie. A piece of appetizing artwork featuring a
surprise. Panettone ice cream!
The end of any Christmas
meal includes picccoli pastries like these prepared with seasonal citrus fruits
and yellow tomatoes stuffed with red ones.
And of course,
panettone! Maresca treated us all with two
types – the classic version with candied fruits and nuts and one with annurca
apples.
Panettone prepared by Forno
Guarino alongside Maresca himself.
At the end of the meal,
alongside a chiacchierata and coffee the chefs finally filled us in on the
mysterious A that had accompanied one of the spectacular desserts tasted.
