21-08-2017
Ad occhi chiusi "Parmigiana di melanzane", the extraordinary risotto by William Zonfa at Magione Papale in L'Aquila
William Zonfa is a cook from L’Aquila and had he served in the military service, like the rest of his family, he would have been a perfect grenadier. Instead, his cooking career and the sudden opportunity of replacing a colleague in Germany who was stuck at home, allowed him to dodge the military service thanks to the job abroad. Born in L’Aquila, with experience at Antonio Guida’s Pellicano in Porto Ercole, he would have never imagined opening in L’Aquila early in the spring of 2009, when he was not yet 28, the place that today everyone knows as Magione Papale , but which at the time was just a new building and enterprise.
Then came the unforeseen event that could have destroyed every ambition and dream. In the night between the 5th and 6th of April the earth trembled and so did the hotel. «Everything here was still standing, but the territory, L’Aquila and many surrounding villages were declared red zone. Everything stopped and was delayed one year». First service on the 8th July 2010. The Michelin star arrived already in December 2011.
Eight years later William is still there, with his macaron, his dishes, ideas and a strong critical sensibility. He draws the best from the territory, and enhances it in the two restaurants, the everyday one, Salone dei Granai, and the gourmet one, Magione Papale, open only in the evening. Here everything is presented with creativity, info at +39.0862.414983. So in Abruzzo, those who like culinary certainty choose Bandiera in Civitella Casanova and Villa Maiella in Guardiagrele. Those preferring innovation refer to Niko Romito and Zonfa. What’s important, is knowing what you’re looking for, what you love. Giving skis to someone who loves swimming in the sea is pointless.
Wlliam Zonfa during a cooking demo
I thank Zonfa for the recipe which I publish here, starting with the ingredients for 4 people: 4 kg of ripe red tomatoes; 300 g of Carnaroli rice; 100 g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano 36 mesi; 25 g fresh basil leaves; 35 g extra virgin olive oil and 25 g of butter; salt.
The welcome at William Zonfa’s table
Cook the rice in the classic way, using hot tomato water. Once you have cooked the rice, remove it from the stove and thicken it with butter, olive oil, Parmigiano and finely chopped basil leaves.
For the fiordilatte gelato you’ll need 2 fiordilatte mozzarellas (I use those from the dairy factory in Campo Felice); 250 g of fresh whole milk; 4 g of gelatine sheets and 3 g of salt
Method: pour the milk and mozzarellas cut into 4 pieces in a sauce pun. Simmer slowly until the mozzarella has melted. Strain again and add the gelatine sheet and the salt. Finally process in the paco jet.
Olive oil, yogurt and pink grapefruit, dessert by William Zonfa
Final composition: spread the rice on a plate, sprinkle the aubergine powder and place the fiordilatte gelato on top. Charming, I’ll add. Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
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born in Milan in March 1955, at Il Giornale for 31 years dividing himself between sports and food, since 2004 he's the creator and curator of Identità Golose. blog www.paolomarchi.it instagram instagram.com/oloapmarchi