26-12-2017
Pasquale Laera, born in 1988, is chef at La Rei, the gourmet restaurant inside Il Boscareto Resort in Serralunga d'Alba. He arrived as executive chef under Antonino Cannavacciuolo’s direction: when the latter left, he stayed
Our journey as portrayed by Tanio Liotta. We start with a long series of entrees, like Sausage from Bra with leeks and cabbage wafer
Quenelle of scampi, cream of veal brains, catalogna chicory and ginger
Mousse of parsley and anchovies
Tartufino with hen paté, onions, Porto and powdered mushrooms
Mozzarellina, tomato and basil
Wafer of Senatore Cappelli wheat, buffalo milk butter and wild fennel
Grissino and salami
Steamed bun, veal tongue and bagnetto rosso
Bread, butter and oil, powdered garlic and Pomodoro
Cauliflower cannolo, mousse of Seirass del Fen, almond and lemon
Raw amberjack, beetroot in carpione and pepper...
...followed by beetroot "nature"
Toasted bread, butter, Jerusalem artichoke, preserved garlic and white truffle from Alba
Raw meat, turnip tops, sea urchins and Murazzano
Raw meat, broth with white truffle from Alba
Chiocciole di Cherasco, savoy cabbage, lard and “preserved” garlic
Fried Jerusalem artichoke and white truffle from Alba
Egg alla Rossini and white truffle from Alba. The egg is cooked at low temperature. Plus there-s the foie gras mousse, Madeira, pan brioche and balsamic vinegar
Vitello “tonné”
Vegetables, quail egg, cream of leek, Jerusalem artichoke and mushrooms
Ravioli “Ris e còi”. Còi means cabbage. It’s based on a poor Piedmontese dish
Spaghetti, hazelnuts, tuna bottarga and ginger
Plin ai tre arrosti
Tajarin, mountain butter, parmigiano and white truffle from Alba
Fennel and sweetbreads kebab with lentils and mandarin
Grilled pigeon, black cabbage and frisse
Pheasant, scorzonera truffle and foie gras sauce
Terra di Langa: fake truffle with white chocolate, choux pastry with Jerusalem artichoke, cream and hazelnut crumble, porcini gelato, white truffle from Alba
Apple, cinnamon and caramel: slices of apple, apple mousse, apple coulis, cinnamon biscuit, caramel mousse
«I want to smell the aromas, the pan, the frying, the mirepoix. I like strong flavours. I serve Italian food that tries to respect the nature and tradition of the Langhe. Aromas are important, because too often I see lots of attention paid to aesthetics, and too little to flavours. I love fonds: I spend 15 or 16 hours in the kitchen each day, and it’s a triumph of pheasant, veal, capon, pigeon fonds…». Trimalcionly impeccable, pantagruelianly exalting, gargantuanly inviting: one could say that given his young age, Pasquale Laera, born in Gioia del Colle in 1988, goes against the tide while the culinary mainstream leads to frugal banquets, an oxymoron, and culinary accounts lead to sobriety instead of pleasure for the palate; in other words we’ve moved from light-hearted dissipation to dining while keeping an eye on sustainability and waistline.
2014: Laera with Antonino Cannavacciuolo at La Rei
This is how it went, more or less, in the kitchen of La Rei, the gourmet restaurant at Il Boscareto Resort: when in 2013 Cannavacciuolo started directing the restaurant’s offer, he chose Laera, his sous at Villa Crespi, a kid at the time, at 25, as his executive chef. Three years later, when the contract between Antonino and Il Boscareto ended, patron Valentina Dogliani called Laera and basically said: «Pasquale, don’t go. Stay here, I’ll give you the helm of the restaurant». He accepted with no hesitation.
Il Boscareto Resort
The spa at Il Boscareto
The brigade at La Rei: left to right sous Alessio Bucella, for 5 years with Laera, they were already working together at Villa Crespi. Then Gilvinas Sulcius, Silvio Sedda, Giuseppe d'Onofrio, Giuseppe Pignatello, Damiano Semeraro, Federico Tesse, Stefano Magna, Edoardo Bello, Sofia Bianchi, Tommaso Roberto, George Uta Ionut, Costantin, Alfred, and of course Pasquale Laera
Time for white truffle at La Rei
A final note of merit goes to the dining room: maître-sommelier Fabio Mirici Cappa is a great professional, he knows what he’s about. (In the photo gallery by Tanio Liotta our long series of tastings) Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
An outdoor trip or a journey to the other side of the planet? One thing is for sure: the destination is delicious, by Carlo Passera
by
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief