Guglielmo Paolucci
Pizza Expressby Giuseppe Giordano
Dall'Italia I Winklerhotels e lo chef che “parla” con i piatti
«Yes, we’re calmer now». After leaving the agones of the World’s 50Best, and entering with good reason the Hall of Fame of the popular global list, at Osteria Francescana Massimo Bottura and Beppe Palmieri can keep on doing what they have always done: offering memorable meals. Except now they are in a more comfortable position, because they have already reached every possible goal.
There can be many reasons behind leadership – or many that give a right to a place among the best. Here’s one: the ability to extend the horizons of a dish and a pairing through adventures in space and time. Every course is a window overlooking the world and the values of different influences. However, it sheds a light aimed close, on ingredients and great protagonists of the present and the past of Modena and Emilia. An open-mindedness of rare synthesis, with regards to one’s culture, and other cultures too.
PAIRING NUMBER ONE. Ribolla from Damijan Podversic
The guinea-fowl is a fetish-ingredient for Bottura (Non-roasted guinea fowl, the broth with his famous tortellini, just to name two dishes) but this time the mental hyperspace of the chef is a place where the precious hen meets the legendary Cantarellis and the Far East, in an exercise of criticism that gives important updates to a rigorous classic. Let’s see.
DISH NUMBER ONE. Chinese dumpling filled with roasted potatoes between a guinea fowl "bisque" and a Parmigiano brittle
The starting point for this dish is a Chinese dumpling which however has a trace of potatoes, as requested by the traditional ravioli of Parma, the province of Peppinoand Mirella Cantarelli, two pioneers in the fine dining scene of Emilia. «I celebrated my 8th birthday in their trattoria in Samboseto», the chef recalls, «back in 1970. One of their most extraordinary dishes was Guinea fowl cooked in clay, a specialty that I later interpreted at Trattoria del Campazzo, with Lidia Cristoni. Mirella didn’t roast it. She kept it in clay for 4 hours, then broke the shell and extracted the super-juicy meat».
So the first dish of the guinea fowl tryptic is triple Chinese ravioli, filled with roasted potatoes and topped with a Parmigiano Reggiano brittle. They complete it at the table with a superb juice of carcasses of guinea fowl, boiled and roasted, using water in the process. We beg to leave that little jug of guinea fowl “bisque” at the table, but it’s soon time to savour the next step.
DISH NUMBER TWO. Guinea fowl filled with Bollito not boiled
The breast stuffed with bollito is finished with celeriac purée, cream of aromatic herbs and apple mostarda. On top, chips of chestnuts and black truffle which recall (in an edible version) the clay used by the Cantarellis. A marvel.
PAIRING NUMBER TWO. Chestnut and juniper beer from Beltaine
DISH NUMBER THREE. Guinea fowl skin with liver pâté and chocolate, quince apple savor and black truffle
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
Massimo Bottura and Beppe Palmieri, a relationship almost 20-years long. Massimo Bottura will speak at the Identità Milano congress
born in Milan, 1973, freelance journalist, coordinator of Identità Golose World restaurant guidebook since 2007, he is a contributor for several magazines and teaches History of gastronomy and Culinary global trends into universities and institutes. twitter @gabrielezanatt instagram @gabrielezanatt
Gabriele Zanatta’s opinion: on establishments, chefs and trends in Italy and the world