Colatura di alici
Simona Di Dio, head chef and co-owner of Bottega Caruso, Margate
My mother always told me that spaghetti con le vongole only needs fresh clams, extra virgin olive oil, wine, garlic, chilli, parsley and pepper. But since I discovered colatura di alici, I always add that, too. My mum doesn’t need to know! The intense, salty depths of this anchovy sauce are hard to describe; you just need a few drops to finish a dish. It’s an ancient descendant of Roman garum, close to Asian fish sauce, but equally very different. We always have it on the shelves at Bottega Caruso and I still get excited telling people about it – it’s the umami taste per eccellenza.
Menabrea birra
Davide Degiovanni, head chef at 5 Hertford Street, in Mayfair, London
I know it’s a good Italian restaurant when Menabrea is on the menu. It reminds me of my youth – meeting up with friends after dinner in my village in northern Italy. But for a long time it was hard to find in the UK. As a professional chef in London, I developed an incredible risotto replacing wine with Menabrea lager, finished with my local tomino di melle cheese. Delicious.
Menabrea is an Alpine beer hailing from Piedmont and, as such, is perfectly balanced, with great acidity, which makes it so versatile. In the restaurant we pair it with bagna cauda, an intense Piedmontese anchovy sauce, served warm with raw and cooked vegetables. At home I love Menabrea with a slice of pizza or cheesy pasta. It’s dear to my heart; I like to think it’s the connoisseur’s beer.
Gianduia chocolate
Luca Marchini, sous chef at Bianchis, Bristol
My nonna always used to make gianduia (or gianduja) tart, so we have a gianduia and pear tart on the menu at Bianchis. The rich and nutty flavour of gianduia perfectly complements the sweet aromatic fruit. Gianduia was invented in Turin during the Napoleonic wars, when Italy faced a cocoa shortage. Local chocolatiers blended cocoa with hazelnuts, and it won our hearts with its velvety texture.
Gianduia is named after a Piedmontese carnival character who’s known for his love of chocolate and hazelnuts. I love it too, in chocolate bars, or spread thickly on bread for a taste of home.
Mostarda di frutta
Masha Rener, head chef at Lina Stores, London
This is the most unlikely combination of fruit, sugar and mustard oil. I tried making it when I ran a farm-to-table restaurant in Umbria, and I almost burnt myself because the mustard oil is so potent. Sugar is layered with unripe fruits (I love figs, but it works with pears, apricots or peaches too), and a few drops of mustard oil. Leave it for a few days, and it makes the most pungent sweet preserve that’s delicious with meat or a cheeseboard, or traditional bollito misto meat stew.
Peperoncino
Carina Contini, co-owner at Contini Restaurants, Edinburgh
Peperoncino always makes me think of the sunshine and heat of Italy. These chillies can be fresh, but are mostly sundried, concentrated bursts of spicy deliciousness. The classic aglio, olio e peperoncino is our family’s go-to fast food. Gently warm extra virgin olive oil with garlic and as much peperoncino as you can handle, and toss through al dente spaghettini. It’s comforting and exhilarating, quick and luxurious, and feeds you from the store cupboard when you’re most in need of sustenance.
Provola cheese
Greta Boccia, co-owner of The Counter, Tunbridge Wells
My grandmother’s pasta e patate was my favourite thing to eat after school. Smoked provola cheese is a key ingredient, alongside pasta and potatoes cooked in broth, but it’s hard to find in the UK. It’s like a pear-shaped smoked mozzarella, but with a hard skin around quite firm straw-yellow cheese. We slice it up or cut it into little cubes that melt beautifully. I put it in my parmigiana, with layers of aubergine and tomato sauce, which I make every week for my family. I always make extra for the next day too.
Enjoy the authentic taste of Piedmont, and Alpine Italy, with Menabrea. Find your nearest Menabrea stockist at menabrea.co.uk
