Scrumptious sharing plates, and colourful side dishes that evoke effortless simplicity, all set against the backdrop of the Puglian countryside is an easy equation for a postcard-perfect Italian summer. Chef and author Giorgia Eugenia Goggi’s new cookbook Moroseta Kitchen dishes up just that, offering a glimpse into her Italian kitchen which captures the essence of eating in Italy.
'Moroseta Kitchen' - A Window Into The Puglian Countryside
Goggi, a resident chef at design-led hotel Masseria Moroseta, wanted to curate a collection of seasonal recipes that reflected her modern Italian cooking. The book is a tactile representation of the hotel, with a crisp stone-washed design, accompanied with images shot on film.
Avid food photographers know that capturing dishes through the lens is challenging, Goggi told Wallpaper* why she took the risk to capture her cookbook on film, 'I like the spontaneous and vibrant immediacy of film. From the beginning, I expressed the desire to do a project that told our reality without frills, in a very direct and honest way. Maureen M. Evans took some incredible shots, getting right to the heart of our world, portraying moments of everyday life, our wonderful team at work, the marvellous lights that chase each other during the day on the white walls of the Masseria and the nature surrounding us.'
From flat peach, mozzarella and cucumber, to courgettes, figs and hazelnuts, these somewhat simple pairings are in perfect matrimony of sweet and salty flavours, and is a taste of what lies within the pages. Journeying through the seasons, the cooler Autumn months offer warming dishes of roasted vegetable Gazpacho, citrus risotto, and pasta e ceci, or enjoy a slice of apple, spelt and coriander cake in the garden as Spring rolls around. 'To choose a favourite recipe, is a difficult question as each recipe, in its own way, has a place in my heart,' says the author and chef. 'However, I would probably say the peach galette, on page 123. First of all, it is now a Moroseta classic – for us, there is no summer without baking 500 peach galettes.
In its simplicity, it represents my point of view well, a few ingredients, great quality and a few small technical tricks to find the perfect balance between the thickness of the flaky pastry, the juiciness of the filling, sweetness and acidity. It has to be done carefully, every step has to be well measured because when you play with absolute simplicity, every detail counts.'
The hotel itself, situated in Ostuni, Puglia, is a fountain of inspiration for Goggi from when she first took residence in 2017. Its location, nestled on an expansive olive grove and a stone's-throw away from the Adriatic Sea, offers an abundance of organic produce, Goggi told Wallpaper*, 'I am constantly inspired by everything around me. These inspirations all become layered in my mind, almost without me realising it. My dishes are the result of this layering of stimuli and impressions, translated quite unconsciously and naturally, so often the creative process happens by itself.
Certainly, nature is a great source of inspiration for recipes. Observing the growth, development and adaptation of plants, seeing them strengthen, protect themselves and finally give their fruit is something exciting and powerful, at times even mystical. A walk in the garden is always an important moment of the day, seeing what is happening and what is ready to be harvested is essential to consciously guide the menu for the day.'
Noting that Masseria Moroseta is an olive farm first, the hotel has made sure to adapt in accordance to its environment, and stays rooted within its farmhouse plot. A vegetable garden is also incorporated, offering a variety of aromatic herbs and vegetables, while a chicken coop and orchard presents its products, a perfect, and somewhat replicable example, of farm to table dining. Goggi takes this one step further and relies on nature and what is readily available to inform what will be cooked each evening, therefore eliminating a menu and breaking the barrier between chef and guest.
Moroseta Kitchen takes the reader back to the foundations of hospitality, sharing long conversations and reenacted anecdotes over delicious locally sourced food crafted in the heart of the home; a kitchen.
'Moroseta Kitchen' - A Window Into The Puglian Countryside by Giorgia Eugenia Goggi is available 22 August 2024 masseriamoroseta.it
