Mentioning what’s going on at Il Fornaio was never more appropriate than now. That’s because our own executive chef-partner from the Irvine location, a native of Basilicata in the mountainous southern region of Italy, is the culinary star this month in the company’s 21 locations.
But, lucky us, we have Marcello Apollonio cooking for us every day, while the other locations are merely using his recipes for the monthly Festa Regionale dinners. He will showcase foods from his native region through Aug. 20.
Since Marcello came to Irvine seven years ago, I have eaten a lot of his food and once interviewed him on the subject of 24 hours in the life of a chef. It’s not easy if you are as dedicated as he is.
Understand that he has loved food and cooking since he was very young. His older twin brothers went off to culinary school, and every time they came home on vacation, he pestered them for cooking techniques they’d learned and recipes they’d made. It was a big family and his mother relished cooking for them and having Marcello help.
His grandfather further instilled in him the need to have a passion for your vocation and to always enjoy everything you do. When you see Marcello’s engaging smile as he strolls through the dining room to check that all is well, you will know that he heeded the advice.
I have chosen over these years to have him cook as he pleases on several special occasions, both business and personal, for me. I no longer need a menu: I’ve got it almost memorized, but it’s become habit to give him only the number of courses we’d like to eat and get delicious surprises from him. I have had the opportunity, therefore, to taste dishes he grew up with.
Now it’s your turn.
In the special dishes from his region being presented for the upcoming two-week period, you will find an endearing heartiness. Because raw materials in that area of Italy mostly come from land in the immediate vicinity, appreciation for pure and natural ingredients is almost religious.
The area is known for its fine olive oil, and its sausages have become so renowned that they are both imported and imitated in the northern provinces of Italy. You will want to order the Salsiccia Luganega on the special menu as it features these grilled sausages served over traditional saut & #233;ed spinach with stewed peppers and roasted potatoes.
There are two exceptional appetizers on this special menu. The grilled eggplant with goat cheese on warm puff pastry is a great combo on its own; however, it also sits amid a nice salad of organic baby lettuces for more diversity.
The absolute must, though, is the shrimp and artichoke hearts saut & #233;ed with potatoes, fresh tomato, thyme, lemon and white wine. Wow!
When it comes to other courses, those little “pillows” called gnocchi, made with potato-based dough, are flying high with the flavor of the accompanying ragu of lamb. Thin pasta comes mingled with mussels and clams, roasted peppers and garlic.
The regional risotto has sausage and artichoke hearts in it. A baked filet of sea bass is white and fleshy and very much at home with its tomato, white wine and basil sauce.
Finally, you might end up considering Marcello’s Basilicata preparation of braised lamb shank as the Porsche of osso buco dishes. The red wine and vegetable reduction sauce in which it is cooked for several hours is just perfect streaming down the mound of mashed potatoes.
For dessert, there’s a high-maintenance sponge cake affair that is layered with that whipped custard called zabaione. It is further enhanced with the creaminess of mascarpone cheese, shaved chocolate, toasted almonds, custard cr & #269;me and chocolate sauce. It is delicious beyond description.
Two regional wines are suggested because they match these foods so well.
The white is the recently released Greco di Tufo Feudi di San Gregorio. While crisp and dry in the mouth, it still delivers significant fruit and floral flavors.
The red wine is the 1996 Aglianico del Vulture d’Angelo. d’Angelo is considered the premier producer in the Basilicata region. The Aglianico grapes come from the volcanic slopes of Monte Vulture. Nicknamed the “Barolo of the South,” this wine has the same dried cherry, bramble and cassis flavor and medium body that fine Barolos are known for.
Since both are available by the glass or bottle, there’s no reason to miss the nice matching flavors they bring to the table.
