The Auditorium of the Academia Barilla Culinary School in Parma, Italy, will host Gusti d’Autore (Author’s Tastes), three-days of evening events opening today, April 7, 2007, and presenting daily events until Wednesday April 9.

Gusti d’Autore is promoted by Academia Barilla in partnership with the City of Parma, and with the support of BIGAB, Academia Barilla’s Gastronomic Library.

The event proposes three days dedicated to Italian gastronomic culture. Each evening will see the participation of several VIPs of the “Italian food scene” who will discuss stories, curiosities and new culinary tendencies while hands-on culinary demos will take place in front of the public.

The first evening will be dedicated to discussing “Cucina Low-cost” (Low-cost cuisine), Tuesday evening will be stage to a culinary round table on “Tradizione e Innovazione” (Tradition and Innovation), while Wednesday, the closing night, will be a soirée dedicated to “Parma ieri, oggi e domani” (Parma yesterday, today and tomorrow).

All the guests participating to the three days event are Italian gourmet experts, ranging from gastronomy experts to food journalists and top Chefs:

• Camillo Langone, who writes about restaurants and literiture for several Italian newspapers (”Il Foglio”, “Il Giornale”, “La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno”, “Il Domenicale”, “Panorama”);
• Paolo Marchi (Cuisine), a chef “manqué” who has been writing food columns (”Cibi Divini”, “Affari di Gola”) for the daily newspaper “Il Giornale” in the last 12 years. Marchi is also founder and editor of “Identità Golose” (Gourmet Identities), an international congress of haute cuisine held in Milan every January.
• Luigi Cremona, a gastronomy lover from Cremona who cooperates with the italian Touring Club in the editing of many Restaurants and Wines Guides. Cremona is also the Director of the oenologic magazine “Spirito DiVino“, and has been awarded as “Journalist of the Year” at the 2007 Wine Oscars.
• Davide Cassi, a Professor a of Molecular Gastronomy and a member of the Italian Kitchen, is very keen on the science of cooking. Editor of several scientific texts in Statistical Mechanics, Cassi’s research concerns fractals, gastronomy and the scientific theory of graphs. In the last 15 years Cassi applied his research on physics of complex systems to gastronomy. Cassi directs the Laboratory of Food Science, the only facility of its kind in Italy, which develops and experiences, both scientifically and gastronomically, new cooking techniques. He also authored, with Chef Bocchia, the book “The estemporaneo ice cream and other inventions” (Il gelato estemporaneo e altre invenzioni gastronomiche), the first manual on molecular cooking.
• Andrea Grignaffini, cuisine academician, after working with Luigi Veronelli at L’Etichetta and being curator at Cose Buone Publishing for the last 10 years, today is the Creative Director at Spirito DiVino magazine. Italian pioneer in cigar journalism, he’s been part of the L’Espresso restaurant guidebook directive committee since 1998. He also works with Gazzetta di Parma newspaper and Tv Parma, while teaches Tasting methodology at Parma’s University of Gastronomic science.
• Massimo Bottura is the top Chef at Osteria La Francescana, a restaurant located in the historic center of downtown Modena. Awarded with 2 Michelin stars, Bottura makes large use of unusual flavors or ingredient combinations, creating recipes that are a journey through tradition, innovation and the unexpected. His formulas and dishes are made of classic and contemporary ingredients, let alone a combination of simple and complex cooking techniques. Always open to new interpretations of the Italian culinary art, he claims that “the important thing to me is to achieve a balance between form and color to captivate the eyes of the customers. Then comes the balance among texture, temperature and flavor to please the palate.”

The three gastronomic evenings will take place on April 7, 8 and 9, and will be open to the public between 9pm and 10.30pm with free entrance, and performed at the Auditorium of the Academia Barilla Culinary School at the Barilla Center, Largo Calamandrei, in Central Parma. Google Maps here below for easy driving directions.

Seating is limited, so reservations are highly recommended. Call +39 0521 264.060 or send an email at info@academiabarilla.it to book your seat at Gusti d’Autore.

Say buongiorno again to Chef Matteo Carboni of the Academia Barilla Culinary School, who’s back on Italian food Lovers to introduce the Ingredient of the Month for the month of March ending today: the sunny, Mediterranean eggplant (aubergine for our readers in the UK and Australia).

Today Chef Matteo Carboni will show not only how to cut an eggplant in thin slices, but also how to make a perfect and easy finger food dish in few minutes, with the help of few other ingredients: extra virgin olive oil (Academia Barilla’s Monti Iblei, of course), grated Pecorino cheese (try Academia Barilla’s Pecorinos from Tuscany or Sardinia for an authentic Italian flavor) and Prosciutto di Parma.

Add chives as final touch for presentation, and a arucula salad on a side, and you have the perfect antipasto.

Check out the video recipe!

Chef Carboni first slices the eggplants, then spread some extra virgin olive oil on both sides of each slice before grilling them for two minutes max on a pre-heated grill.

While the eggplant slices are still hot off the grill, Chef Carboni sprinkles some grated Pecorino cheeses, then pairs the slice with a slice of Prosciutto di Parma, and carefully roll them together, using chives to secure each roll, adding a final touch of flavor and presentation.

CHEF TIPS:

Serve it with an arucula salad (rocket salad) on a side, adding just some Italian extra virgin olive oil and Balsamic Must of Modena aged 8 years, like the one you can find at the Academia Barilla online store.

Today we have another yummy pasta recipe from the Academia Barilla Culinary School, an easy recipe for a delicious gourmet pasta, Tagliatelle with cream of walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, olives and prosciutto di Parma.

Ref: The source of the image above is the already quoted Marianne Paquin’s cookbook “La cucina degli innamorati” (Lover’s Cuisine), edited by Fabbri Editori, and available at the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library in Parma, Italy.

Ready to cook? Print this recipe or take the laptop with you to the kitchen, we are ready to go!

TAGLIATELLE WITH CREAM OF WALNUTS, HAZELNUTS, PISTACHIOS, OLIVES AND PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA
(serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 lb fresh tagliatelle
- 2 slices of Academia Barilla Prosciutto di Parma
- 4 walnuts
- 8 peeled hazelnuts
- 12 peeled pistachios
- 8 green olives (without the pit)
- 7 tablespoons of cream
- 2 tablespoons Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure DOP extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 10 minutes

Chop the walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios and olives together. Cut the slices of Academia Barilla Prosciutto di Parma into strips.

Stir the cream, Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure DOP extra virgin olive oil, mixture of chopped nuts, salt and pepper into the serving plate.

Cook the Tagliatelle in salted boiling water. When ready (check the cooking time on package), drain the pasta and pour it in the serving dish, stir gently and add the Academia Barilla Prosciutto di Parma strips. Serve immediately.

CHEF TIPS

Add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in the cooking water so the pasta doesn’t stick together.

Last December a group of American students from NY Universities (Monroe College and Paul Smith College, NY) spent some time in Parma to study Italian Cuisine at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center .

The group of students were headed by Giacomo Berselli, President of the Marco Polo Foundation, the organization who sponsored the students’ trip to Italy. After spending 7 weeks in Otranto (Puglia) and 3 weeks in Ferrara (Emilia-Romagna), the students attended cooking classes at the Academia Barilla Culinary School in Parma for additional 2 weeks.

During their Parma residency the US students of the Marco Polo project studied the typical products of the Parma region, and attended classes of olive oil tasting, Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma tasting, as well as Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and wine tasting. After theory and tasting classes in the morning the young Chefs spent some time researching Academia Barilla’s Gastronomic Library, with the support of the Library Curator Giancarlo Gonizzi and his team.
The afternoon were generally spent in the kitchen, trying dishes and recipes containing the ingredients the students have been working on all day, under the guidance of Academia Barilla Executive Chef Nicola Bindini and his Chef team.

To complete the students’ full immersion into the art of Italian gastronomy, Academia Barilla organized also culinary and gastronomy tours for the students, allowing them to discover the secrets of producers and farmers of authentic regional products, and to meet the countryside traditions and history of the Emilia-Romagna region, that certainly is a key ingredient of our traditional recipes.

At the end of the 2 weeks of classes the Academia Barilla Culinary School released to each student a certificate of completion of studies that, join with the other certificates awarded by the students at the other learning locations across Italy, would have grant them the formal recognition of the exams and classes by their respective original colleges (Monroe College and Paul Smith College, both in the NY State).

Here below a couple of testimonial notes from the Marco Polo students, as written on the Academia guest book, pictured here above with more Marco Polo testimonials:

“Thank you Barilla for such an informative 2 weeks. I enjoyed myself thoroughly would tell my family friends about this wonderful place. Thank you so much.”

“Ciao, this school has taught me that food to the Italian is religion and the kitchen is their church. Thank you Academia Barilla.”

To know more about the student program we interviewed Marco Polo Foundation President Giacomo Berselli who firmly says that “Academia Barilla is state-of-the-art of the Italian Cuisine“!

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Hello again dear Italian Food Lover friends, and, as always, thank you for your loyal readership! (And, if you haven’t already done so, check out our RSS feeds, eh?).

It seems that this weekend, the guests at my house couldn’t stop talking about Italian Regional Cuisine, and, as such, I thought it’d be nice to spend a few keystrokes here discussing Italian Gastronomy, Academia Barilla’s mission, and, well, the Italian regional culinary scene in general.

So, when we talk about Gastronomy, and in particular local or regional gastronomy, we’re really talking about the culture and art of gourmet food and drink.

Right now, I want to blurb a bit about a few gastronomic gems - those gourmet regional foods that truly define the culture and art of la bella Italia - that I feel truly define Italy for me.

Based on these foods’ dispersion throughout the world, it would be safe to say that they also typify Italian gastronomy for many others, as well.

Cannoli (Sicily)
These archetypal desserts are some of Sicily’s true culinary gems - fried sweet dough stuffed with a sweetened cheese mixture inside and topped with a healthy dusting of powdered sugar.

They were originally made in the zone around Palermo during the time of Carnevale (Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday — right about now, in fact!) and due to their incredible taste and excellent audience, they’ve traveled throughout Italy and now throughout the world.

Some of my favorite treats from New York City’s famous San Gennaro festivals include NY-made cannoli… Perhaps I can coax Massimo and his team to drum up a great recipe for these sugar-filled treats in the coming future.

The Sangiovese Grape and its Tuscan Children
Sangiovese grapes are grown in many places in Italy, but in no region do they make such a huge impact as they do in Tuscany, where nearly all of the major DOCG red wines use Sangiovese of some sort as their base.

Indeed, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Carmignano are all comprised of at least 50% or more of the Sangiovese grape. Why is it so popular, you might wonder? Simple: the grape has been grown and made into wine in Tuscany for almost a millenium, and, well, if it has been working so well for so many years, why change a good thing? by the way, why do you think we keep selecting extra-virgin olive oil DOP from the Chianti area of Tuscany?

Tortellini (Emilia-Romagna)
These excellent pasta are usually ring-shaped with a whole in the center and an incredibly tasty stuffing inside (that is generally comprised of meat, prosciutto, cheese or a mixture of all three).

They are a typical pasta dish from Emilia-Romagna in general, but were born in the great pasta shops of Bologna and Modena (and don’t forget Parma, either!), where they are sold by weight and are made in the thousands every day, usually by only one or two people. Fresh, handmade and unbelievably tasty, Tortellini are truly a pasta dish that exemplifies the freshness and hand-made-ness of the Italian gastronomic tradition!

Trenette al Pesto (Liguria)
Liguria is known for its excellent Pesto, a sauce made from none other than garlic, small basil leaves, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pine nuts, among other spices and ingredients that differ from kitchen to kitchen.

I am trying to ask Massimo for his incredible variations on Pesto - including some that use pistachio nuts, cilantro and more - but in the meanwhile, I will mention how incredibly traditional this sauce, and their accompanying Trenette pasta (very similar to linguine) are served with boiled potatoes and green beans to become a truly Ligurian dish. Yum! Of course, we suggest to use Academia Barilla’s Riviera Ligure extra-virgin olive oil DOP, just to pair with the local flavors from Cinque Terre.

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (Emilia-Romagna)
We’ve devoted considerable time to Aceto Balsamico, as of yet, and, without a doubt, it has been worth it (ps - we’ll be devoting more to this excellent product in the coming weeks, as well!).

But, have you ever considered drizzling this dazzling liquid over ice cream? Or simply serving it the traditional way over Parmigiano-Reggiano chunks that you’ve broken off with a cheese knife? Have you tried Mario’s tips on how to taste balsamic vinegar on its own? Personally, one of my favorite ways of indulging a bit of 25 year Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale is over a filet mignon…mmm!

Bagna Cauda and Polenta (Piedmont)
We haven’t touched much on Piemontese cuisine, but I promise that we’ll take a look at this wonderful region in the coming weeks. One of their true gastronomic specialties - Polenta - is made with ground cornmeal and broth.

It is an excellent substitute for Pasta for these Northerners, and they typically serve it with Bagna Cauda - a “hot sauce” of garlic, butter and anchovy paste that is very tasty and very traditional. I think it is best served over polenta, but many family members and friends enjoy it simply as a dipping sauce accompanying steamed vegetables.

Have we discussed your favorite traditional gastronomic treat from Italy?

What defines Italian gastronomy for you? Let us know in the comments section below!