Bangkok hosts a culinary tour of Italy

 

ITALIAN DELICACIES – dishes distinctive for the complexity of the flavours, seasonal freshness and lavish decoration – are on offer through November as seven top downtown Bangkok hotels celebrate “Taste It All @Ratchaprasong”. 

Italy’s northern Lombardia region is famed for its creamy rich risotto, and a native of its capital, Milan – chef Loris Pistillo of Spasso at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok – will show you why. He’s recreated the tasty braised veal shank of his childhood, with saffron risotto and Gremolata sauce. It’s Lombardia’s tomato-based stew recipe, which enriches the natural tastes of the meat and the red wine with al dente yet creamy saffron-infused and buttery risotto. 

Chef Francesco Bettoli at Grossi Trattoria & Wine Bar of the InterContinental Bangkok meanwhile serves another Lombardy delicacy, Ravioli di Vitello. The paper-thin ravioli is stuffed with delicate, bone-in veal shanks that are slowly cooked with rich Italian rubs and marinated for 10 hours. The tender meat, ensconced in the ravioli, shares its well-balanced and complex flavours with the herbal mixture and Parmesan cheese.  

Sweeping southward, chef Phishet Khanchang of Red Sky and Fifty Five at the Centara Grand CentralWorld draws on the rich and complex of ingredients of Sicily for his fantastic stuffed sardines. The fish is boned, gutted and marinated in orange and lemon. The stuffing also includes crunchy chopped almonds and pine nuts and is seasoned with anchovies, capers and olives before being topped off with more breadcrumbs for extra crunch. 

The sardines are skewered and baked golden and finally served with Sicilian-style berry vinaigrette flavoured with capers and wine.

Also in the South, Puglia is the origin of orecchitte pasta that resembles the seashells of its coast. Chef Vinai Thaneeyatrerawong of Biscotti at the Four Seasons Bangkok has serves the pasta with Atlantic scallops and peppery, cheesy cream sauce that is perfectly paired with Biscotti’s famous warm garlic foccacia bread.

Inspired by Toscana’s celebrated pici pasta, a thicker version of spaghetti, chef Sorachart Mongkolsiri of the Novotel Bangkok Platinum’s The Square hand-kneads his dough and then gives its different colours with vegetable juices. The green comes from rocket leaves and the pasta is served with tiger prawns and pesta, while carrot pasta is offered with grilled chicken breast rubbed with Cajun-style herbs and topped with Parmesan cream sauce. Pumpkin pasta comes with Napolitana tomato sauce infused with pumpkin juice and thyme, black pepper-crusted meat and ham.

Marche – the Italian Midlands along the Adriatic coast – is home to many world-famous dishes. Chef Fabio Polidori of La Tavola and Wine Bar at the Renaissance Bangkok reminisces with Brodetto made with tiger prawns, calamari, mussels and scallops, fried with olive oil and onion. Soup and tomato paste are then combined with chilli flakes, parsley and basil for aroma. 

Chef Carlo Valenziano of JoJo at the St Regis hails from the North, in Piedmonte, where good rice grows. His Sausage Risi e bisi is risotto prepared with the rice, slowly simmered and seasoned well with cream, green beans, butter, Parmesan cheese and Italian sausage and meats. 

 

 

FROM MILAN TO SICILY

>>Continuing until November 30, “Taste It All @Ratchaprasong” costs Bt3,800 for two at each of the chef’s restaurant. 

>>For details visit www.HeartofBangkok.com, the “HeartOfBangkok” page on Facebook or the “Ratchaprasong” application downloadable for smart phones.