One recent fine summer day, we made arrangements with friends to meet for lunch at Il Gattopardo Restaurant. Vito Gnazzo, Chef Partner at Il Gattopardo Group, stopped by to greet us and we asked him for some suggestions for our lunch.
We started with Crostini topped with burrata and black truffles.
My first course was grilled octopus with roasted fingering potatoes, celery hearts and Castelvetrano olives
Michele had bufala mozzarella, with prosciutto and heirloom tomatoes
Monferrato Freisa 2018 Oreste Buzio made from 100% Freisa. The training system is espalier with guyot pruning. There are 5,000 plants per hectare. The soil is limestone/clay and the exposure is south-southeast. Tillage and only organic fertilizer in alternate years. The weeds are mowed. There is a copper based fungicide treatment, sulfur and micro-organisms. Harvest is manual. Alcoholic fermentation is in steel tanks and the wine is aged for 8 months in steel. The winery is organic. This is a medium bodied wine with hints of red fruit, raspberries and spicy notes.
Pasta
Homemade “tre dita” pasta made with toasted durum flour and topped with vegetable caponata and light tomato sauce.
Paccheri with “Genovese” sauce of slow-cooked pork and onions, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
Porcini Mushroom and Provola Ravioli in a tomato and marjoram sauce
Sardinian fregola risotto-style with asparagus tips and scallops
Barolo 2005 “Conca” Fratelli Revello 100% Nebbiolo from vineyards in the Annunziata subzone Conca dell’Annunziata planted in 1954. It is a 0.7 ha plot facing south at 250 meters. The soil is calcareous-clay and the harvest is in early mid October. Vinification is in horizontal roto-fermenters for about 6/8 days with the skins followed by completion of alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks for about 10/15 days. Malolactic fermentation is in barriques. The wine is aged in French barriques, 40% new and 60% used for 24 months. Bottling takes place in July the year before release for sale. The wine is released in March of the fourth year following harvest. It has hints of cherry and spice with a touch of leather and a note of vanilla.
Baba au Rhum with whipped cream and fresh berries
Pastiera, the traditional Neapolitan Wheatberry Cheesecake
We finished with 3 amari.
From Piedmont, Borgogno Chinato made from Nebbiolo
Vicario ” Monk’s Secret” made in the USA
Reset Amaro made in Sicily
someday i would love to go to lunch with the two of you. exquisite food, wonderful wines, and great company.
Ciao Jackie thank you for the kind words
Looks like it was a great lunch. Povero Martin! He has become lactose intolerant and can no longer eat certain cheese-based dishes. We would have enjoyed it.