Pane di Zucca e Noci   Rustic pumpkin-walnut bread, compliments of Il Fornaio

Cape Sante Gratinate    Sea scallops baked in their shells with
rock shrimp,Parmesan and bread crumbs   $7.95 Pinot Grigio
Frico con Prosciutto di San Daniele    Cripsy potato,onion and montasio cheese “cake ” served with San Daniele Prosciutto   $7.50 Eclisse
Zuppa con Fagioli e Verze   Borlotti bean soup with pancetta, savoy cabbage,Yukon gold potatoes,served with toasted pumpkin-walnut bread $3.95 /Cup $5.95 bowlPinot Grigio

Fettuccine val Cellina    Housemade fettuccine with Italian porcini mushrooms,salami and brandy cream sauce    $13.95 Eclisse
Gnocchi alla Friulana    Gnocchi alla Friulana Housemade potato dumplings with Italian sausage,onions,mushrooms and tomato cream sauce $13.50   Merlot
Ravioli d’Anatra  Housemade ravioli stuffed with duck, prosciutto,carnia cheese,vegetables,herbs,red wine; aged ricotta,marinara $14.50 Merlot
Risotto Miramare   Arborio rice with shrimp,calamari,crab, peas,fish stock and tomatoes   $16.95 Eclisse

Scaloppine di Maiale   Pork loin,pounded and sautéed, topped with asparagus and carnia cheese;served with baby carrots and roasted potatoes $17.95 Eclisse
Spiedini con Polenta e Funghi    Chicken,beef and pork tenderloin skewers with sausage and bacon,served with soft polenta and whole mixed mushrooms   $19.95Merlot
Gamberoni alla Busara    Giant prawns sautéed with paprika,
garlic and brandy,with capers,marinara and cream;served with soft polenta and saute ’ed spinach   $24.95  Pinot Grigio

Coppa Trieste    Grappa and raisin ice cream served with espresso coffee (decaf available),Kahlua,whipped cream and wafer cookies   $5.50

Pinot Grigio,
Russiz Superiore 2003
This medium-bodied and complex
white is produced from select Pinot
Grigio grapes grown in Friuli’s Collio
region in the northeast corner of Italy,
known for some of the finest whites
wines of Italy. It is full and round with
rich aromas and flavors of apricot,
toasted nuts and spice. The long
and elegant finish makes it a great
match with the Gamberoni.
$5.25 half glass $10.50 glass $40 bottle

Eclisse,
La Roncaia, 2002
This crisp and refreshing white wine
is produced from a blend of Sauvignon
and the indigenous Picolit grape
variety cultivated in Colli Orientale
del Friuli. Wonderfully aromatic,
this medium-bodied dry white has
intense aromas and flavors of
white peach, citrusand jasmine.
Racy and bright with a crisp,
clean and long lasting finish, it is a
nice pairing with the Scaloppine.
$6 half glass $12 glass $46 bottle

Merlot,
Vistorta, 2000
Vistorta, a 500-acre estate in the
northern area of Grave, produces this
lush, full-bodied red. The wine is
produced from Merlot with small
amounts of Cabernet Franc and Syrah
added to the blend. The lovely aromas
and concentrated flavors of cherries,
plums and spice are balanced with
solid structure and a warm, soft finish.
“Sideways ” not withstanding, we
heartily recommend Italian Merlots.
Try it with the Spiedino.
$5.50 half glass $11 glass $42 bottle

was born in Bergamo, in the Italian region of Lombardia. As a young boy, he loved spending time in the kitchen, watching as the family meals were prepared. So, as soon as he was of age, he began to study at the San Pellegrino Hotel School, where cooking became a lifelong occupation and passion. This passion has taken him to jobs in his home town, cooking for top brass in the military, and finally, to Il Fornaio in Roseville, where he is in charge of the kitchen.

About Friuli, Ezio explains, “The food of Friuli has two strong influences in its cuisine. In the north, close to Austria and Hungary where the region is quite mountainous, you will find game and mixed grilled meats. In the south, near Veneto and the coast, there is much more seafood, polenta and risotto. This is one of the things I like best about Friuli-Venezia Giulia, this wide variety of mountains to sea.”

To Ezio, his passion for cooking comes out of his great satisfaction in pleasing his guests. It is this satisfaction that keeps him coming back to the kitchen each day. It is the wide range of Italian regional cuisine that keeps him creative.

“As you look at my menu of Friuli, ” Ezio says, “the foods from this region are especially satisfying as they are simple and pure. The individual ingredients speak for each dish; the wonderful ingredients you find in Friuli naturally set the cuisine apart from the other regions of Italy. ”

“It is my hope that you discover the simple pleasures in the food of Friuli - Buon Appetito!”

is not on the ordinary tourist itinerary and is seldom visited by foreigners. But the people are honest and sincere and their initial reserve quickly gives way to warmth and hospitality, especially when it comes to food.

Our menu this evening features dishes that evoke the region’s abundant natural resources: Cape Sante Gratinate (sea scallops baked in their shells with rock shrimp, parmesan and bread crumbs), Frico con Prosciutto di San Daniele (crispy potato, onion and montasio cheese “cake” served with San Daniele Prosciutto) and Ravioli d’Anatra (Housemade ravioli stuffed with duck, prosciutto, carnia cheese vegetables and herbs). Prosciutto di San Daniele, featured in the antipasti, is world famous.

The microclimate of this small community in Friuli has resulted in the unique quality of this air-cured ham. Found thoughout tonight’s menu are the montasio and carnia cheeses. Both aged cheese come from the valleys of northern Friuli and are considered the very best from this region.

The valleys between the Dolomite Mountains create the perfect environment for growing much of the region’s (porcini mushrooms, beans and cabbage).

The rustic peasant style of cooking around the area of Trieste tends to the rich and robust. Gnocchi alla Friulana (housemade potato dumplings with Italian sausage), along with a slice of Pane di Zucca e Noci and a glass of merlot makes for a deeply satisfying meal.

Grappa, distilled from the pomace of grapes, is featured in the Coppa Trieste, tonight ’s regional dessert. With regard to wine, Friuli has a particularly well-adapted climate and superior soil for grape growing and it produces some fine indigenous varieties. The best known is Pinot Grigio, a dry, crisp white wine, that we are featuring tonight.