PANE DI IESI
Traditional Marche bread with gruyére, provolone, pecorino and parmesan cheeses,
compliments of the Bakers of Il Fornaio. Also available for purchase at the Bakery counter.

ZUPPA ALLA FANESE   3.50/Cup 5.95/Bowl     Rosso Piceno
Butternut squash soup with a gorgonzola topped sfilatino crouton

INSALATA DI CARCIOFI     8.95    Falerio
Salad of sliced baby artichoke hearts, arugula, radicchio, shaved parmesan
and lemon vinaigrette

INSALATA DI FINOCCHI E POLIPO     6.95     Rosso Conero
Thinly sliced octopus warmed with bay leaves, carrots and celery;
topped with warm fennel and fingerling potato salad

FRITTO MISTO ALL’ASCOLANA   7.50     Rosso Conero
Portobello mushrooms, baby artichoke hearts and stuffed green olives lightly breaded
and deep fried; served with tartar sauce and spicy marinara for dipping

SPAGHETTI CON LE COZZE   12.95     Rosso Conero
Imported spaghetti tossed with marinara and tutto calabria peperoncini
and rimmed with black mussels
(From The Il Fornaio Pasta Book, Chronicle Books 2002)

RAVIOLI AI CROSTACEI   15.50     Falerio
Black and white ravioli filled with shrimp and scallops with lobster sauce

MANICOTTI ALLA PESARESE   16.95     Rosso Conero
Large pasta tubes stuffed with ham, turkey, chicken, parmesan and black truffles;
topped with veal sauce with béchamel and gruviera cheese

RISOTTO CON SALSICCIA DI POLLO E CARCIOFI   15.95     Rosso Piceno
Imported Italian rice with smoked chicken apple sausage, artichokes
and boschetto tartufato cheese

IPPOGLOSSO IN CAMICIA   21.95     Rosso Conero
Halibut filet wrapped in prosciutto, sautéed with red wine and figs; asparagus
and roasted fingerling potatoes

FILETTO ALLA ROSSINI   24.95     Rosso Piceno
Filet mignon served on toasted sfilatino crouton and topped with truffled goose pate
and Madeira wine sauce, roasted potatoes and sautéed spinach

ORATA ALL’ ANCONETANA   24.95     Falerio
Whole grilled Mediterranean seabream with anconetana sauce, served with
fingerling potatoes and sautéed vegetables

CREMA BRUCIATA ALLA ZUCCA   5.95
Pumpkin crème brule

grew up in Bergamo (Lombardia) Italy. He credits his father and a close cousin as his main influence of becoming a chef.

During Umberto’s childhood, he remembers enjoying great seafood feasts while traveling through Marche on family vacations. Orata All’Anconetana, a grilled Mediterranean seabream marinated with shallots, is featured on tonight’s menu and is one of Umberto’s favorite seafood memories of Marche.

Umberto began working at restaurants at the age of 14 and received an International Chef degree in 1989 from the renowned IPAS San Pellegrino, (Institute Professionale Alberghio

Statale), where he completed the three-year culinary arts program. From there he worked at a succession of fine dining restaurants in Italy, culminating in a stage at the Michelin-starred Osteria della Brughiera just outside of his hometown.

Now, as Chef-Partner of Il Fornaio in San Jose, Umberto is in charge of the kitchen but
has learned to appreciate the support he receives from his staff each day. Sous Chefs Raul Garcia and Conrad Abajon enable Umberto to remain creative and keep the kitchen running smoothly.

“Il Fornaio is the ‘real thing’, we don’t use short cuts and the menu is really authentic Italian food—I am so pleased to be a part of this great restaurant. My passion for cooking comes out of the great satisfaction I get for pleasing my guests. It is this satisfaction that keeps me coming back to the kitchen each day, and the wide range of Italian
regional food that keeps me creative. Buon appetito!”

in that it is really two cuisines: one of the mountains and one of the sea. The fish and shellfish dishes abundant at the coast are not found inland, and the hearty meat dishes of the mountains are snot prepared along the coast.

The one element which both cooking styles do have in common is that their preparation is based largely on the products of the soil: aromatic herbs, vegetables not found elsewhere, wild greens. Because of this, dishes from Marche do not often become part of any other cuisine.

Lamb and pork are commonly used, and prosciutto from Carpegna is famous throughout Italy. Fennel grows wild, finding its way into many dishes. The fat, fleshy olives found only in the city of Ascoli Piceno are stuffed and served as antipasti. The escarole and dandelion that grow wild are sauteed and made into erbette.

The coastal cuisine is naturally rich in seafood. Much of the catch brought in at the coast is shipped off to Rome, but the bass caught off of Ancona never make it out of the port, and the best mussels are saved for use in the city. Ancona was founded by the Greeks and is the capital of the region.

“Rough and savory” fits the inland cuisine which reflects the Roman-Umbrian-Etruscan influence. Marche is one of Italy’s less-travelled regions. Urbino is most certainly the star of the region, surrounded by green hills as beautiful as those in Tuscany. The Palazzo Ducale in Urbino is one of the finest of Renaissance palaces and contains masterpieces by Raphael and Federico Barroci. The Conero Coast south of Ancona is worth a visit, dotted with charming resort towns and spectacular views. The region of Marche is largely unspoiled by the advances of time - there are no grand hotels or restaurants - and is characterized by a quiet lifestyle and simply prepared, home-grown food.