ALBANA DI ROMAGNA,
TRE MONTI,2002

Albana, both the name of the grape and the wine, is thought to have been named after the daughter of a classic Roman Emperor. Tre Monti produces this elegant, crisp and medium-bodied dry white wine that has aromas and flavors of ripe apricots, almonds and vanilla. It is a great match with the Tortelli.

$4.25 half glass    $8.50 glass     $32 bottle

GUTTURNIO DEI COLLI
PIACENTINI RISERVA ROMEO,
CASTELLO DI LUZZANO,1999

Gutturnio, produced from a blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Bonarda grapes, is the oldest and most famous wine of the Piacenza hills. Its name derives from a silver cup from Roman times, known as a “gutturnium”, found in the Po River in the early 1800s. This full-flavored, full-bodied red is brimming with of aromas and flavors of blackberry, dried cherry, tobacco and spice and is a perfect complement with the Filetto.

$6 half glass      $12 glass      $46 bottle

Gianluca Sarti was born in Bologna, considered by many to be the culinary center of Italy. So it is not surprising that he developed a passion for food at a very young age. When Luca was fifteen he left home to pursue his dream of becoming a chef. “I loved to eat as a child. You can imagine, with all the food I was exposed to in this great region, that I would want to enter the culinary profession!”

Realizing that being a chef required more than a passion and flair for cooking, Luca enrolled in culinary school in Rimini to learn as much as he could. The legendary Hotel Le Tre Vaselle was his first employer. This was his introduction to the excitement and activity of the kitchen. Luca was then offered a position at the Hotel Baglioni in Bologna. A curiosity for international foods led him to France and New Zealand before he returned to Italy as chef at La Lumiera in Bologna.

When asked by a friend in 1994 to come to Los Angeles to create an Italian menu for a new restaurant in Beverly Hills, Sarti jumped at the opportunity. Once in Beverly Hills he met some of the Italians at Il Fornaio, who later asked him to join them as a sous-chef in the restaurant. Luca’s passion and skill quickly led him to his current position of Chef-Partner of Il Fornaio in Pasadena. Yet he still manages to return to Italy to visit his family and enjoy meals in his parent’s restaurant in Bologna, Ristorante Marco Polo.

Sarti explains why he feels so happy in charge of his own kitchen, “It is here that I can truly express myself. I respect the traditions of the regions of Italy, yet create new dishes that are unique to my vision. This menu of Emilia-Romagna takes advantage of the bounty of excellent ingredients we have, the reggiano-parmigiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, but allows me to offer it to you in a way you may not have experienced before.”

is arguably one of the finest culinary regions in all the world. The plain that runs the length of the region has some of the richest soil in Italy, creating abundant food resources. Emilia-Romagna leads Italy in the production of wheat and tomatoes; pigs and cows are raised in large quantities.

Perhaps no product from Emilia-Romagna is more famous than “Parmesan” cheese. Originally from the province of Reggio, it is now also produced in neighboring Parma, hence “Parmigiano Reggiano”, the true Italian name of this world-famous cheese. It is aged for at least one year and its authenticity and quality are regulated by the Italian government.

The province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna produces one of Italy’s most precious commodities: balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico). Balsamic vinegar is made with as much care as wine and is also strictly regulated. Traditionally the vinegar is aged progressively in twelve different casks where it absorbs the qualities of each cask. Only casks made of oak, chestnut, mulberry and juniper may be used, and with each cask the vinegar becomes richer than its predecessor. After several years of blending, aging and moving from cask to cask, the vinegar is a dense dark brown, with a mixture of tart and sweet. The longer it is aged, the richer it becomes; some are aged as long as one hundred years. Mezzo Pollo Al Balsamico (grilled chicken marinated with garlic and rosemary) is finished with a twenty-year old balsamic vinegar.

The region’s capital city of Bologna is believed by many to be the culinary capital of Italy. Tortellini, the pockets of pasta stuffed with the freshest meats and vegetables, originated in Bologna and are now found in numerous regions in Italy, and around the world. Tortelli Di Ricotta E Spinaci (butternut squash pasta filled with ricotta, spinach and parmesan, crispy sage and cream sauce) are a tortellini variation. The name of Bologna has become part of the English language as “baloney”, a pale imitation of Bologna’s special sausage, mortadella. It is found in salumerie (delicatessens) around the world as well as an ingredient in pastas and meat dishes.

With all of Emilia-Romagna ’s resources, it should come as no surprise that it is a region of hearty eaters. Buon Appetito!