Each month,
our restaurants feature
the bread, food and wine
of a different region of Italy.


This month we travel to the region of Emilia-Romagna.

PROSCIUTTO E FICHI Parma prosciutto, parmesan cheese and fresh figs $7.50
Sangiovese

CRESPELLE RICOTTA E ERBE Crepe filled with dandelion greens, Swiss chard, ricotta, parmesan and nutmeg $5.95
Verdicchio

SPIEDINO AI GAMBERETTI Skewer of grilled prawns with white beans and balsamic reduction $7.50
Verdicchio

ZUPPA CASTEL DEL RIO Butternut squash and potato soup with fresh crawfish, sfilatino crouton and parmesan cheese $5.95
Verdicchio

CAPPELLACCI DI ZUCCA Homemade pasta filled with butternut squash and walnuts, served in tomato sauce and topped with brown butter and parmesan $11.95
Verdicchio

STROZZAPRETI CON POVERACCE Hand-rolled pasta strips with Manila clams, zucchini flowers and tomatoes $12.50
Verdicchio

ROTOLINO DI ZIA TERESA Homemade pasta rolled with ricotta cheese, mushrooms, prosciutto and provolone, with bechamel baked in the wood-burning oven $10.95
Verdicchio or Sangiovese

RISOTTO PROSCIUTTO E PARMIGIANO Italian arborio rice with Parma prosciutto and parmesan cheese, drizzled with balsamic sauce $12.50
Verdicchio or Sangiovese

PETTO DI POLLO ALLA MODENESE Roasted chicken breast rolled with sage, prosciutto and fontina cheese, served over a balsamic reduction; with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach $13.95
Verdicchio

SOGLIOLA AL FORNO Petrale sole filet baked with herbed bread crumbs; heirloom tomato salad $16.95
Verdicchio

COSTOLETTA SPARSINA Rack of veal from the wood-fired rotisserie, topped with prosciutto, asparagus and shaved parmesan; mashed potatoes $19.95
Sangiovese

SFOGLIATELLA DI PERA Pear and pastry cream wrapped in puff pastry, with caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream $5.95

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A crisp and light-bodied dry white produced from verdicchio grapes cultivated in the foothills of the Apennines around the town of Jesi, in the neighboring region of Marche. The wine has layers of citrus and vanilla in the aroma and crisp apple flavors. A great match with seafood and poultry.

This medium-bodied, full-flavored red is produced by one of Il Fornaio's great friends and one of Emilia-Romagna's premier winemakers. The wine is produced from 100% sangiovese grapes - the primary grape variety used in Chianti. Well-balanced and full of ripe berry fruit with hints of tobacco and spice, it is a great match for grilled meats or a variety of full-flavored pasta dishes.

"This is our fourth visit to Emilia-Romagna since we began our tour through the regions of Italy. With this menu I have focused on the seasonality of ingredients. The weather here in California is quite similar to Emilia-Romagna, so the ingredients you find here are the ones I would be using at home at this time. As figs are just now reaching the perfect point of sweetness, I have paired them with Parma prosciutto for Prosciutto e Fichi, a traditional antipasti. Zucchini blossoms, which I see at the farmers' markets each weekend are a delicate addition to Strozzapreti al Poveracce, pasta strips with Manila clams. And pears are just coming into season; they are served warm in puff pastry with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

In additional to these seasonal dishes, I have also included the favorite dishes from past menus, dishes that my customers ask me for during the year. Cappellacci di Zucca (pasta stuffed with butternut squash) and Petto di Pollo alla Modenese (chicken breast rolled with sage, prosciutto and fontina) are some of the best traditional dishes of the region. The Rotolino (pasta rolled with ricotta, mushrooms, provolone and prosciutto) is a recipe from my aunt Zia Teresa, an amazing cook who spoiled me to good food when I was little.

"These are only a few dishes from a region so rich and abundant, yet not fully known and appreciated. In sharing this dinner with you, I hope to communicate the warmth and the passion for food that this land gave me. So when you step into Il Fornaio during these two weeks, you will walk into what I call home. Benvenuti a casa mia."

Emilia-Romagna 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, tomatoes; pigs and cows are raised in large numbers.

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. Parmesan is found in many dishes on our menu: grated on the Zuppa Castel del Rio (butternut squash and potato soup with fresh crawfish), shaved on Costoletta Sparsina (rack of veal topped with prosciutto and asparagus) and melted into Risotto Prosciutto e Parmigiano (arborio rice and prosciutto).

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 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 50 to 70 years. Petti di Pollo Modenese (roasted chicken breast rolled with sage, prosciutto and fontina cheese) gets its flavorful sauce by using a balsamic vinegar reduction.

The capital city of Bologna is believed by many to be the culinary capital of Italy. Bologna is legendary for its origination of tortellini, the pockets of pasta stuffed with the freshest meats and vegetables, that now are found in numerous regions in Italy, and around the world. (The province of Ferrara has its own version of tortellini, Cappellacci di Zucca, hat-shaped envelopes of dough filled with butternut squash and walnuts.) The name of Bologna has become part of the English language as "baloney", a pale imitation of Bologna's special sausage, mortadella. Mortadella is made of finely ground pork packed tightly to create a smooth texture and delicate flavor. 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!