1. Parmigiana di Melanzane
Eggplant Parmigiana is a dish derived from my sweet childhood memories. Every Sunday was a truly delectable family cooking session together with my Nonna (grandmother), and during those times I developed my love for cooking. To this day, every time I go back to Italy to visit the family, this has to be the first dish she prepares for me.
2. Zeppoline di Alghe
Simple yet inspiring, this dish holds a very special place in my heart. At the tender age of 14, I stepped for the first time in a professional kitchen as a pot washer where I instantly felt like being in my natural habitat. It is said that opportunities are lost within the blink of an eye but when opportunity and luck collides, that very moment makes us ready for the next level. It was a couple of weeks later that one of the chefs reported sick and there was an available space in the kitchen. That was the moment when I have seen the opportunity and asked the chef at the time to allow me to cook something in order to help. He taught me how to prepare and cook this dish. You should have seen the smile on my face!
3. Steak tartare
Fancy delving into a steak tartare freshly accompanied by house relish, confit egg yolk and saffron aioli? Sounds like heaven, right? This dish is a must feature on my menus during the span of my whole career until now. Back in the days, when I left Italy to UK for my next role in a French bistro, I instantly fell in love with the simplicity of the way this dish is carefully prepared and tastes. It has become an iconic dish and has made an appearance on our menu every year since then – same recipes, same technique learnt 20 years ago.
4. Beef Rossini
Although it is a well-known dish, the combination of flavors is what titillates my senses and love for a hugely satisfying Beef Rossini- our best seller dish at Bull and Bear. I actually used this dish to participate to a cooking competition where with my version of Rossini I reached all the way to the finals and won the 1st place for the category. To date, I keep on experimenting a new version, as the one you can find in our award-winning restaurant Bull and Bear, featuring wagyus beef ribs, seared foie gras, mushroom ketchup and truffle sauce.
5. Cannoli Sicilian
I might not be Sicilian, but being a southern Italian is a good reason enough to love this dish. The creaminess of the ricotta paired with the lovely crunch on the crust, Cannoli Sicilian is an absolute dish to die for. I remember making this dish as it was yesterday and it has been one of the first dessert I was taught to make in college.
Bull & Bear, Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, Sunday to Friday, [email protected]