Sardinian Feast with Filippo Berio
Filippo Berio's cooking classes are not to be missed, find out why!
When Filippo Berio invited me to join them at their Sardinian Spring Feast how could I refuse? A four course meal cooked with Chef and Cheesemaker Mario Olianas, supported with Chef Stefano from La Cucina Caldesi and paired with Zonin wines - wild horses wouldn’t keep me away! The evening was a heady mix for me of brilliant produce, fabulous food and a warmth that I always feel when in the company of a couple of Italians! As we arrived at La Cucina Caldesi it was aprons on, fizz in hand and time admire the tables scattered with fresh produce from king prawns to basil, tomatoes, and of course olive oil, and a chance to chat to some of the other guests.
The menu
We were welcomed by Managing Director of Filippo Berio UK, Walter Zanre, who handed over to Mario to introduce his mouth-watering menu:
Home-made Yorkshire pudding with prosciutto and fresh ricotta
Cannellini beans on bruschetta with prawns, chilli and garlic
Gnochetti Sardi with cherry tomatoes
Salt crusted sea bass with baked potato and zucchini
Baked olive oil cheesecake served with fruit salad
Before we even began this feast we got to enjoy fabulous antipasti from Rutland Charcuterie which included the tastiest fennel salami I’ve had, prosciutto encrusted with black pepper, and cheeses made by Mario, Yorkshire Pecorino and Ricotta – both of which were divine.
Time to cook
It was time to cook, we all picked a station and Mario talked us through the dishes and what we’d all be doing. I was stationed with the veg to accompany the sea bass, we quartered the courgettes and diced the potatoes, then drizzled with Filippo Berio olive oil and seasoned ready for it to be roasted.
Next up was the dough for gnochetti sardi - using semolina and warm water Mario made the dough and kneaded it until it was springy and elastic, then the rest of us joined in to make the gnochetti. Rolling pieces into thin sausage like rolls of pasta and breaking them off into thumb-sized pieces with a knife, we then rolled them on the back of a cheese grater (a very clever way of getting the shape and the pattern!). I always find making pasta therapeutic and this was no exception.
Making Gnochetti Sardi
Mario then talked us through the primi piatti and how to make the sauce for the pasta - for all of these dishes simplicity is key, but the real show stopper was the sea bass. Mario talked passionately about how he’d learnt to fish in Sardinia as his grandfather and father were fisherman, and this dish was one of his grandfather’s. As Mario talked about his memories of learning how to gut and cook fish his emotions were clear, his father had taught him everything and these were naturally fond memories; and now his sons love to fish too when they return to Sardinia. Mario encased the sea bass in salt to trap the flavour inside before cooking in the oven and later dousing in a little vodka!
Salt Baked sea bass being prepared
Whilst this was going on, the kitchen was being transformed into our dining room and soon it was time to eat. Mario and Stefano continued to finish off the dishes and serve them for us all to enjoy.
We began with the Yorkshire pudding with prosciutto and ricotta, not your usual combination but Mario swore by it, the fusion of his Yorkshire life and italian roots - served on a bed of rocket leaves, these were a delicious start to the meal. As Mario said they would make fantastic canapes or starters when you’re hosting.
This was swiftly followed by Cannellini beans on bruschetta with prawns, chilli and garlic – I am a huge fan of bruschetta and I loved this, transport yourself to a sunny spot in Sardinia and imagine this as your lunch.
Both primi piatti were served with Prosecco DOC Cuvee 1821 from Zonin wines which was light and refreshing to accompany the two dishes.
Gnochetti Sardi with cherry tomatoes, you can not beat a simple italian tomato sauce for pasta and this didn’t disappoint. This sauce always immediately reminds me of Italian holidays, and I’m yet to recreate it in quite the same way, but perhaps now I will be able to!
Now for show stopper, if you’ve tasted fish in the Med you know these dishes are some of the cleanest, tastiest meals you can enjoy, you can’t beat the simplicity of flavoursome fish and roasted veg with olive oil. Stefano served us up our portions of sea bass, delicate and delicious; the room was in awe of how brilliant this dish was. It was paired with a stunning Vermentino (Calasole Vermentino Rocca di Montemassi) that complemented the sea bass perfectly.
It didn’t stop there, Mario and Stefano plated us up portions of Baked olive oil cheesecake with raspberries and strawberries on the side - a refreshing and light end to the feast we had enjoyed, coupled with a glass of Asti DOCG Castello del Poggio.
Baked cheesecake
Of course a Sardinian Feast wouldn’t be complete without ending on a glass of Mirto, a Sardinian liqueur made from myrtle berries that Mario had bought with him.
Spirits were high by the end of the night, we had dined in true Italian style - with everyone helping prepare the food, using quality produce and enjoying a long and leisurely dinner with one another.
Sardinian Spring Feast cookery class with Filippo Berio
For me, the highlight of the evening was seeing the passion and care Mario, Stefano and the team put into every last detail of the evening; their love of food and their Italian heritage shone through.
The Filippo Berio team also deserve a mention, firstly for organising such a fabulous event and secondly for being so involved in the evening itself - bravo!
If you love to cook, are a foodie, lover of Italy or just enjoy new experiences then I couldn’t recommend the night more;
Tickets are brilliant value at £75, with all food and drink included, plus you leave with a well stocked goody bag! Look out for
Check out Filippo Berio’s upcoming events to join in one of their cookery classes.
Filippo Berio Goody Bag
Filippo Berio invited me to join them at Sardinian Spring Feast to write a review of the evening.
Love Letter to Italy
As part of the #DolceVitaBloggers Linky I've written my Love Letter to Italy
Dear Italy,
You stole my heart a long time ago. You wrapped me up in your magic and swept me off my feet. From the moment I first set eyes on the Amalfi coast, the glistening Mediterranean sea sweeping round the coast sparkling in the sunshine, oozing with Italian class as speed boats glided along the coastline, I knew it could be the real thing. I don’t know what made me fall in love, perhaps it was your charm as I watched people shouting ‘Ciaooo!’ as they passed friends in the street, or watching locals talk with such passion that every sentence was accompanied by arms being flailed around, or the madness of drivers out of Naples beeping their horns, the sound and smell of vespas whizzing by with gorgeous Italians on board, OR perhaps it was PASTA!
Year after year I returned to see you with my parents, we explored regions from Puglia to Tuscany, and to the lakes in Lombardy, but eventually it was summer in Sardinia that I fell harder than I had before! I always say ‘my heart is in Sardinia’ and it’s true, it’s my happy place - the sea, the mountains, the food, the passion of the island, it caught me. Summer 2006 is etched in my mind as one of those fabulous summers, the kind I’ll talk about until I’m old and grey; at 21 it was my dream to finish uni and live with my love, Italy, how was I going to do that? I landed myself a job as a holiday rep and where better to be posted than the stunning island of Sardinia. I couldn’t wait, I used to read and re-read the Citalia brochure and imagine myself living out my days there with you. Of course, like any love affair it wasn’t all smooth-going, I quickly realised I didn’t talk your language of love (not well anyway), I didn’t know anyone and I was indeed, alone. It wasn’t long though before I was yelling ciao! across the piazza and speaking in broken italian to friends around the little town of Pula that fast became home.
I remember speaking to my mum and telling her “I don’t miss anything’, I embraced your lifestyle from morning to night, day in, day out. I took my cappuccino with a cornetto con marmellata (my favourite!), if it was after 11 it was always un cafe (an espresso) so I wasn’t frowned at by my friends, I learnt to eat spaghetti with just a fork, I never went for dinner before 9pm, evenings always started with aperitivo, I abandoned my car with reckless abandon on streets and pavements - “I’m in Italy!” I would declare. I welcomed both family and friend with love and passion and showed them the way of life in this little gem I had uncovered for myself in the south of Sardinia.
My friends in Sardinia knew how much your island resonated with me, they knew I wanted to live and breathe it for evermore, saying goodbye that summer wasn’t easy, but I know whenever I return they are there waiting for me - waiting to greet me with Ciao Kate! Come va? like I never went away.
Italy does that though, if you let it. If you embrace the lifestyle it will embrace you back with the warmest abbracci e baci. Your heart will flutter at the sound of someone speaking Italian, it will catch you unaware, on a tube, in a quiet cafe, in a queue - it will make you smile with a warm glow, and you’ll transport yourself momentarily to a piazza con un bicchiere di vino, watching the world go by with the Mediterranean sun beating down on you, even on the coldest winter days.
I suppose my Love Letter to you wouldn’t be complete without talking about the food… your combination of simple ingredients, with sun rich produce is a combination that can’t be beaten, throw in great wine and the Italian way at meal times and you’ve got a match made in heaven. From long, leisurely lunches to grabbing un gelato - everything is perfect!
My life wouldn’t be complete without pasta, the different shapes, sauces and pairings - I try to recreate a bowl of all this goodness in my kitchen every week. My kitchen shelves are full with Italian recipe books, pasta shapes, flour, olive oil, olives, and much more of your fabulous produce, not to mention the wine rack!
I suppose there isn’t much left to say, except Italy, you will always be my greatest love.
Grazie mille, ti amo.
Baci
This blog post is part of the Dolce Vita Bloggers linky from Mamma Prada, Italian at Heart and Questa Dolce Vita You can read other letters on the linky.
If you'd like to read more about my adventures in Italy and my love affair with Sardinia you might like Sea and Sardinia or for more Italian food follow me on Instagram @cookingcarafes
Vigne Surrau | Wine tasting in Sardinia
Take a trip to this vineyard to taste award winning Sardinian wines
From the moment our trip was booked we'd planned to head to some Sardinian vineyards, little did we know we'd find this one practically on the hotel's doorstep!
Having been exploring in the car through the mountains in search of Lago di Liscia we’d passed plenty of vineyards with roadside signs stating who owned them and ‘Vigne Surrau’ certainly took precedent.
On our return to our hotel in Baia Sardinia, we asked the concierge about the vineyard, whose wine was also recommended in the hotel wine list, and he brought out a map to show us the short drive.
The next day we headed to nearby Porto Cervo in the morning, but after having wandered the artificial streets and window shopping in the luxury stores we decided it wasn’t for us, so where to next…? A vineyard of course!
On arrival it doesn’t look like much from the car park, some barrels tower over the entrance road and the car park was more or less desolate. We wandered to the driveway and made our way to the main building entrance. As soon as we stepped inside it was a wine lovers dream… so I was in heaven. We were greeted by a young sommelier who welcomed us to try some of their wines. He selected four for us initially, two red and two white; from the Cannonau and Vermentino grapes, famous for Sardinian wine.
We began with the Branu Vermentino di Gallura, Commended in the Decanter World Wine Awards. Translated from Gallurese, Branu means ‘spring’ – with its straw colouring, this wine was fruity with a relatively long finish and mineral undertones and would be perfect served with a local fresh fish dish. Next up we tried the Sciala Vementino di Gallura, which was slightly higher in alcohol content at 14% but had a smooth and long refreshing finish.
Then we moved onto the reds, the Barriu Isola dei Nuraghi and the Sincaru Cannonau di Sardegna. The blended Barriu has won multiple awards but both tasted great to me as I’ve been a lover of Cannonau since my early trips to Sardinia. It’s hard to get hold of in the UK so was worth savouring!
As we tasted sommelier, Simone talked us through the wines and how the vineyard now welcomes over 10,000 visitors a year. We also exchanged conversation about his time in Ireland (which had led to his fantastic English), his parents and grandparents are all from different regions across Italy. However our common thread we discovered was he was from Cagliari, where my Sardinian journey began 10 years ago!
We took in our surroundings and looked at the hundreds of bottles of wine, along with wine books and other paraphernalia, the little deli fridge filled with cheeses, salami, honey and chutneys. Then Simone asked if we wanted to try a dessert wine and mirto (the Sardinian digestif) – naturally we obliged.
The main building also has a panoramic seating area overlooking farmer’s fields where they serve a flight of wines accompanied with meats and cheese, my friend Enrico said it was best for this later in the day from 5pm onwards when it’s a little busier.
Simone, then to our surprise asked if we’d like to see the cellars and after checking with his colleague we were lucky enough to see the beautiful barrels ageing the wine, including some of the winemakers most recent trials that they only had a limited number of. It was truly remarkable, the sheer size of some of the barrels for one and then other smaller barrels marked with the age of when they bought them to ensure any oak wasn’t too strong. Older barrels give a softer, less intense oaky flavour to the wine.
After being mesmerised by so much wine, we picked up a few bottles to enjoy back in our room as we didn’t want to risk packaging them in the suitcase. Fortunately we managed to pick up a few bottle at Olbia airport but at a much higher price tag. Since returning I’ve found Ocado stock the Cannonau and Vermentino di Gallura.
All in all it is the perfect way to spend an hour or so enjoying great wines and hospitality from the team there. I will definitely be returning!
Sea and Sardinia
Discover why this island is so special with its enchanting waters...
I haven't yet written about my love for Sardinia and perhaps now is the right time. Having returned from a week's holiday in Baia Sardinia my passion for this island is once again ignited. I fondly refer to it as 'my' island as it feels like that's where I'm most at home and it is without a doubt my 'happy place'.
As D.H Lawrence once wisely described in his book Sea and Sardinia, 1921 "This land resembles no other place. Sardinia is something else. Enchanting spaces and distances to travel-nothing finished, nothing definitive. It is like freedom itself.”
Sardinia is enchanting, from the glistening crystal blue waters to the magnificent mountains as its back drop - the mare e monti are what makes this island so special. The sea and the mountains are the essence behind their regional dishes, their way of life and the history of the island.
Mare e Monti
Famous for its nuraghi from settlers in the Bronze Age, the island has been home to many invaders since 350,000 BC, including the Romans and the Spanish throughout the years. However, post WWII Sardinia was granted autonomy in 1948 and today the Sards are proud of their island and their heritage. The Sardinian flag flies proudly from boats, restaurants, apartments and more and you'll often hear locals conversing in Sardo (Sardinia's first language) - don't try to understand it though as it's a world apart from Italian!
The colours of this island are as vibrant and warm as the people who live on it. From the turquoise waters to the bright green shrubs and pines that grow between the mountains and bougainvillea that brighten hotels and apartments.
Tuerreda Beach from my trips in 2006
The people are some of the kindest I've ever met, they take life slowly and with good humour - something we can all learn from. Tranquillo my friend Daniele used to tell me all the time, con calma...their warm hearts and generosity knows no bounds. Something that I was extremely thankful for when I arrived in the small town of Pula with limited Italian, no friends and a new job, country and culture to get to grips with. As my network of friends slowly built and my knowledge of the local area grew, my italian improved and I fell in love with this magical island. I loved driving between my hotels, visiting local restaurants with friends, trying new dishes, drinking good wine and laughing with these very special people.
I became accustomed to their way of life; cappucino and cornetto con marmalata was the perfect start to my day, I'd visit and liaise with guests at their hotels, enjoy a leisurely lunch (pranzo) before taking a well deserved siesta! Later on I'd head out for un aperitivo (aperol spritz, negroni or campari orange were, and still are my favourites) with friends. Of course an evening wouldn't have been complete without a glass of Sardinia's famous red wine Cannonau - coupled with pane carasau, pecorino and salame, which is traditionally served as an antipasti or stuzzichini (snack with drinks). Whether it was pizza, pasta, porcheddu or pesce that followed I was never disappointed! Traditionally most meals would then end with mirto - a digestivo made from myrtle berries but I wasn't too keen on the taste so if I was feeling brave I'd take a grappa!
There is a lot to be said of the Sardinian way of life they are a longevity hotspot and one of five identified blue zones in the world where people are happier, healthier and live for longer. Some of you, like me, might be glad to know that some of the keys to living this longer, healthier life include:
Drink one or two glasses of red wine a day - Cannonau is rich in antioxidants that are good for the heart
Laugh with friends - how can it not be good for you?
Pecorino cheese - is made from grass fed sheep's milk so is high in omega-3
Chi mangia bene, vive bene!