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YUMMY Umbria
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Festa Italiana gave us some very simple, but delightfully tasteful food from the heart of Italy, Umbria
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Some Italian designs on display at the fashion show
WHEN YOU think of Italy, you think of pasta, spaghetti, and Fellini. Even though Fellini was not there, Festa Italiana 2003 here gave us pasta and some wonderful cuisine from the heart of Italy, Umbria, thanks to the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which organised the event at the Oberoi last week.
Chef Andre was flown in for the event from Perugia, central Italy. Andre, who specialises in food from Umbria, teaches at the Scuola di Arte Culiunaria Cordon Bleu or the Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts.
"The festival has been received well. The people here love to experiment with their wine and pasta," Andre said, when asked how he thought the city fared in taking to Italian food. Andre tells us that food in Umbria is simple and carries a distinct flavour owing to the great quality of ingredients there.
"The olives grown in Umbria are some of the best you find in Italy," he tells us. Regular food in Umbria includes hard wheat pasta alongside different kinds of meat such as lamb, hog, wood pigeon, and greens such as asparagus and porcini mushrooms cooked in olive oil. The Italian food at The Oberoi included appetiser assortments such as antipasto umbro, the Umbrian bruschetta with mushrooms, chicken pate, asparagus frittata, and a selection of cheese and cured meat.
The "primi piatti" or main dish included bread gnocchi served in walnut sauce and extra virgin olive oil. There was also pasta served in Umbrian sausage or seasoned with shrimp asparagus, tomatoes, and olive oil. The vegetarians consoled themselves with the Pamigiana di malanzana — a preparation with eggplant, tomato sauce, and mozzarella.
Chef Sheila Santolamazza, who turned out lip-smacking fare
Other dishes included roasted chicken served with chicken liver sauce, fried sage leaves and potatoes, fish fillet wrapped in potatoes, lamb braised in Tudernum wine, and roasted red onions.
The dolci or the sweet dish included pears simmered in red wine, strudel dough filled with Umbrian chocolate, and dried fruits soaked in wine. The dinner was accompanied with wine — from a collection of exotic white and red Tudernum.
The festival also witnessed a live demonstration by chefs, a display of wine and olive oil from Umbria, and a seminar on Italian tourism.
Ritu Mohan, Regional Manager of the Indo-Italian Chamber, said the Chamber was happy with the response and planned to organise similar events in the future.
AMISHA SHAH
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