Cooking in Italy: Pasta, Pasta, Pasta (and more!)
Pictured above: Ricotta-spinach ravioli with butter and sage, spaghetti with tomatoes and potato gnocchi with pesto. Also coccoli prosciutto and stracchino.
Italian food is one of my favourite cuisines to eat and cook. I LOVE pasta. Although I’ve made fresh pasta in the past in my hometown of Toronto, there is something so much more different when it comes to making it in Italy. The fresh ingredients, the high-quality flour, the utensils and more, make fresh pasta in Italy so much tastier!
Meet Luca Polverini. He is the owner of The Cooking Lab Firenze, located in Florence, Italy. I had the pleasure of making a variety of pasta dishes with him, along with tiramisu. Luca also made a delicious coccoli prosciutto and stracchino for the aperitivo. Here is his story and his thoughts on Italian cooking and cuisine:
1. How did you get into cooking?
I started cooking when I was young, with my grandparents and parents. My grandpa used to hunt wild boar — he was very good in that. I enjoyed helping my family to cook. It was fun for me — pasta dough was like play dough! I also started volunteering in “sagras”, and learned how to cook for a lot of people in a chaotic kitchen! I also used to share a house with friends, and I would invite friends over and cook for them. I started cooking as a side job, which eventually became full time. I do catering, teach cooking classes, and provide personal chef services. Cooking is my passion.
2. Tell us more about The Cooking Lab Firenze.
Experimenting is always my way of cooking, and I thought the name “The Cooking Lab” fit perfectly with what I do. Even though I focus on traditional dishes, every time you make the same dish, it will taste a bit different, but nevertheless delicious! For catering, I currently serve groups of up to 40-50 people. For my cooking classes, I focus on tradition, fresh ingredients and cooking in the moment.
3. What does cooking mean to you?
Cooking means good food. It’s like a video game — I disconnect myself from everything else and focus on the food. It’s the pleasure of good food and good times. When I see people smiling, that’s important too!
4. What are your favourite ingredients and dishes to make, and why?
I love making pasta and pizza. I love how flour can be used in so many different ways. I like to experiment, like frying vegetables and cooking with wild boar. I also follow the season when it comes to ingredients. I like to cook using local ingredients in Tuscany.
5. What are some popular dishes and ingredients local to Tuscany and Florence?
Tuscany - Grapes, and wine, because of the vineyards. Potatoes and chestnuts, because of the mountains. There is no way to discuss traditional Tuscan food because it is very local related.
Florence - Florentine steak, Peposo (beef stew) and Lampredotto.
6. Italy is truly one of the world’s most popular travel destinations when it comes to food. What are some markets, farms, restaurants or any other food places that you recommend in Italy?
Always try to get local food, like from a sagra. I try to get advice and recommendations from locals.
Here are some of my recommendations:
Trattoria Tullio a Montebeni - very local, traditional foods
Alp food - cheese, aged meat, carne salada
La Casa del Prosciutto - lots of homemade pastas and fresh sauces
Traditional small restaurants
Follow Luca on Instagram!