The three Michelin star chef loves simple dishes, such as the meatloaf that he prepares without eggs. Here is his recipe
"It was as if someone suddenly pulled the handbrake while you are driving": the chef Niko Romito thus describes the moment when he had to close his restaurants, pause his plans, stop. He replies to#Dinner time in live Instagram on the page of @LaCucinaItaliana from Casa Donna, the splendid structure in the middle of nature a Castel di Sangro, in Abruzzo, which hosts his Royal restaurant, three Michelin stars. "I believe that the future may be even brighter than the moment we were living, but I am a little afraid of what will happen immediately, when it can be reopened. We will have to rethink the way we do catering, cooking, hosting ”. Think about his restaurant a Beijing, inside the Bulgari Hotel, where the tables can now not accommodate more than two people and where the distance of one meter between guests must be respected, where chefs must always wear gloves, even when handling the pans.
Niko Romito's meatloaf (without eggs)
Meanwhile, from the quarantine, Niko Romito post photos on social networks to answer those who ask them cooking tips: he writes some sentences between the ironic and the truthful on the cartoons with which he then has himself portrayed. For example, one said: "Anchovies, frozen fry", and the chef was in the middle of a snowy landscape. “It seemed like a joke, instead stuffed anchovies I really prepare them like this: I stuff them, they learn them, and I put them in the blast chiller at -20 °. When I decide to cook them, I take them frozen and throw them in boiling oil to fry them. The sudden change in temperature ensures that they remain moist on the inside, while on the outside the crust becomes crisp. " On another billboard it read: "I don't put eggs in the meatloaf". Meaning? "My recipe calls for 1 kilo of minced meat (it is fine for adult bovine and also a little fatty), parsley, expressed and coarsely chopped, Parmesan, crusty bread or crumb of fresh bread soaked in milk (it must be very wet), salt , pepper. Once the whole is mixed we can cook the Meatloaf steam or wrap it in plastic wrap, then in silver paper, place it in a saucepan with water and bake at 120-130 degrees for an hour, an hour and a half. In the end we will get a soft and creamy meatloaf. "
Bread at home with brewer's yeast
"How do we do the bread at home? ”, We ask again. "To make homemade bread, I am not against using the brewer's yeast. Mother yeast is not necessarily synonymous with quality because if you don't know how to use it you can also make a bad bread. Then dissolve the yeast with somecold water (not lukewarm, I recommend) which lengthens the leavening times a little, but which allows to obtain a more honeycombed dough. We knead with flour and salt. We can also add some boiled potatoes mash in the dough to obtain a creamier crumb and a longer lasting bread. Let rise at room temperature (20-22 degrees) until the dough doubles. So let's take it back and give it the shape of a loaf. At this point we have two possible ways: either cover the loaf with a cloth, let it rise to 80% of the volume and then bake it in a ventilated oven at 200-220 degrees, or put the loaf in the fridge and let it rise for twice the time; so I take it off an hour before cooking it and then put it in the oven. In the fridge the leavening is slower but the bread will be lighter and easier to digest. "
Mom's quick noodle
Finally chef Romito also gives us the idea for one fast spaghetti: "This is a dish that my mom always cooks me, spaghetti with anchovies, mint, breadcrumbs and lemon peel. Melt the anchovies (plenty with the quantity because you need to obtain a sort of anchovy paste) over low heat with a little oil, dry the breadcrumbs, grate the lemon peel and make a mince of mint. Add everything and season the spaghetti. Enjoy with a glass of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo ".
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