the Imperialine and the Perdigiorno by Gianni Rodari – Italian Cuisine


On the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Gianni Rodari, here are the sweets they created in his honor (and not only)

When it comes to Omegna, on the top of Lake Orta, it seems to be in a fairy tale. Walking through its streets, in fact, there are continuous scents of sweets and biscuits that are baked in the various pastry shops, including the last ones in honor of Gianni Rodari, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth, on 23 October 1920. And who knows if all his stories, from the chocolate street to the butter men, have found inspiration right here, from the brilliant creativity of the Omegna pastry chefs or if, instead, they are the ones who grew up on bread and Grammar of fantasy.

The Imperialine of the Iraghi pastry shop

For the Omegnesi themselves, the first sweet symbol of the city is undoubtedly the Imperialine. Present since 1937, if today they are still with us it is thanks to Marcello Daverio and to his Pasticceria Iraghi, which after discovering them went on to prepare them according to the original recipe, handed down only orally. Imperialine are small biscuits (vaguely reminiscent of cat tongues) made up of two very thin round sheets, made with flour, butter, icing sugar and eggs, then joined together by a drop of chocolate which distinguishes them from all the others; finally they are still handcrafted by hand, one by one. Over time, some imitations have been created, from which Marcello invites you to beware, as it is written plainly in the rules at the entrance to the restaurant. This is why they decided to register the trademark, in order to be the only ones both to prepare them according to the ancient secret recipe, and to be able to call them that.

Imperialine
Imperialine.

Queens, duchesses and ladies

But this hasn't stopped the inventiveness of Omegna's pastry chefs. And you know, the Omegnesi certainly do not lack imagination! Over time, other biscuits were also born and each pastry shop has specialized in a particular type: alla Zanardi pastry shop, for example, you can find the queens, very similar, but with the gianduia cream inside (and present in quantities greater than a drop); then there are the duchesses or, again, the ladies. And it's not a Gianni Rodari fairytale! But perhaps they are all children of his inexhaustible ability and unique art to invent stories, indeed in this case sweet, always with a careful and sensitive observation of the surrounding reality. Among these, however, the latest designs differ, those conceived and made in honor of the hundred years that have now passed since its birth. Although Rodari remains a writer, a poet and a timeless character.

I Perdigiorno by Gianni Rodari

This time the work is by Jolly pastry shop, located right in the historic center of Omegna, which on the occasion of the centenary wanted to create a completely new recipe, a dessert dedicated solely and exclusively to him. These are small square-shaped biscuits, prepared with soft wheat flour, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, cream, lemon, vanilla and a crunchy grain of hazelnuts. They are found both loose and in a special gift box. The name should leave no doubt: Giovannino Perdigiorno, in fact, he is one of the characters invented by Rodari, the protagonist of the book Giovannino Perdigiorno's travels, a collection of fifteen nursery rhymes, among which perhaps many will remember this one.

Giovannino Perdigiorno
missed the noon tram,
he lost his voice, his appetite,
has lost the will to lift a finger,
he lost his turn, he lost his quota,
he lost his mind (but it was empty),
he lost his temper, he lost his umbrella,
lost the key to the gate,
he lost the leaf, he lost his way:
all is lost except happiness!

This recipe has already been read 197 times!

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