Tag: family

Rana family and chef Sodano, beyond the restaurant – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Put together the Rana family, a food giant, which has promoted fresh pasta made in Italy around the world, and an enlightened chef, not only from the Michelin star, Francesco Sodano. The result is the construction of an entrepreneurial vision beyond the boundaries of creativity. A liaison that speaks of dedication, foresight and planning combined with avant-garde, innovation and research (passion is the common thread, but without this there is little to build). Let’s tell you about the new Family Rana Gourmet Experiencesthe restaurant – just renovated – born from the vision of Gian Luca Rana, managing director of the Rana Group, and that of Francesco Sodano who, after Faro di Capo d’Orso*, in Maiori, on the Amalfi Coast, accepted the challenge, not certainly easy, to represent through his dishes a long family tradition, a territory to which he belongs, but also a vision of experimental cuisine, at the same time sincere, rich in flavors, travels and experiences. From this meeting of personalities begins Rana’s new gastronomic narrative, which starts from the dish and the territory, which crosses countries and cultures, to then return home again, to the virtuous farm of the Rana family, immersed in the Feniletto Valley, a few kilometers from Verona.

Art, collectibles and lots of taste: the new restaurant Family Rana Gourmet Experiences

Beatrice Pilotto

The restyling of the former rice and tobacco warehouse

The raw-design style venue, renovated just over a month ago, was created from the walls of what was once a building dedicated to the storage of tobacco and rice. Every detail, from the colors of the walls to the handmade plates and glasses – with many references to the earth – but also contemporary works of art, many natural materials – such as the Milanese clay vases Nina Salsotto – and goodies from the Rana family home, such as cookbooks wrapped in neutral white paper. Among the unique pieces, also the large installation suspended from the ceiling made of roots, herbs, flowers and plants from the Feniletto Valley, collected by the local floral artist Octavia Bosco. The menus, the work of, have also been researched THEN, which stands for “Then I do it”, a Turin-based graphics studio. Last but not least, the collaboration with the stylist Antonio Marrasa friend of the Rana family, who designed in his classic patchwork style, the aprons intended for the restaurant’s dining and kitchen teams, and the dining jackets that follow the colors of the seasons.

A journey between technique, head and soul

Francesco Sodano

Beatrice Pilotto

But this is just the content of a place that offers experiences that pamper and rekindle all the senses. Three tasting menus are proposed, different but united between the professional and personal past of chef Sodano – born in 1988 of Campania origins -, the present of the place and the meeting with the Rana family. The gastronomic journey undertaken was that of the main menu, “Ricomincio da tre”, freely inspired by the film by Massimo Troisi. A journey that includes 12 courses divided into 6 acts of dishes signature of the chef, like the very delicate Leek between smoke and ashand the new creations inspired by local raw materials, such as Paddy rice with sturgeon stockfish. Among the most surprising is the Dirty cuttlefish with broccolia mouthful that inebriates with the delicacy of the sea and the strength of the earth and vegetables.

Don’t call it bread and chocolate

While among the sweet proposals, what seduces without second thoughts is the Negative of Bread and Nutella, the famous snack that Sodano interprets by reversing the colors: chocolate bread and white hazelnut cream. On top of a quenelle of ice cream clarified with hazelnut, a pinch of salt and a shower of grated truffle.

chestnut and cocoa dessert to be enjoyed with the family, a delight for the palate – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

The choice to present the chestnut and cocoa dessert during the holiday season is driven by the search for dessert options that satisfy demanding palates during a time of year when culinary tradition is particularly appreciated. The chestnutsrooted in the history of winter cuisines, take on a central role in this recipe, accompanied by the addition of cocoa to create a symphony of distinctive flavors. The origins of this Christmas cake can be traced back to the culinary traditions of European regions, offering a combination of earthy sweetness and cocoa intensity. The final result, a contrast between softness and consistency, surprises the palate with an enveloping taste. Therefore, its presence on the holiday table helps create a warm and satisfying atmosphere, adding a note of indulgence after a hearty meal. In addition, the chestnut and cocoa dessert can be cut into individual portions and decorated with a light dusting of cocoa or icing sugar for a final touch of elegance. It can be accompanied by one chocolate sauce or one vanilla cream to further emphasize the flavors. Preparation, resting and cooking times may vary based on the specific recipe, but in general, this dessert requires Attention and accuracy, guaranteeing a soft and homogeneous consistency. Follow our recipe today and enrich the Christmas holidays with flavor. Your chestnut and cocoa dessert will ensure an unparalleled success!

Great-grandmother Fanny’s jugged hare: family recipe – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Jugged hare, but not only. There is a nice atmosphere when you arrive at the lady’s house Annapaola Zandomeneghi, near Verona. “I’ve learned lots of recipes from you.” As a great reader of our magazine, this is how she welcomes us and then shows us the collection with pride (hers and, I assure you, ours too). A well-kept garden, an immaculate living room, a beautiful tablecloth with many signatures: they are those of the people who ate at this table, which are then embroidered, and soon mine will be there too. And then there’s the jugged hare on the fire on one side and the other polenta on the other. Mrs. Annapaola is not upset, also because with a past as a neurologist in hospital, much more is needed. The kitchen is crowded, there are the children Federico, who uncorks a bottle of wine, and Emanuela, who dedicates herself to supervising the food, while her daughter Adele, a medical student, arranges the cakes just taken out of the oven. They are inspired by Alto Adige because their father Bruno is from Bolzano and passed on to her the art of Linzer. Even if today the hare is the great protagonist. «It is a recurring recipe in this house, which we prepare when we are together, not on days like Christmas, for example, because it is not a dish that can be eaten by many people, explains Emanuela, professor of psychology at a Milanese university . «My father Albino she continues, «he had one grandmother called Fanny who cooked hare; she passed the recipe on to my grandmother Adele and then to my mother, who will one day give it to us. Let’s say that she is going down the genealogy of the women of the family.” The scent is everywhere in this kitchen. And the hare requires a lot of work, but no one here is scared. We are about to sit at the table, all together, as we do in our beautiful country, young and old, with the ritual that characterizes the Italian meal. The hare is delicious, with the right hint of acidity, the polenta soft as required for a traditional dish that will never change. Mrs. Annapaola is happy to have everyone gathered around her. Thank you, ma’am, for making me feel part of the family.

Great-grandmother Fanny’s hare, how to prepare it

«I cut a perfectly clean hare into pieces of half a gram each. I collect them in a large bowl, cover them thinly with water and a glass of vinegar and add a handful of salt, a few sprigs of rosemary and sage, peppercorns and a little cinnamon stick. I leave it to marinate in a cool place for twelve hours; at the end I rinse the hare very well. I chop a pound of coarse-grained artisanal salami and a pound of lard and brown them in a large earthenware pan with a drizzle of oil; when the sauce is ready, I add the pieces of hare, let them flavor and, as soon as they begin to dry, I add peppercorns, pieces of cinnamon, a few cloves, nutmeg, a handful of chopped almonds and a handful of raisins . I add a couple of glasses of broth, cover with the lid and let it cook gently for a couple of hours, gradually adding a little broth if necessary. At the end of cooking, when the meat comes away easily from the bones, I remove the hare very carefully, shred the meat and put it back in the earthenware pan, making sure that there are no small pieces of bones in the remaining sauce; I blend with a glass of white wine; when the wine has evaporated I mix everything with a sprinkling of grated parmesan. The hare is ready and I bring it to the table with the yellow polenta.”