Stefano Baiocco – executive chef of the beautiful Villa Feltrinelli – he is the right man in the right place, and even at the right time considering that in the continuous development of vegetable cuisine, the chef from the Marche region (now adopted by Gargnano, a town on the Brescia side of Lake Garda) is a master . His Green is one of the best tasting on the topic in Italy, because – strong of the his garden, calling it a vegetable garden makes you smile – it creates color palettes, full of nuances and scents. The experiences for the world – until a few years ago, Baiocco used the closing months of the hotel to study in important kitchens – were grafted on a natural talent and refinement to create a very personal style, which is seen (and can be heard) from appetizers to small pastries. Considering also the unique location and the perfect service, it is not surprising that the Grand Hotel restaurant has Two Michelin Stars and also at the top of the other Italian and international culinary guides.

A (certain) freedom in the ingredients

Living in the middle of spring and knowing his art on vegetables well, we could only ask Stefano a vegetarian dish. And here are the Green ravioli. We'll tell you right away, don't be frightened by the apparent complexity of the recipe. There are no vacuums, nor complicated finishes, just as normal cookware, a blender and maybe a mixer are enough. If anything, the problem may be that of shopping … "There are those who are lucky enough to have a vegetable garden or a garden and this represents an advantage", explains Baiocco. «Then I emphasize that I have chosen seasonal ingredients: in addition to the taste they give a chromatic effect to the preparation. But other types of herbs, vegetables and leaves can also be used according to taste and availability. The fundamental elements remain such and they are also found in supermarkets . More than the but no – we repeat it – it takes some time for the dish, which should not be missing until May 4th. «It seems a very difficult preparation, in reality the only mistake to avoid is not having patience and not following one step at a time. With the right amount of concentration, delicious ravioli will come , concludes the chef.

Ingredients for 4 people

For the chlorophyll paste
Knead vigorously (or with the planetary mixer) 400 g of flour 200 W, 200 g of semolina, 6 yolks, 3 whole eggs, 10 g of salt, 90 g of spinach puree, although the ideal would be the same amount of parsley chlorophyll. Cover the pasta with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

For the stuffing
Blanch for one minute in water 300 g of mixed herbs (including wild radicchietti, chard, borage, chicory, cabbage, mizuna, dandelions), let them cool and chop them. Brown 100 g of boiled potatoes in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, rosemary and chilli pepper and then add the wild herbs and flavor for a few minutes. Chop everything finely and leave to dry on a cloth in the refrigerator.

For the basil cream
mixed with an immersion blender 270 g extra virgin olive oil, 230 g bleached basil, 75 g toasted pine nuts, 30 g parmesan.

For cooked vegetables
Green asparagus, plate of courgettes, chard, yellow chard, spinach, friggitello, green tomato, beetroot leaf. Cook the friggitello, the tomato and the asparagus on the grill and the rest of the vegetables in water for a few seconds.

For the raw leaves
Wild spinach, fennel, St. Peter's herb, spinach frutice, lettuce, pimpinella and sedum. Just clean them thoroughly.

For the chard sauce
Blanch 200 g of chard leaves (only the green part) in water, cool them in water and ice. Blend them with mineral water and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

For the broccoli cream
Blend 200 g of broccoli cooked in a mixer with salt, pepper and a few drops of anchovy sauce, alternatively add two salted anchovy fillets.

For the pea puree
Stew a shallot in oil, add 200 g of fresh green peas and let them cook quickly by adding a little water. Blend everything by adding the chopped leaves of a mint sprig. If you want a very smooth puree, pass it through a sieve.

Final preparation

Roll out the pasta and pack the ravioli with the field herb filling. Cook them in salted water and glaze them in a pan with butter, parmesan and basil cream. Serve, add the previously heated creams and purees and finish by decorating with the cooked vegetables and raw leaves.