Stella Trattoria : Atlanta Italian Restaurant

Mr. Marchesi is spry, sprightly and in his element. Italy’s greatest living chef, who turned a mere 80 last month, is an example of not only how to grow old gracefully, but also of how to appear not to grow old at all. He has no intention of hanging up his pans anytime soon.

In his pomp, Mr. Marchesi, the father of nuova cucina, single-handedly dragged Italian cooking out of the humble trattoria and into a high-end restaurant near you. In 1985, he became the first Italian to win three Michelin stars. And most recently, he’s come to the limelight for his unorthodox and bold decision to opt out of the Michelin judging process altogether.

“Gualtiero Marchesi has been a leading light for all the chefs of my generation,” says renowned London-based Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli. “Italian cuisine wouldn’t be the same without him.”

Such is his fame in his homeland that until June 20 an exhibition celebrating Mr. Marchesi’s life and work, titled “Gualtiero Marchesi e la Grande Cucina Italiana,” is being shown at Castello Sforzesco in Milan (marchesi.it; milanocastello.it).

Today, Mr. Marchesi has two restaurants: the first, Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi at the L’Albereta Relais & Châteaux hotel (albereta.it) in Erbusco, Lombardy, which garnered two Michelin stars soon after opening in 1993; the second, Il Marchesino, at Milan’s La Scala theater. (ilmarchesino.it).

Most of his time is spent in Lombardy, where he lives with his wife of 48 years, Antonietta, in a suite at L’Albereta, which is owned by his friend, the industrialist Vittorio Moretti. Here, alongside newer dishes, he offers a “greatest hits” menu, including Riso, oro e Zafferano (saffron risotto with gold leaf), Ravioli Aperto (“open” ravioli), Seppia al Nero (cuttlefish in ink), and the wonderfully interactive Dripping di Pesce (a dish of baby squid inspired by Jackson Pollock’s “dripping” technique).

More here

How odd that Mario Batali could help. The portly Manhattan chef is far better known for his adventures in flesh. He’s a major reason that offal, unusual cuts like beef cheeks, and lardo – cured pig fat – are now Manhattan restaurant staples.

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Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking
by Mario Batli and Mark Ladner
Ecco
272 pages, $30

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Yet since he began exploring real Italian cuisine for American audiences, Batali has insisted that Italian cooks put vegetables before pasta and meat. “Molto Gusto,” his newest book, with co-author Mark Ladner, takes the same approach.

Vegetables, pizza, pasta and dessert –that’s the menu at Otto, Batali’s family-friendly restaurant, and that’s what is in this book. Many of the recipes are bracingly brief, and all are pitched to the home cook.

Respect the vegetables. That’s the theme behind recipes like Shaved Asparagus with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Green Beans with Charred Onions. Of 10 toppings that Batali offers for bruschetta, eight are vegetarian.

Some of the vegetables in “Molto Gusto” are relatively obscure – salsify, cardoons, black kale, sunchokes – but the breadth of vegetable preparations in “Molto Gusto” is infectious. Armed with Batali’s suggestions, it seems, readers could tackle almost any vegetable they bring home.

There’s a pasta chapter fat with suggestions, most of them vegetable-based. His salads are robust and not much more complicated than vinaigrette.

The real prize of the book, for Otto fans, is the technique Batali has worked out for respectable pizza at home. Not everyone has the determination to build a backyard pizza oven, but the lure of fresh pizza brings cooks back to the subject again and again.

Batali’s recipe promises “what I consider the best pizza in the world, pizza with a soul, with a history, with a depth of flavor.” His technique isn’t all that intimidating, but it does require rethinking what pizza crust needs to approach greatness.

Cook your pizza twice, Batali recommends. First, stretch out your dough, and parbake blank crusts on a griddle. Then, top the blanks and finish them under your oven’s broiler, with close supervision.

“Like all great Italian food, pizza is a canvas upon which you should happily invent to your heart’s desire (just leave out the kiwis, please),” he writes. “And when inventing your new creations, always be careful not to add too much stuff – simpler is better, and less is more.”

Find the recipe here: Green Beans With Charred Onions

Brought to Grant Park from the owner of award-winning Osteria 832 Pasta & Pizza and Doc Chey’s Noodle House, Stella Neighborhood Trattoria features affordable, freshly-prepared Italian food served in a cozy neighborhood setting. Enjoy hand-tossed pizzas, made-from-scratch pasta sauces, and a specials menu that will feature chef creations using the freshest seasonal ingredients available.
Relax with friends in our cozy dining room, take in the scenic view of historic Oakland Cemetery on our patio, or unwind with a drink at our full bar. Stella, which means “star” in Italian, is sure to shine as a neighborhood favorite.

•    Grant Park
563 Memorial Dr., Atlanta, GA 30312
•    404 688 4238 
(we do not accept reservations)
•    Sunday – Thursday :: 5pm – 10pm
Friday – Saturday :: 5pm – 11pm
Opening soon for lunch and weekend brunch.