A Guided Tour of Italy Wednesday March 13th, 2019 Friuli Venezia Giulia Join us for a taste of la dolce vita as we take ​ ​ you on a guided tour of Italy, starting in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the hometown of our Head Chef Alex D'Alessio.. Enjoy a delicious 3-course set menu showcasing the vibrant flavours of the region, including a special and nostalgic recipe from Nonna D'Marinella. For an authentic taste of Italy, right here at home. $50 per person Bookings essential. Book online at tavolo.com.au Mixed Entree Sarde in Soar Baccala’mantecato Polpo all’istriana From Venice From Venice From the Istrian Peninsula (Sweet and sour sardines) (Salted stockfish) (Octopus and potatoes) Main Goulash alla Trestina and Polenta From Trieste Frico From Carnia Desserts Nonna Marinella’s Plum Filled Gnocchi tavolo.com.au | (08) 9478 4412 Wednesday March 13th, 2019 Friuli Venezia Giulia Entree Sarde in Soar From Venice (Sweet and sour sardines) Traditionally used by fisherman, it is a symbol of Venice and of its long standing tradition of preserving food to keep on board. There are some who say it is a Jewish- Venetian recipe that then passed onto the whole city. Soar in Venetian means “flavour”. Fried sardines, onion and vinegar are the main components of this dish. Over time the dish had evolved in taste, sultanas were added to promote digestion and sweeten the breath. The modern dish also includes pine-nuts. Sticking to tradition Sardines in Soar is best consumed at least a day after preparation to best appreciate the true taste beloved by the fishermen. Baccala’mantecato From Venice (Salted stockfish) One of the most iconic dishes of Venetian cuisine. Its history dates back to 1432, where Captain Piero Querini had just lost his ship to a storm and found himself on the Loften Islands near Norway. Whilst on the island he noticed the locals preparing a traditional meal of Stokvis (Stockfish). The fish is salted and hung to dry on a rack for about three months. They are then beaten with a Roverso (wood) to soften them for eating. Querini decides to leave for Venice, taking a load of Stokvis with him. More than a century later and Baccala is an important part of Venetian life. Recommended as a dish for Roman Catholic Italians to eat on Fridays while they are abstaining from meat. Polpo all’istriana From the Istrian Peninsula (Octopus and potatoes) On the Istrian Peninsula this pairing of octopus and potatoes is served with fresh tomatoes, parsely, bay leaves, celery, garlic, olives and pepper. Octopus and potatoes is a popular and much loved dish throughout Italy. The history of the dish is lost in the narratives of local culinary traditions. Some trace it back to Sicily and others to the Genoese version. tavolo.com.au | (08) 9478 4412 Mains Goulash alla Trestina and Polenta From Trieste Originating from Hungary, this stew of meat and onions made its way to Trieste, where sweet paprika was added, changing it from the traditional recipe. The meat is cut into large pieces (“tochi”) and cooked with an equal part of onions. It is then best left to rest for several hours or even overnight to intensify the flavours. Frico From Carnia A delicious example of ‘cucina povera’ (cooking of the poor), a humble cuisine that combines on-hand ingredients in ingenious ways. Frico is created from left over cheese rinds, cooked with potatoes in oil, served either soft or crumbly. Traditionally, a comfort meal for woodsmen after a hard day’s work in the Alps, they would eat the crunchy Frico with cold polenta. Dessert Plum Filled Gnocchi A family recipe passed down from Nonna Marinella to our very own head chef Alex D’Alessio. Nonna Marinella would serve the gnocchi with melted butter, cinnamon and cocoa powder to Alex as a child. “I will never forget how she used to make them. I was so impressed by the fantastic taste of this gnocchi as a child that I promised myself one day, I would learn how to make them. I hope they are going to be as good as Nonna’s.” Buon Appetito! tavolo.com.au | (08) 9478 4412 .