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A London restaurant owner has drafted in his mother all the way from
Naples to make sure his chefs can cook her secret recipe for Italian
ragù sauce properly.
Simone Falco, Managing Director of Neapolitan restaurant chain Rossopomodoro,
has launched a new menu featuring the traditional Italian dish, made
from his mother's secret recipe.
Since arriving in London from Naples recently, Bianca La Montagna,
aged 66, has spent a week with each of the head chefs at
Rossopomodoro's three restaurants, to make sure they know exactly how
to recreate her coveted recipe.
The special dish, which is named 'A Tagliatella' on the menu, is not
served with the traditional spaghetti but instead with tagliatelle
made in Gragnano, a small town just outside of Naples. The meat
ragù sauce is one of a kind because it is made using carefully
sourced secret ingredients, all of which come from the Neapolitan
region of Campania. As well as the expected tomatoes, which are from
San Marzano, and olive oil from the Sorrento peninsula, Signora Falco
uses some surprising additions from the Napoli area to achieve the
delicious flavour of the sauce, but refuses to reveal her methods.
Simone Falco said: "I was absolutely delighted when my mother
finally allowed us to use the recipe in the restaurants. I've been
enjoying this dish all my life and up until now, the family has kept
the recipe a closely guarded secret."
"This is not your average Italian sauce; the flavours are
particular to the Neapolitan region of Italy and the recipe is
unique. It is essential that the chefs know how to make it properly
and my mother is the only woman for the job."
"Spaghetti Bolognese is regularly billed as one of Britain's
favourite dishes. We want Londoners to experience the real, authentic
Italian ragù and not think of it as something that comes out
of a jar."
Signora Falco said: "The recipe has been passed down through the
women in my family for generations, I am very proud of the flavour
and it has always been kept a secret, but Simone kept pestering me
and finally convinced me to share it with the people of London. I
agreed, on the condition that I was able to personally teach each of
the chefs how to make it."
Rossopomodoro, which was originally founded in Naples and is now one
of Italy's largest restaurant groups, uses only the finest
ingredients from the Napoli region. The team is fanatical about
staying true to its culinary roots - even the water to make its pizza
dough and coffee comes from Naples.
www.rossopomodoro.co.uk
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