The Italian Way with Vegetables: Notes from Viola's Summer in Puglia
A hands-on cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer.
Italians love to celebrate seasonal, truly fleeting produce. They have a knack for making simple seem special, and they know how to transform a small basket of vegetables into a feast for a crowd. Viola Buitoni will show us the way vegetables are revered and glorified in the region of Puglia where she spent the summer as a guest chef instructor at the Puglia Culinary Center.
MENU
Gnudi di cicoria e ricotta di pecora—Sheep ricotta and chicory gnocchi
Fave e foglie—Dried fava beans puree with sautéed chicory
Ciceri e tria—Chickpeas and pasta
Uova con gli sponsali—Eggs with scallions
Acquasale—Stale semolina bread with summer vegetables and salt water
Sagne incannulate con pomodori freschi e ricotta—Hand rolled spiral pasta with fresh tomato and ricotta
Peperonata piccante con pomodorini—Spicy pepper sauté with cherry tomatoes
Pitta di patate salentina—Potato pizza with sweet onions, tomato and olives
*This menu may change due to what looks best at the market the day of class! If you have any allergies or restrictions, please notify us at info@18reasons.org as far ahead as possible.
Viola Buitoni, a direct descendant of the famed pasta and chocolate family, hails from Perugia, in the heart of Umbria. She came to the US for college, but soon after attending NYU as an economics major, she was drawn back into her genetic passion for food. She ran an Italian catering business and had a shop showcasing the best of Italian food on Madison Avenue in NYC. After moving to San Francisco in 2004 to start a family, Viola can now be found giving lectures on Italian food traditions and trends, and teaching cooking classes in collaboration with 18 Reasons, SF's Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Consulate, Cavallo Point Lodge Cooking School, Draeger’s in San Mateo and Blackhawk and Pepperberries in Eugene, OR. Since 2013, she has been a brand ambassador for Baci, the iconic Italian chocolates made by Perugina, the worldwide confectionery brand founded by her great grandfather. Viola has also produced food articles and cooking videos for MissionLocal.org. Recently, she began speaking on panels about tradition and innovation in food production and leading groups to explore local and artisanal food systems and producers in Italy.You can follow her adventures and find information on traveling with her at www.violabuitoni.com.
