Antichi Sapori

Up behind the Amalfi Coast is a small community set between the mountains - Tramonti, famous for producing wine, expert pizzaioli, and very long-lived residents. It is also the location of a small but excellent restaurant run by Chef Guiseppe Francese and his wife Antonella.

Guiseppe & Antonella (photo from 'Amalfi Coast Recipes')

Cucina Antichi Sapori

If you've had your fill of fish on the Coast, this is the place to come for excellent meat dishes, especially local lamb. Not that fish doesn't also feature on the menu, along with lots of local vegetables, traditional pasta and local recipes. This is Cucina Antichi Sapori ('Kitchen of Ancient Flavours').

Available from all good bookshops in Australia.

In her beautifully produced recipe book, 'Amalfi Coast Recipes', Australian Amanda Tabberer tells us (p. 149, if you have a copy) that:

Guiseppe's favourite dish to eat is the big fat spaghettone made by a local pasta producer since 1812, Vicidomini di Castel S. Giorgio, coupled with local Tramonti caciocavallo cheese (a type of hardened mozzarella), fresh basil and the famous neapolitan San Marzano tomatoes. Giuseppe is as true as this dish and its similarly coloured partner, the Italian flag!

We eat there often, accompanying the meal with great local Tramonti wines from the Monte di Grazia cellar.

Buon apetito!

Perfect risotto.

Parmigiana Melanzane - eggplant parmigiana

Agnello - local lamb

Spaghettone

Sicilian cassata