Hot on the High Street
“Our sandwich
recipes are authentic Italian classics, so
we avoid sauces and mayonnaise as much as possible”
Stefano Nicolai, was extremely generous in ensuring that I understood just how good his fare is. And, in fairness, he has every reason to be confident – his unique (to my English reared taste buds anyway) take on the sandwich is nothing short of, well, bellissimo! The big surprise for me was that, where
sarnies are concerned, I’m very much of the more is more persuasion, whereas Nicolai’s creations are simplicity itself. When it comes to sandwiches, it’s like Christmas has come every day in my house, as I’ll generally keep on cramming in ingredients until the bread starts begging for mercy. The Spianata way, though, is to keep
it simple and let the food do the talking. Much in keeping with the surroundings, the
www.tuco.org
impression is again like that of being in a deli; where a knowledgeable foodie has just picked you out a delicious, authentic bread and then paired it with the perfect ham and cheese and served it all up with little if any further embellishment. “We avoid sauces and mayonnaise as
much as possible,” explained Nicolai. “We feel these are not necessary, as our sandwich recipes are authentic Italian classics where the combination of just a few ingredients can create perfection. Our best-sellers are prosciutto and mozzarella, and caprese; not surprisingly they are considered the most classic of sandwich recipes in Italy - simple yet superb. Sauces are only necessary to add flavour where there is none and they
tend to make sandwiches less healthy. They are best avoided. “We are also passionate about the
provenance, freshness and authenticity of our fillings. We use the finest Italian cured meats and cheeses we can source, such as coppa, Parma ham, bresaola, finocchiona, mortadella, taleggio, gorgonzola and provolone piccante.” This certainly shows, though the factor that
makes Nicolai’s fare (which, though hearty, retail for an average of just £3.95) truly stand out in this competitive market, and indeed the thing that the whole enterprise takes its name from, is their uniquely baked (on these shores anyway) spianata bread. He trained with the Roman master bakers to perfect the
02.2012 | TUCO 55
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84