It’s spring, the gardens are exploding and you can feel the yearning for the sea at the table. So we go to Rapallo, in Liguria, a region which has written one of the most delicious chapters of Italy’s culinary history with its vegetables and fish. We cook together with Gian Rovegno, an active 80-year-old former sailor with three grandchildren, known in the city for his skills in the kitchen. “My house is a seaport: if you only knew how many people come to eat here at my home. My friends come over and ask me: ‘What are you cooking up today?’ And I get to work.” We taste a bit of the garden and a bit of the sea with Gian, and realize, once again, that the secret lies in simplicity. “That’s right, eating is a simple thing,” he confirms.
“It’s a matter of good will, of tasting and imagination. That’s how I learned, and I’ve always liked to invent. Of course, the ingredients need to be top quality, that’s a given. Personally, I don’t use frozen foods and I don’t buy anything that’s ready-made or out of season. And even if by now we have zucchinis year-round, I only use them when my trusted farmers harvest them. The same goes for tomatoes. I never use anything canned, I make my own sauce with fresh tomatoes. And I know about fish too. I buy it at the fishmonger’s in the evening, after the boats have returned with their catch.”
Gianni is working hard as he talks to us: blanching, peeling, sautéing, stirring, adding salt, chopping his favorite herbs and aromas. Like all great cooks, he doesn’t need to measure anything. It’s all done by sight and touch. “I’ve sailed around the world and I’ve tasted many different flavors, from America to Asia. I appreciated the food in Japan, Vietnam and Brazil. But in the end, nothing is as good as Mediterranean cuisine. I’ve always thought it was the best. Once I was in Florida, and I made a pesto that won everyone over. I had to make do using the basil that I found there, but in the end it was a masterpiece, believe me.” I don't have any difficulty believing him. The aroma of the stuffed zucchini and the sauce with fish that’s nearly ready is a guarantee.
Fish sauce
“It’s simple and fast. It’s great with spaghetti, add a touch of chili pepper and a handful of chopped parsley, to give it fragrance and color.”
“First, I prepare the clams. It’s important to purge them very well to remove the sand and grit inside. That way you can use the cooking water to flavor the sauce. I put them in a pot with a little oil and I heat it until the shells open. Then I remove the clams and filter the water. I peel the shrimp separately, leaving a few with their shells because it gives the dish a little color. I let them brown well in a bit of oil, garlic and rosemary, then add a splash of white wine and two tablespoons of tomato sauce. I let the sauce simmer for about ten minutes, and then I add the clams and the filtered cooking water. I stir one more time to mix everything well, remove it from the heat and voila, my sauce is ready. I add it to spaghetti cooked al dente, and before serving I complete the dish with a handful of very finely chopped parsley. For those who like spicy foods, I also recommend adding some chili pepper.”
Stuffed zucchini
“Here’s a Genoese dish. Each family has its own recipe. I stuff them with mortadella so they’re even more delicious.”
“To make sure this dish is really good, I buy the zucchinis from a farmer who harvests them in the garden right before my eyes. That way I can be sure they’ll be tasty, because they were taken in the right season. I cut them in half and blanch them for just a second. I drain them and with a small knife scoop out the pulp, which I then chop. I mix the pulp with eggs, chopped mortadella, grated cheese, olive oil and a pinch of salt. I don’t add pepper because it’s too strong for this delicate mixture. Some people add mashed potatoes, but I prefer adding some crustless bread soaked in milk. I thinly slice some potatoes and place them in a layer on the bottom of the pan sprinkled with a little oil. Then I fill the zucchini, place them on top of the potatoes, season with a little oil, sprinkle with bread crumbs and aromatic herbs and bake. You won’t believe how good it tastes.
Photos by Paola Allegra Sartorio