What defines a lazy summer lunch al fresco more than a bowl of pasta? Family and friends gathered around a convivial table under a shady tree or in a terrazzo with a view, wine flowing casually, laughter breaking, Italian songs playing… Imagine such a long lunch as if there is no tomorrow, or better to say, there is no Monday the next day. “Domenica Italiana” that is! “Domenica” is the word for Sunday in Italian, and the term “Italian Sunday” is a term used pretty much like a “Made in Italy” brand that aims to narrate Italian culture and the joy of life. In a way, it is a manifesto of Italian identity, taking the convivial “Dolce Vita” atmosphere of an Italian Sunday lunch as a symbol. “Domenica” is the key here; the idea is to bring a fragment of those sweet moments of “Domenica” into every day of the week, pausing for a moment and enjoying the moment where time flows slowly. It is a new interpretation of “Carpe Diem” in an Italian way.
A tale of two sisters
Last week I was at the Italian Consulate General in Istanbul twice. The consulate building is known as the Palazzo di Venezia, or “Venedik Sarayı” in Turkish, with a history dating back to the early 16th century. There have always been strong ties between Venice and Istanbul. Venice, “La Serenissima,” the serene port of peace, and Istanbul, “La Sublime Porte,” the sublime gate to happiness, were the gateway to the West. The two cities were like two long-separated sisters, having much in common. Enjoying the summer evening at a long table in the consulate garden, I could not help going back to my own past in Venice, studying stone conservation.
Venice is a city that takes life slowly. Summer can be scorchingly hot and humid, so when in summer some family gatherings for Sunday lunches are in Sant’Erasmo, known also as the vegetable garden of Venice. It is like a daily pilgrimage, but even going there is a joyous voyage. The island is famous for its purple artichokes, picked when young, resembling purple roses. Though Venetian cuisine is rich with seafood, my choice was always the vegetarian pastas. If I were invited to a family Sunday lunch in Venice, the pasta would always be “gnocchi al burro e salvia” (potato gnocchi with butter and fresh sage), a staple of Venetian Sunday lunches.
Gnocchi is also traditionally served on meatless Fridays, but it is also a favorite of Sunday family lunches. The pillowy small potato dumplings in melting butter flavored with the astonishingly delicious aroma of fresh sage, topped with a mountain of Grana Padano cheese, is unmatched. And sometimes there was a hidden hint from the East. A touch of cinnamon coming via Istanbul, La Sublime Porte. Of course, trade was the true connection that tied the two sister cities together. The Fondaco dei Turchi was the inn reserved for Ottoman merchants on the Grand Canal, and from there, many Ottoman tastes penetrated into Venetian cuisine.
Back on wheels
Time is slow on a lazy Sunday; there is no need to hurry. But Italian culture is not just about slowing down, it is about enjoying the moment in the right way. There is always energy and speed, an insatiable quest for enjoying life. When speed is required to enjoy life, Italians can be quite quick. A joyous table can be set up in a flash of moment, when you have a pot of boiling water, a great pasta dish can be ready in minutes. Speed kicks in when and where necessary, the moment when the work is done, such as the pasta for the Sunday lunch, then the idle hours can begin.
While dreaming about Venice, I was brought back to Istanbul by a plate of a new limited-edition pasta. Our summer dinner in the garden of Palazzo Venezia was to celebrate Formula 1, and the pasta which is created for the fastest of races. Shaped like a wheel, La Ruote is a new pasta shape created to symbolize the thrill of the race. With a bold, round shape and ridged spokes, it is built to capture and retain chunky sauces perfectly. It is as speedy as the race itself. Ready al dente in just six minutes, this short pasta also shortens the time in the kitchen, reserving more time for the fun at the table. Chef Claudio Chinali’s version was phenomenal, accentuating the ties between two culinary cultures. The creamy sauce was enriched with Antep pistachios and the final summery secret touch of lemon zest. Deeply flavorful, and fully summery! Just fit for a sweet summer night. Still, I think I’ll cook my wheel pasta al burro e salvia; after all, it is the speediest way to put a plate on the table.
