QUALITALY_129

June/Jul y 202 2 XI MAGAZINE production capable of acting - as is usually said - as a stockpile in times of crisis, without having to resort to buying 70-80% of wheat from other countries, as is the case today? DO THE DIFFICULTIES IN FINDING INGREDIENTS AND RISING PRICES END UP ON THE FINAL CONSUMER’S BILL? DO YOU HAVE A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE IN CASE, CONCRETELY, NO MORE PASTA AND FLOUR CAN BE FOUND? No longer being able to find flour would mean no longer being able to make pasta... we would have to invent something else or make it from other foods, but it is very difficult, even according to our traditions, to think of something different. And as far as the bill is concerned, there has been an increase, despite the fact that I have always paid the utmost attention and weighed every small increase even in the past years: just think that oil, pasta and flour have increased by 120% in a very short time. In these situations, it is inevitable not to apply price increases, but customers understand the situation because they are aware that, even for the restaurant industry, the moment is difficult to cope with. High-quality pizza for everyone A critical issue that embraces many countries, including Italy where the tradition and excellence in pasta and dough is unparalleled. Chef-pizzaiolo Francesco Saggese of 081 Pizzeria Verace Napoletana in Melegnano is the spokesman for the sector. “As far as my business is concerned, we have always decided to use Italian soft wheat flour, so, at the moment, there have been no difficulties in finding the ingredient for the doughs. USING OUR COUNTRY’S EXCELLENT RESOURCES GIVES SECURITY OF SUPPLY BUT, AGAIN, HAVE THERE BEEN PRICE INCREASES? Compared to 6 months ago, flour has increased by 30%! A significant increase caused, by the processing increases of the players in the supply chain: grain producers, processors, mills, transporters and retailers. Unfortunately, all these increases - disproportionate in my opinion - are falling not only on restaurateurs but also on end consumers. As far as 081 Pizzeria is concerned, I revised the price of the Margherita from 6 to 7 euros. Everything else has remained unchanged. I prefer to propose and make pizzas with simple but excellent ingredients, always preserving the high quality. Pizza must remain an affordable food for everyone, and if I followed the trend of bouncing prices it would not be fair to the customers. Instead, by choosing this line, the restaurant is always well-attended and full. SHOULD THE SHORTAGE OF INGREDIENTS MATERIALISE, WHAT COULD BE AN APPROPRIATE SOLUTION? If the availability of Italian wheat were to drop, we would be forced to use other types of flour. It won’t be easy, we will have to figure out on a geo-political level which country will be able to guarantee us a supply of wheat (most likely the US) and find a new formula that does not sacrifice quality! We will have to do different tests and mixes to achieve and maintain the high level that we have always guaranteed to our customers. AT PAGE 44 ON THE ROAD Amalf i Coast. The scent of land and sea SALERNO, AMALFI AND CILENTO HOME OF LEMONS, FISH AND CHEESE by Alessandro Vergallo When we leave the enchanting Gulf of Naples behind us as we sail south, we are confronted with a spectacle that has no equal in the world. First, one is seduced by the colourful, picturesque houses of the Sorrentine peninsula that parade from Vietri to Positano, then by the beautiful Salerno and, finally, by the wild coastline and crystal-clear sea of the Cilento: three jewels set in the Campania coastline. Amalfi, a town of rare natural beauty, is the beating heart of the Amalfi Coast. In the early Middle Ages it was a glorious Maritime Republic. Here, as in the Republic of Venice, in addition to precious goods that could not be found anywhere else in Europe, innovative artistic ideas landed and news arrived from distant lands before they reached elsewhere. It is a corner of paradise where the scent of lemons pervades the air. A scent that is different from the other