The story appears on

Page B11

November 15, 2009

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Feature » iDEAL

Italy's 'Prince of Pasta' brings tasty menu to Royal Meridien

VINCENZO Spinosi, from the famous Italian Spinosi family which began to make pasta as early as 1933, is known as the "Prince of Pasta," or the "Maccheroncino King," for his charm and charismatic manner and his excellence in the kitchen. He has taken the family tradition and built it into an empire.

The 54-year-old chef, born in Campofilone in the province of Ascoli Piceno, plays the roles of entrepreneur, chef and promoter.

Wherever he goes, he always departs with a suitcase, albeit a special one, to carry fresh eggs, flour, salt, Spinosi olive oil, a pastry board, rolling pin, an apron, and other essential equipment to make Spinosini pasta, which is thinner than spaghetti.

When he arrives at his destination he begins preparing his pasta in front of an audience that is waiting patiently, but eagerly, for a little taste.

The kitchens of great restaurants in London, New York, Tokyo, Paris and dozens of other cities have been the stage for his rousing performances, as have the galleys of long intercontinental flights.

From November 16-23, the renowned pasta prince will be in Shanghai with the brand's latest creation, Spinosini 2000 with Omega 3. He will team up with guest chef Paolo Antinori at Favola Italian Restaurant at Le Royal Meridien Shanghai hotel to present a feast of pasta.

He created Spinosini pasta in 2000 and it is widely regarded as his greatest achievement.

The special superfine flours used for the dough come from rigorously selected hard wheat and only whole fresh eggs are used, still hand-broken in the company's kitchens in the traditional manner.

The Spinosini has a thickness of 1 square millimeter and is different from other egg pastas because it requires fresh eggs enriched with omega 3.

The eggs are enriched as the hens are fed a diet that includes vegetable oils, natural sources of Omega 3s and vitamin E from cold-pressed sunflower oil from selected crops.

Using bronze die-plate and cast?iron rollers, the pasta is porous. When the Spinosini noodles are cut, they are laid on the back of the knife with great care and afterward the pasta is put on a sheet of white paper that must be folded on the edges.

Later, the drying-process starts under a low temperature and it lasts 24 to 36 hours.

The complicated process allows the egg pasta to retain the flavor of the wheat, the taste and fresh fragrance of the eggs, and also allow for perfect results when cooked.

In Shanghai, the two chefs will create a special menu of dishes made with Spinosini pasta.

If you want to experience the authentic Italian cuisine from the famous pasta family, come for either lunch or dinner.

The chef has won a number of awards such as the "Five Star Diamond Award" from the American Academy of Hospitality and Sciences of New York.




 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend