Interview with Nicola Forlucci, owner and chef of La Braverja
As you are a chef, we can guess that the territory and row material you are willing to use, must be very important. According to you, which are the agricoltural excellences, specialties, the fruits of the hearth and of breeding you usually use as they are good, and top level of quality in your menu?
Our row material are locally found at 90% , the most importantone is truffle in all its types as our menu offer it all over the year. Of course we work with truffle in different ways, then we have the Sonpiano red potato, cheeckpeas and lentils from San Sisto, porcini mushroom from Nerone mountain, galletti mushroom from Conti and carpinelli mushroom from l’Orsaiola. Then we can find fresh vegetables from local vegetables garden. About meat we achieve to find highest quality about beef, sheep and pork, and don’t forget snails.
We can find excellent cheese from local shepherds as Casciotta d’Urbino, seasoned pecorino cheese and salted ricotta fresh cheese.
Other specialty of territory is hone, and for some years now, we can find as well flours of local grains in Montefiorentino and Orsaiola areas, from the restoration of ancient grains.
Which are the principal characteristics of our Pesaro-Urbino district, with an high density of PDO and PGI and a restaurant like your?
Climate and hills influence the quality of the products of our earth, the experience acquired by man about pasture and vines, and the organic world let us have excellent products s from the earth.
How climate, microclimate, the proximity between the sea and hills and diversification are important for the level of row material you can find in this territory?
Climate and microclimate are very important for the level of row material quality: e.g. Carpegna bacon in its mountain climate, the pinot nero wine in San Bartolo near the sea, sweet hills in Cartoceto for extra virgin olive oil.
How do you search for flavor and perfumes of this earth in your recipes?
When we cook a dish we respect the seasonality and the product.our dishes have strong roots on the territory. During the years, thanks to the acquired experience, we have been re-proposed ancient recipes in a modern way. As e.g. the Guinea fowl frico recipe cooked by our grandmas, today we propose it as stuffed tortelli with Guinea fowl and fresh butter, broth and white truffle.