Ristorante Gran Sasso
Ristorante Gran Sasso is in Rijswijk, a Dutch town and municipality near The Hague. It's run by Angelo Barbagallo, who turned it into a top-notch Italian restaurant. We've interviewed him and asked him some questions.
How did it all start?
Ristorante Gran Sasso was started in 1993, I began working there in 1994 as a waiter. Back then, I just wanted to gain experience, and that job was the perfect opportunity. I stayed there for three and a half years I was able to learn many things, mostly as far as wines were concerned, and I could add this new knowledge to the culinary one I already had, after having attended schools and academies.
In 2000 I started my first business, a deli, which I run for four years and turned out to be a success. However, all I wanted was to have my own restaurant. I fulfilled my dream in 2004, when I opened the Osteria Vino e Cucina in The Hague with my brother, who had moved from Sicily himself. I worked there until 2008, when I managed to take over the Gran Sasso, which has since become my number one priority.
Things are going great now, since Dutch people really appreciate my creative cooking.
Can you tell us what "creative cooking" is?
The typical products of the Italian culinary tradition are extremely important to me, and that's why I want Dutch people to get to know them too: most of the time, Italian cooking is associated to "maccheroni, pizza, and spaghetti", and that's a pity, because we're much more than that. My dishes are based on light, innovative combinations: though seemingly unconnected, they actually go well with each other, creating an unusual, yet extremely tasty mix of flavors. It took me many tries to create these recipes, but I'd say it was worth it, given the success they've been met with.
Where do you find the raw materials you use in your dishes?
We import many raw materials directly from Italy, like cold cuts, cheese, flour, olive oil, rice, pasta, tomatoes, and preserves. We buy meat, fish, and vegetables directly at the local markets. Our meat also comes from South America, particularly from Argentina, and from Ireland as well.
Which are the tastiest dishes on your menu?
That's a question I get asked quite often. I don't think there's a real Italian cuisine: in my opinion there's a mix of regional cuisines, and each of them has its own peculiarities, unlike the Netherlands, where these differences don't exist at all. Italy's culinary traditions give our customers the opportunity to always try out new and innovative recipes. For instance, I come from Sicily, but I draw inspiration from the recipes of Northern, Central, and Southern Italy. My goal is to give Dutch people the chance to explore and taste the flavours of our beautiful Peninsula.
I like cooking according to the seasons, so that I can always differentiate the dishes of our menu: during winter, for instance, I prefer broad beans, lentils, and pork meat, whereas when the temperature rises I can unleash my fantasy and cook lighter dishes, many of whom are based on vegetables and fish.
Our most famous dishes are tuna tartare with canapés and avocado served on tarragon cream, guinea-hen ravioli with black truffle sauce, tagliatelle with lard, courgettes, tomatoes, and pecorino primo sale siciliano, larded prawns au white wine, veal cutlets with garlic and mint vinaigrette, and tiramisu.
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