Living her dream: Rock Falls native does culinary internship in Italy
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| Anna Sosi of Rock Falls |
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Anna Marie Sosi had a good year in 2009, and for half of it, she lived her dream.
Anna, who turns 21 this month, served a 6-month culinary internship in Turin, Italy, under the direction of Daniele Giolitto, executive chef at the Le Meridien Lingotto hotel. Housed in the famous Lingotto, the former Fiat automobile factory, guests jog around what once had been the Fiat car-testing track on the roof of the hotel, Anna said. She worked, slept, studied, and cooked in beautiful Turin, the host city of the 2006 Winter Olympics. She still likes to think and talk about her European experience.
Her parents, Jill and Tony, still live in Rock Falls, where Anna grew up.
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Anna arrived in Turin March 26, and on March 30, she was in the kitchen beginning her cooking adventure. She would rack up a total of 1,270 kitchen hours before heading home at the end of September.
“They have a different way of teaching there,” she said. “First you are taught how to plate a dish, then after you learn that, you learn how to actually prepare the components of the dish. Plating is most important because you are eating with your eyes and nose, then the mouth.”
Anna said when the internship was offered through her school, Kendall College in Chicago, she jumped at the chance.
“I decided that I did not want to stay here if I had this opportunity. I thought, ‘Now is my chance.’ They [the college] were reluctant to accept me, because I was going by myself and I was a girl.”
Before accepting the internship, Anna had to have $1,000 in a bank account for each month she would be in Turin. “I took a loan out because I knew it would be worth it,” she said. “I barely used it, mostly just buying things to take home.”
The paperwork and the visa took more than a year to finalize. Then, Anna was on her way. Things went well despite the fact that Anna spoke just enough Italian to say, “I don’t speak Italian.”
Fortunately, some people at the hotel spoke a little English, and one of the chefs spoke enough so that he and Anna could communicate. The staff and chefs there took her under their wings.
“Living by myself was a new experience,” Anna said. Mostly, it was just not knowing anyone,” she said. “I did not have someone I could communicate with. I learned a lot, and it made me a stronger person.”
Most things, however, were great in Turin. “I actually got to live in a five-star hotel,” she said. “The most beautiful room I ever saw; I was extremely spoiled. I had my living quarters and three meals free every day, even when I was not working,”
The staff accepted Anna immediately, and became like family, helping her learn the language and the customs, she said. “Their culture is just so ... just more relaxed.”
During her stay, she was invited to the homes of Pastry Chef Gianni Gerratana and Sous Chef Davide in Sicily. There she participated in preparing farm-fresh family-style meals. The staff gave her an autographed chef’s coat as a warm remembrance of them when she left.
Anna returned home to Rock Falls at the end of September and resumed her studies at Kendall College, where she is in her third year, pursuing a degree in culinary arts with an emphasis on nutrition.
Anna said she always has enjoyed cooking, and remembers cooking with her grandmother, Oleria Jean Portner, who resides in Rock Falls.
“My dad is the cooker at our house, but Mom makes a pretty darned good meatloaf,” Anna said.
Anna’s parents and two friends traveled to Turin and spent the last week with her before bringing her home.
“Leaving Turin was sad,” she said. “Being there was an experience. Everything they say about the Italians is true. They are crazy, nice, hospitable, really relaxed – never in a hurry.”
Recipes
Anna Sosi said her favorite Italian dish dish to make is carbonara. She shares that recipe and a few more with us. Some are a little different than what we usually offer, but here’s an opportunity to step outside the box and try something new.
Some of these recipes do not give specific amounts. You just have to judge it by how much you want to make.
Marinated swordfish, mango salad, and red onion ginger jam
Take the meat of the swordfish and remove the skin and, if possible,
remove the blood veins.
Slice on a meat slicer, not thick, but not thin, about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. Once sliced, marinate the fish with a mixture of 60 percent lemon juice and 40 percent vinegar.
Place a little bit of the marinade in the bottom of the pan, then place on layer of fish, season with salt and cover with the marinade, repeated until all the fish has been used, finishing with the fish covered in the marinade.
Place a couple of sprigs of dill on top for seasoning. Let marinate for about 2-3 hours. Then remove the marinade juices and mix with oil, about 30 percent marinade to 70 percent oil. Cover the fish with the new oil mixture.
The red onion ginger jam is made with julienne (cut into short, thin strips) red onions, one head of garlic, 1 1/2 cups sugar, peeled ginger (to be removed after cooking), 1 3/4 teaspoons red vinegar, and 2 teaspoons salt. Place in a pot and cook on medium/low heat until onions are tender; add water if necessary.
To plate, place a leaf or two of endive on the side of the plate and place the marinated swordfish on top, with very thinly sliced mango placed on the opposite side of the fish, fanned out. Place the jam in the middle and decorate with fresh dill.
NOTE: This is not cooked in the traditional manner. For the swordfish, the acid in the lemon juice cooks the fish. This cooking method is called ceviche.
Eggplant lasagna typical of Sicily
Eggplants
Bread crumbs
Tomato sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Eggs
Basil and salt
First, slice large eggplant to about 1/2-1/4 inch thick. Deep-fry, at 350 degrees, in oil. Remove from the oil once golden brown, individually season with salt and cover in bread crumbs. Then cover bottom of desired dish with tomato sauce.
Place a layer of eggplant, a layer of mozzarella cheese, a little egg (slightly beaten with a fork) basil and salt. Repeat for three layers, ending in tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese. Bake in oven until hot and cheese has melted.
NOTE: The egg is added to absorb the liquid and firm up the lasagna, so if you like it firm, add more eggs, and if you like it soupy, add less.
Pasta carbonara typical of Rome
Pasta
Pancetta (or bacon)
Water
Egg yolk
Heavy cream
Pepper and salt
Place desired amount of spaghetti in boiling water. Then julienne (cut into short, thin strips) pancetta/bacon and sauté in a hot pan to caramelize. Once golden brown, deglaze with water.
In a bowl, add egg yolk, a little bit of heavy cream, and a lot of pepper and whisk. The color should be a pale yellow.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain and place in pan, on low heat, with bacon and add the cream/egg mixture. Once the cream is added, it is very important to constantly stir until the sauce has thickened, but be careful not to overcook the yolk and produce chunky sauce.
Buon Appetito!
Tip of the week
Deglazing: Dissolving food solids stuck to the bottom of a pan by adding liquid, usually water, broth, or wine.
