In The Kitchen Silvia Barban

For this iteration we are thrilled to be In the Kitchen with Chef Silvia Barban, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of LaRina Pastificio e Vino.

Barban was born and raised in Northern Italy, spending her summers in the South where her mother’s family live. She grew up cooking with her grandmother Rina - a welcome outlet for her rambunctious energy as a child! It was those moments which shaped Barbans love of cooking, and her appreciation for the joy that it brings to everyone involved in the making and eating. Through her work and dedication to cooking, Barban centers the memory of her nonna, keeping her energy and knowledge of traditional Italian recipes alive.

Currently Barban is the co-owner and Executive Chef at LaRina Pastificio e Vino (named for her grandmother), where she uses the heritage of her family in her recipes as well as cuisine from all regions of Italy, fused with global inspiration to make the most delicious food! If you haven’t been to this gem of a restaurant, get there double quick and revel in the passion that Barban and her team bring to all things pasta and natural wine focused, always keeping seasonality front and center.

Q&A with Silvia

1. When did you know you wanted to be a chef?

When I was little I was a hyper kid and my grandma was the one taking care of me, she is the one that taught me the love for cooking. When I was 10 my grandma passed away. I knew then I wanted to make food and people happy like my grandma was doing with my family every sunday supper.

2. What’s the first recipe you developed? How do you feel about it now?

My Grandma’s roasted potatoes - The best roasted potatoes ever

3. What has been your biggest disaster in the kitchen?

My bigger disaster in the kitchen at my first job. I left the freezer door open with all the prep for the weekend. I felt sooo bad about this small business having to throw away so many products and all the work that we did.

4. What’s your favorite restaurant?

I can't pick a favorite restaurant, I think there is a fav restaurant for each day. Perhaps my mentor restaurant Perbellini in Verona, or Four Horseman in NYC, or Rocca in Tampa, or Folkstable in Sonoma. I can't really choose Haha! However, one of the best experiences I have ever had was at Piazza Duomo in Italy by Enrico Crippa.

Recipe:

Risotto, Zucchini, Zucchini Blossom

Ingredients:

10 oz. Carnaroli rice
1 stick butter
4 oz. 24 months Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
2 large green zucchini only the green part ( the white part use for the broth)
1 ½ tsp. of fine salt
2 liters of vegetable stock
2 large green zucchini
2tbsp garlic oil
Extra virgin olive oil

For the garnish
12 pc zucchini blossom
1 meyer lemon
Some julienne raw zucchini

To make:

Blanched the green part of the zucchini in hot, salted boiling water. Then 2 min after put it in ice water to keep the color bright green. In a blender put the zucchini, garlic oil, a little water, and olive oil, salt and black pepper. Place the rice with the salt in a saucepan on the stove. Toast until the grains are hot, then wet with white wine and then add vegetable broth to cover. Continue cooking by adding liquid as needed. Keep the rice al dente. Once the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and stir (mantecare) with the butter and Parmigiano. If necessary, soften with hot water and add a teaspoon of white vinegar to accentuate the acid note. Put the creamy risotto on a flat plate, then add on top the zucchini puree, squash blossom and the julienne zucchini, grate some lemon zest on top, maldon sea salt and olive oil.

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About In The Kitchen With

PORTA offers a uniquely honed edit of homewares from Europe bringing unique character and thoughtful design to your table and home in a way that simultaneously celebrates tradition while embracing contemporary style. Through our travels, interests and obsessions we bring storied traditions and histories to light so they can be engaged with in new ways. Many chefs explore and play with similar interests and ideas through food, and in our seriesIn The Kitchen With…we hope to highlight the joy and creativity that happens from stove to table by inviting chefs to whip up something wonderful on (or accessorized by) PORTA products. Each chef is generously sharing their recipe with us so that we can all recreate the magic at home, and answering a few questions about their love of food and approach to bringing people together around the table.