The recipes of the Italian tradition in a series of video lessons by Chef Alessandro Battisti for the Omani public.
The pandemic does not stop the promotion of Italian cuisine in Oman. In collaboration with Oman Observer, the main Omani newspaper, the Embassy of Italy in Muscat offers a series of lessons on traditional Italian recipes that can be used free of charge in English and Arabic by the general public of the Sultanate, traditionally a lover of Italy and attracted by its gastronomy. A short course in 7 clips, one for each day of the Fifth Edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World 2020, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which will be celebrated from November 23 to November 29 under the theme “Knowledge and flavors of Italian lands, 200 years after the birth of Pellegrino Artusi”. “An opportunity to celebrate the variety and authenticity of Italian cuisine and reach the general public of the Sultanate at a time when precautionary measures do not allow convivial events and live tastings” declares Federica Favi, Ambassador of Italy in Muscat. From risotto to tagliatelle reaching ribollita toscana, passing through baked fish and tiramisu. Without forgetting the great classic, pizza, whose secrets from dough to cooking will be revealed. Each recipe will be proposed in its original preparation by a young talent, Chef Alessandro Battisti, a face known for its television presences and above all with a long and varied experience alongside great names of contemporary Italian cuisine, from Fabio Baldassarre to Cristina Bowerman, Maurizio Santin and Alain Ducasse. “We want to share with Omani friends the importance of the quality of the ingredients, a fundamental element of a cuisine that aims to enhance the individual flavors” – underlines Battisti, who adds that – “traditional recipes tell us how from a few elements, all very fresh, you can create dishes able to satisfy every palate in the name of a healthy and balanced diet like the Mediterranean one , embedded in the intangible cultural heritage of humanity”. Exceptional guests are Amal Salim Mabrook Al Habsi and Anastasia bint Sahim Muri, two Omani citizens residing in Italy, special students for the occasion, to create a bridge between the two cultures. Thanks to the collaboration with Oman Observer, which has consented to the dissemination on its sites in English and Arabic of the videos made by the Italian Embassy in Muscat, it will be possible to bring the general public of the Sultanate closer to the “extraordinary Italian taste”, to the very experience of the preparation of the dishes, to the pleasure of choosing the ingredients: it will be like breathing a real Italian atmosphere and learning more about the culture that each dish brings with it.
4-minute lessons, published one a day from November 23 to November 29 on www.omanobserver.om, which will allow everyone to recreate at home the memory – or dream – of a trip to Italy: “We want to take Italy directly to the homes of our Omani friends at this difficult time when the pandemic prevents us from moving and traveling. We are sure to entice them to visit Italy as soon as possible”, comments Ambassador Favi. In addition to video recipes, the Week of Italian Cuisine in Muscat also includes a collaboration with the large-scale retail chain Carrefour, which from November 23 to November 29 will promote Italian products to its customers. Finally, the program will be enriched with the sharing on the social channels of the Embassy in Muscat of multimedia content related to the figure of the great gastronome Pellegrino Artusi, nutritional labelling systems, the benefits of olive oil and the kitchens of some historic Italian houses.
