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 This “small city“, which sits among the gentle hillsides is the perfect setting for the “Vecchia Urbino” restaurant.
Gabriele Monti and his wife, Eugenia, are well aware that food and the place in which it is eaten have an evocative power that is just as good as any history lesson. And it is for this very reason that they seek to pass on culinary traditions, preserving the need to praise an ancient custom with the rigour and passion of two guardians of something sacred.
Just as the old city of Urbino offers visitors an extraordinary combination of architecture and scenery, the “Vecchia Urbino” restaurant has turned the combination of gastronomy and local territory into a palpable quality. In fact, the kitchen offers delicious typical dishes from the area, using organic ingredients that are prepared using the latest technology to give each finished dish unique characteristics of excellence. This service is the result of the owners’ firm belief that cooking is one of the fundamental aspects of a people’s life and of the development of civilisation. The flavours, tastes and aromas offered at the “Vecchia Urbino” are an integral part of the local history and culture and they allow customers to experience the true atmosphere of the city, especially with regard to food.
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This area is further enriched by the presence of black and white truffles, fresh woodland mushrooms, cheeses, extra virgin olive oils, game, pork (nothing of which is ever thrown away) and sea and freshwater fish (the seaside town of Fano is 40 km away).
Mention must go to the rich wine list, which has been selected according preference to small growers from the Marches region (it is possible to purchase wines from the restaurant’s cellar at a discount of 20% on list prices), while the presence of an expert sommelier and oil taster allows customers to find out about the quality and characteristics of these precious products.
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Delizia del Montefeltro
Roll out an extremely thin sheet of pasta and cut it into two squares (with sides of approx. 12 cm). Place a round of ricotta cheese (previously heated in a bain-marie) into the centre of one of the squares and pour on an egg yolk. Add salt to taste. Cover with another square, that has been lightly brushed with egg yolk and seal the edges by pressing them down with a fork.
Cook the ravioloni in plenty of salted, boiling water and then drain them. Melt a little butter in a pan and place two more knobs of butter opposite one another on a large warm plate. Add the raviolo and sprinkle with plenty of slivers of white truffle.
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Vincisgrassi: a Symbolic Dish from the Marches
These are lasagne prepared using hand-rolled pasta. The sauce is made using chicken giblets, pork, veal and any other meat available, together with a white sauce prepared in a bain-marie. Place alternate layers of sauce, pasta, white sauce and Pecorino cheese from Urbino in a baking dish. The Vincisgrassi are cooked when a golden crust has formed on the top layer of pasta. Serve on a warm plate.
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Oven-baked Rabbit
Marinade a rabbit in white wine overnight, then stuff it with a mixture of lard and rosemary and tie it together carefully. Place some extra virgin olive oil into a deep pan and brown the rabbit on both sides. Add some milk and leave to cook slowly. When the rabbit is cooked, place the pan in the oven until the rabbit becomes brown. Cut into small pieces and serve.
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Braciola all'Urbinate
Take a well-hung loin of veal, remove the bones and open it out as if it were a sheet of paper. Hammer it lightly to tenderise. Prepare an omelette using Casciotta cheese, flour and milk; lay this on the loin of veal, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and add a few slices of Mortadella (Bologna sausage) and Carpegna cured ham.
Roll up the loin and tie it carefully. Pour some extra virgin olive oil into a pan, add some onion and fry the loin lightly until golden. Add some salted water and cook over a low flame for one hour. Slice finely with a knife and serve.
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Charcoal-grilled Lamb’s Head
Clean the lamb’s head with care and cut into two halves; garnish with finely chopped parsley and garlic and a little lard. Cook slowly over glowing embers. Serve on a warm plate, drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil.
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