Photos: Courtesy of Barilla America
As you might expect, a lot of thought is going into the menu for the Nov. 6 gala to celebrate the Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa’s upcoming move to the historic Butler Mansion on Fleur Drive. Lorenzo Boni, executive chef for Barilla America, recently sent dsm a deliciously detailed menu of seven dishes, including three that feature Barilla’s “al bronzo” pasta. Cut with a bronze die, the pasta has a rougher texture that grips more sauce.
Boni grew up in a “family of foodies” in Bologna, which “profoundly impacted the way I create dishes,” he wrote in an email. “I formed a deep appreciation for robust flavors and traditional cooking techniques.”
After culinary school, he worked in kitchens across Italy before landing a spot at San Domenico, when it was one of the best Italian restaurants in New York. Later, he returned to Bologna to open his own restaurant before teaming up with Barilla, first as a consultant at its world headquarters in Parma and later as the top chef for Barilla America, based in suburban Chicago. He develops recipes for the website and oversees Barilla-sponsored events, like the gala at the Krause Gateway Center here in Des Moines.
Lucky for him, he can source all the pasta he needs just up the road. Barilla’s facility in Ames produces 1,000 tons of pasta every day.
— Michael Morain, dsm editor
