Sajni Fasanotti presents Maio Restaurant in Milan

Wineries embrace restaurants. For the column “Ristorante Amico” (Friend-restaurant), a wine producer presents one of his favorite restaurants, which in return offers a recipe paired with one of his wines.

Set in the most spectacular setting in Milan, with a privileged view over the steeples of the Duomo, the Maio Restaurant is the spearhead of the Food Hall on the seventh floor of the La Rinascente department store. The modern, refined design and choice of top, highly functional Italian materials, give this setting an intimate, chic atmosphere, making this the ideal location for exclusive events. The open kitchen, large dining room and terrace create a fluid environment, fully satisfying the wish for a beautiful view, adapting in a chameleon-like manner to every need. 

"Master" of the kitchen is Luca Seveso, class of 1969, a native of Cantù with qualified experience in Italy and abroad, who arrived at the helm of Maio Restaurant's kitchen 16 years ago. Chef Seveso's inclination is for a traditional cuisine directed toward creativity, in which respect for raw materials coexists with experimentation with novel techniques and combinations. 

Chef Seveso's proposals are able to attract both a demanding international audience and offer an accessible and exclusive gastronomic journey with a proposal always in perfect balance between roots and contemporaneity. The careful selection of high quality raw materials and strict respect for the seasonality of products are the basis of Maio Restaurant's DNA.

Suggested recipe:

Milano Risotto with smoked leeks cream and saffron

Ingredients for 4:

320 g Carnaroli rice, 1 g saffron pistils, 250 g leeks, 80 g butter, 80 g Parmigiano Reggiano, 30 g shallots, 10 g evo oil, 2 l vegetable stock. salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

For the leek cream: clean and wash the leeks, arrange them on a plate and season with evo oil and salt. Bake in the oven at 240° for 35 min.

Remove the leeks from the oven, remove the first layer that will be burnt, then cut the leeks into chunks and whisk with a few drops of evo oil and a ladle of vegetable stock added.

For the rice: chop the shallot and stew it in a pan with a drizzle of evo oil, then add the rice. Let it toast and start cooking by wetting with hot broth, add saffron pistils after 5 minutes and continue until cooked through.

Cream the risotto with butter, Parmesan cheese and the leek cream. Adjust salt and pepper and serve on a flat plate.

Wine to pair:

Trentino Pinot Grigio Ramato Controcanto 2021 Sajni Fasanotti

Light coppery color. Intriguing and intense, with notes of white pear, balsamic hints, mint and pink pepper. Fresh, flavorful, creamy, round and satisfying mouthfeel, wide and long progression. Excellent persistence.

Production area: In the Mori area, close to Rovereto, Maso Palt, west oriented vineyards and clayish volcanic soil.

Grape varieties: Pinot Grigio, Guyot trained

Harvest: manual in September

Vinification: The grapes are destemmed and sent to the press for a brief cryomaceration in reduction (2-4 hours to extract the color). Next they are crushed and the must cleaned by flotation. The cleaned must is inoculated with selected yeasts and fermented in stainless steel at 18° C; fermentation lasts 10 to 15 days. A very small part is fermented in barrels. After fermentation it is separated from the coarse lees and left to age on the fine lees. Once the blend between the 2 fractions is made, protein and tartaric stabilization is carried out and then bottling. One year after bottling it is released for sale.

Alcoholic content: 12,40% vol

Serving Temperature: 12-14°C.

Suggested pairings: Hors d'oeuvres of cured meats, sausages, bacon and smoked meats; first courses including meat; fish also stewed, tuna skewers, guinea fowl baked in foil, roast veal; medium-young and medium-aged cheeses.

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