NU’ Trattoria Italiana dal 1960: an act of love for Traditional Italian Cuisine

With the reopening of NU’, which added to its name Trattoria Italiana, Salvatore Tassa  now offers traditional cuisine as well as a gourmet fare. 

Several years ago, Salvatore Tassa had the great idea off adding to his star-restaurant one that was not as demanding. At the time, the formula of NU’ Bazzar was designed to be an innovative and cosmopolitan opportunity to allow the young people of Acuto and elsewhere to discover foods from other parts of the world.

A few weeks ago, always two floors below his restaurant Colline Ciociare, he opened NU’ Trattoria Italiana dal 1960, which is an act of love to Italian cuisine. The same that his parents Esterina and Bino offered, in this same historic locale. Times have certainly changed and so have the recipes of this newborn trattoria. Sitting down at the table, I imaged they had been made lighter to better meet the tastes of modern customers who, in the majority of cases, were no longer ‘laborers’.

I was welcomed with a smile by the cook Tina, Salvarore’s wife. Our conversation centered on the history of the restaurant and trattoria and, more in general, life’s ups and downs. I instantly felt wrapped up in a relaxed family atmosphere and in a way I felt like those bricklayers who, when I was a child, I would see stopping at taverns before heading home to their families. There they would ‘chill out’ after a day’s hard work with some easy conversation washed down with a little wine, mixed with sweet soda.

My meal kicked off with a bang with very hot Crepinette, fried dough pockets stuffed with cod and leeks. It was a starter “stolen” from Colline Ciocare, which has offered it since the 1990s, along with the Cipolla Fondente. It was excellent even if the oil from frying could have been dried better.

Tradition demanded some local wine that could clean the palate and what could be better than a Charmat Cesanese from Casale della Ioria? And, in fact, this sparkling wine wrapped me with its elegance and unexpected finesse and soI decided to stick with it for the rest of the meal.

Tradition was also respected with the appetizers. The cold cuts, aside from ‘nduja, included prosciutto, sella di maiale and Viterbo susianella, while the cheeses included pecorino and erborinato di Picinisco, Fiocco di Tuscia and caprine goat cheese from Azienda Agricoloa Monte Jugo.

I barely had time to catch my breath, savoring the lovely Rosé di Perinelli, when Tina triumphantly arrived with a plate of fettuccine with porcino mushrooms that was amazing just to look at. The thickness of the pasta, which was generous, the very precise point of being boiled and the freshness of the mushrooms created a pleasing choral arrangement. The flavor was a triumph of the forest that was refreshed and made slightly bitter by the right amount of chopped parsley. A round of applause for tradition!

At this point I was at the mercy of the cook and she was soon back at my table for the knock-out punch. The fini fini, a showcase for Ciociara cuisine, were served with a three-tomato sauce that exalted this hand-cut pasta, which was thinner than the tagliolini. I have to admit that this is a dish I will never grow tired of. The extraordinary Tina launched me into a world of pleasure.

I was brought back to Earth with the meat dish: pork ribs and sausage on a bed of roasted potatoes. Just to spoil me, Tina added some porcino mushrooms. I consumed this again with Tenuta della Ioria, always a Cesanese di Perinelli, which paired perfectly with the meat and the mushrooms thanks to its elegance and the intensity of the red fruit. Wine on tap is also available, the same I used to see those workers drink, if you want to cut down on the wine tab.

The restaurant now has brighter lighting and the lovely outside terrace offers a respite from the summer heat and a suggestive dinner setting overlooking a town alley.

Aside from offering two different realities, I believe that the possibility Salvatore Tassa now has to offer both gourmet and traditional fare is the right and winning way to go. And I am sure that Salvatore and Tina will be winners and leaders in this further and specific opportunity for Italian cuisine.

NU’ Trattoria Italiana dal 1960 
Owner : Salvatore Tassa
Via Prenestina 27
03010 Acuto (FR)
Tel. +39 077556372
Facebook: nutrattoria1960
Opening : from thursday evening to sunday at lunch
Average Price : 25€ per person (wines not included)

Link to the article: https://foodwineadvisor.wordpress.com/2017/07/19/nu-trattoria-italiana-dal-1960-un-vero-atto-damore-di-salvatore-tassa-per-la-cucina-tradizionale-italiana/