Nino Zoccali - Venetian Republic

THE FOOD OF THE VENETIAN REPUBLIC IS DIVERSE: PROSECCO & SNAPPER RISOTTO, CROATIAN ROAST LAMB SHOULDER WITH OLIVE OIL POTATOES, THE SWEET & SOUR RED MULLET OF CRETE, ZABAGLIONE FROM CORFU, OR DUBROVNIKS RICOTTA & ROSE LIQUEUR CREPES.

These are recipes steeped in history; dishes from the days when Venice was a world power. How did this small city state rule the waters of the Mediterranean, enjoying unrivalled wealth and prestige? How could this serene, safe-haven city of canals come to play a defining role in shaping the cuisine, culture and architecture of her Mediterranean neighbours? Yet, for a thousand years, the ships and merchants of the Republic dominated salt, silk and spice trade routes.

To tell this history, respected writer, chef and restaurateur Nino Zoccali focuses on the four key regions of the Republic: Venice and the lagoon islands; the surrounding Veneto; the Croatian coast; and the Greek Islands.

Nino Zoccalis love of the floating city began many years ago when, just 21, he visited Venice for the first time. Executive chef and proprietor of Sydneys The Restaurant Pendolino and La Rosa The Strand, Nino is also an international olive oil expert and writes regularly for esteemed lifestyle, food and wine publications. He is the author of Pasta Artigiana, also published by Murdoch Books.

CONTENTS

ABOUT NINO

Nino Zoccali grew up in country Western Australia surrounded by quality produce. His mother came from a family who have farmed in the region for almost 100 years. His father, a first-generation Italian migrant, grew, harvested, reared or bartered for just about everything that was ever placed on the dinner table, from artisan home-made charcuterie and tomato sugo, to the highest quality home-grown meats and vegetables. It was at this table that Ninos love for Italian cuisine began.

After completing a double major degree in Economics and Italian, Nino went on to pursue a career in the culinary arts. At 25, he opened his first restaurant, Caffe Contadino, in Margaret River to critical acclaim. In 1998, Nino moved to Sydney and not long afterwards he headed the opening team at Otto Ristorante Italiano on Woolloomooloo wharf.

Today, Nino and his wife, Krissoula, own and operate two of Australias most loved and highly awarded Italian restaurants: The Restaurant Pendolino and La Rosa The Strand. Both restaurants reside in the stunning, heritage-listed Strand Arcade in Sydney, and boast a loyal clientele of business, political and fashion elite.

Nino is also a passionate olive oil and wine expert and his first cookbook, Pasta Artigiana , was published in 2012.

LA SERENISSIMA

My fascination with Venice goes back a long way. Many years ago, when I was just 21 and had completed a 12-month sabbatical in Southern Italy, I found myself on my way to London. I had a little time up my sleeve, so I asked my learned older cousin, Liliana Di Certo, for advice on what I thought would be a difficult question where should my next stop in Italy be? Id been to Rome and Milan several times, but hadnt ventured far beyond these cities or the southern region of Calabria, the birthplace of my father. Liliana, I only have a few days. Where do you think I should go: Florence or Venice?

She didnt hesitate. Venice. You are going to Venice and I am going to organise it. In Florence, you have to line up to see the art. Yes, its amazing when you get in and see it, but in Venice, everything is art. Theres art inside and outside, everywhere you look. Its one of the most unique places in the entire world and the barrier of water has preserved her history like nowhere else. You are going to Venice.

And so my obsession with the floating city was born. Little did I know that Venice would continue to lure and inspire me for decades to come. Since my first visit as a wide-eyed ItaloAustralian boy from Bunbury, Western Australia, Ive built a career as an Italian chef and restaurateur, and returned frequently. Along the way Ive also fostered a keen interest in art, music and history, and nowhere in the world are these more beautifully represented and nurtured than in Venice.

Made up of 118 islands, Venice is the jewel of the Mediterranean. An archaeological site which still breathes life, according to UNESCO, which rightly added Venice and her lagoons to its World Heritage Sites list in 1987. Venice is a unique artistic achievement In this unreal space, where there is no notion of the concept of terra ferma, masterpieces of one of the most extraordinary architectural museums on Earth have been accumulated for over 1000 years.

Putting aside population growth and a booming tourism trade, the Venice of today isnt vastly different to the Venice of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The water that surrounds her keeps Venice separate from her neighbours, something that Venetians a fiercely independent people arent perturbed by in the slightest. This spiritual and geographical independence has kept the romance of the city alive and well for generations. Venice is a floating cultural incubator. A living fossil.

But my obsession with Venice is about more than just her artistic and architectural blessings. Its about how it all came to be. How did such a small place grow to not only enjoy such unrivalled opulence, but also play a defining role in shaping the culture and cuisine of her Mediterranean neighbours? Many are unaware that Venice had a completely transformative effect on regions along the Adriatic Sea an effect that is still very much apparent today, some 13 centuries after Venice rose to prominence.

What makes Venices revered status so remarkable is the fact that it was born from desperation. Venice was founded in 421 AD, after refugees from Roman cities including Padua, Aquileia, Treviso, Altino and Concordia fled Barbarian conquerors for her relative safety, where they used the marshy lagoon for protection. They joined the incolae lacunae or lagoon dwellers, fishermen who made a living from the fruits of the waters.

Venices location at the head of the Adriatic Sea, with her countless canals and waterways, ensured she was well protected from attack or invasion. But the peoples proficiency on water and their unrivalled artistry in shipbuilding put Venice in a unique position, where, despite her size and population, she became an incredible facilitator of trade.