Gran Caffé L’Aquila’s Carbonara

185683311

April 6, 2009 will forever be a devastating day in the history of the original Gran Caffé L’Aquila, as an earthquake destroyed the capital city of Italy’s Abruzzo region. Riccardo Longo, who arrived from Italy at age 5 with his family and called South Philly home for a portion of his youth, makes regular trips to his homeland to study Italian regional cuisine. One of his excursions included a trip to L’Aquila, not realizing that the town was closed down. However, owners Stefano Biasini, the reigning gelato champion, and Michele Morelli, the top-rated Italian coffee roaster and barista, who opened an outpost on the edge of town.

“It was the best coffee and gelato I ever had,” Longo, who speaks fluent Italian, said.

The trio instantly struck up a conversation, and Longo invited Biasini and Morelli to make the trip to Philadelphia, where they continued discussing bringing an authentic version of the multi-faceted concept to America.

“They fell in love [with Philadelphia] and we eventually talked them into moving here,” Longo said of his friends and business partners.

The interior design, including the bar and furniture, was built in Italy and was transported to the states in cargo containers. All of the coffee beans are roasted on the premises while the gelato flavors — including several that are alcohol-infused — are made daily inside of Biasini’s second-floor lab.The cultural aspect is an equally important and crucial part of Longo’s dream project. Each week, the menu selections focus on a different region of Italy as Bolzano is the current area with Bologna to follow March 9 to 15.

As an added bonus, the restaurant also hosts cultural classes as it has teamed up with the America-Italy Society of Philadelphia for the sessions where participants learn about the culture of the elected region followed by samplings of the area’s food and wine.

Owners Michele Morelli, Riccardo Longo and Stefano Biasini

Carbonaro is an authentic Italian specialty, and at Gran Caffé’ L’Aquila, it includes a topping of pancetta gelato (that part of the recipe isn’t included).

Ingredients:

1 pound of spaghetti

5 large eggs (3 just yolk)

1/2 pound of guanciale or pancetta

1 cup of freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Over a medium-high flame, render diced guanciale or pancetta until crisp (rendered fat will be the foundation of the sauce). Beat the eggs, cracked black pepper and Pecorino Romano shavings together in a small bowl, and set aside. Cook the spaghetti al dente. Toss the spaghetti with the rendered fat and guanciale on a low flame until all of the pasta gets a coating

Remove the pan from the flame, and add/toss with the egg mixture. The sauce should be creamy. Plate, and add extra cracked black pepper, to taste. Enjoy immediately.

Gran Caffé L’Aquila

Owners: Michele Morelli, Riccardo Longo and Stefano Biasini

Opened Dec. 24, 2014

1716 Chestnut St.

215-568-5600

grancaffelaquila.com

185683311
185683181