Year 10 students at Penola Catholic College in Broadmeadows discovered the region’s fascinating history and culinary traditions during their recent visit to Abruzzo Lab, managed by Michelle Di Pietro, an Italo-Australian of Abruzzese origins.
The students had studied the Italian regions and their cuisines in class, focusing on Abruzzo in particular.
They completed the unit of work in style by visiting the restaurant, accompanied by their teacher Anna Favrin.
As soon as the students entered, they were greeted by a vision of typical products of the region, including cured meats and pasta from top Italian brands.
On the opposite wall of the venue, an image tells the story of Di Pietro, depicted halfway between Italy and Australia holding a thread that binds Abruzzo to Victoria, as well as text that reads: “If it’s time to leave Abruzzo, I will bring Abruzzo with me.”
Di Pietro is a young woman full of energy and passion, with very clear ideas.
After a trip to Italy to discover her origins, she decided to import her heritage and experience in Abruzzo to Australia.
Once seated, the students listened to Di Pietro’s stories and learnt about the process of preparing traditional Abruzzese dishes.
Di Pietro showed the students the ancient tools used by her grandmother, such as the loom to make spaghetti alla chitarra and the special irons (similar to waffle makers) to prepare pizzelle.
The students then enjoyed an eight-course menu, with each dish just as impressive as the next, including pallotte cacio e ova (cheese and egg balls), fiadoni (baked cheese puffs) stuffed with four different types of cheese, timballo and spaghetti alla chitarra.
Di Pietro showed the students how to create timballo, a layered dish that looks similar to lasagne but is not quite the same: instead of sheets of pasta, very thin crepes are placed one on top of one another in a pan.
The clear standout were the arrosticini, Abruzzese skewers that are traditionally prepared with castrated sheep’s meat, mutton or lamb, which is cut into cubes, alternated with pieces of fat and grilled over hot coals.
Abruzzo Lab serves many varieties of arrosticini, including lamb, chicken, pork and swordfish.
They are grilled in the dining room behind a glass window, so that diners can witness the age-old tradition that Di Pietro brought to Melbourne.
Abruzzo is a region closely linked to the land, which has historically been crossed by shepherds and their stories of transhumance.
This history is reflected in Abruzzo Lab’s menu, which heavily features meat and cheese.
For dessert, the students indulged in pizza dolce, a delicious layered sponge cake that is typical of the region.
This was washed down with an espresso, made in an area of the restaurant that is reminiscent of a traditional Italian bar.
The students certainly seemed to enjoy the rich cultural experience, while it reminded us of the aromas and flavours of home, such as fried cheese similar to that prepared by our nonne in the neighbouring region of Molise.
For just a moment, we forgot that we were in Melbourne’s northern suburbs!
Translation by Laura Egan.
