Another day, another delicious slice of pizza.
Pizzeria Il Fico is tucked along Robertson just outside of Beverly Hills. It’s a sleek, modern place with a beautiful patio. The food is classic, with a targeted, authentic Italian wine list. This is where we found the Erste + Neue “Prunar” Weissburgunder 2010. Yes, it’s Italian. And yes, it was delicious.
Erste + Neue is situated in the center of Caldaro, one of the small towns on the “Wine Road” south of Bolzano. Alto Adige is home to the multi-lingual, German-speaking, Italian-Südtirolers. It is there you find many co-operative wineries, all committed to keeping the centuries-old tradition of aromatic whites and earthy indigenous red wines alive.
The “Prunar” Weissburgunder is a classic example of Alto Adige Pinot Blanc, or Pinot Bianco. Full, rich, with a superb minerality. This wine is lean and crunchy with acidity- it begs for food. We were happy to oblige.
Brittany, Joyce and I started with the stuffed squash blossoms- crispy, rich and oozing with a creamy ricotta. I loved the little smear of tomato sauce on the plate as well- the perfectly tangy counterpoint to all that rich, fried cheese.
The Shrimp, Fava and Endive Salad was also full-flavored and refreshing. Pinot Bianco and shrimp is a magical combination, my friends.
Orechiette pasta, rapini and salsiccia is a classic combination- I almost can’t avoid ordering it whenever I see this on a menu. We all remarked on the perfect al dente done-ness of the pasta. Delicate and toothsome.
And of course, ordering a pizza at Pizzeria Il Fico goes without saying. You simply must try one of their crispy-chewy pies. This bianca version had zucchini flowers, mozzarella and was topped with fresh prosciutto. Literally the perfect food to combine with our beautiful glass of Erste + Neue Pinot Bianco.
Along with the necessary shot of espresso we sampled the deconstructed millefoglie with fig compote. I loved the crispy shards of pastry tucked into the rich cream and shot through by earthy fig conserves. It was so easy to eat this way, and so much more Italian somehow than those precious little squares of pastry, painstakingly stacked high by French Pâtisseries. As Brittany Carlisi would say, “Il be fare niente”. The beauty of doing nothing.
We tried the Peach Crème Brûlée as well. Simple, seasonal, delicious.
As you can see, we totally hated it…