A light mint foam topped with pork ear, pasta sauce, and fava beans, all served with pancetta “in a cup”: this is Maicol Izzo’s “seasonal” cappuccino, a timeless signature dish at Piazzetta Milù.

Ingredients

For the pig's ear gelatin

600 g pig's ear
2 L water Cream

For the mint infusion

200 g mint leaves
200 mL water Cream

For the mint foam (Makes 20 servings)

1.5 g gelatin sheets (equivalent to ¾ of a 2 g sheet), previously rehydrated in cold water
200 g pig’s ear gelatin (from the previous preparation)
200 g mint water (divided into 50 g + 150 g) (from the previous preparation)

For the coppa broth

1 kg of coppa
2 L of water Cream

For the blanched fava beans and cream

400 g of fava beans
water as needed
salt as needed

For the pasta sauce

2 kg of pasta (including scraps)
garlic cloves, as needed
2 chili peppers
olive oil, as needed
350 g salt (for the cooking water)

For the shelled fava beans

1 crate of fava beans

For the fava beans sautéed with pancetta

5 g pancetta
chili powder, as needed
olive oil, as needed

Method

1. Pig’s Ear Gelatin

Start by blanching the pig’s ear in boiling water; drain it and immediately run it under cold water to clean it. Transfer it to a large pot along with 2 liters of cold water and turn the heat to low. Simmer gently until the liquid has reduced to exactly 630 g. At this point, turn off the heat, strain the broth, and refrigerate it for 3 hours. Once set, carefully remove the entire layer of fat that has solidified on the surface.

2. Mint Infusion

Separate the mint leaves from the stems. Blanch them briefly for just 2 seconds, then stop the cooking process by plunging them into ice water before draining. Transfer the leaves to the jar of a blender along with 200 ml of water and blend. Strain the liquid once, then pass it through a cheesecloth bag to obtain a crystal-clear extraction.

3. Mint Foam

Take 50 g of the freshly made mint water and heat it slightly so you can dissolve both the gelatin sheets (well-squeezed) and 200 g of pig’s ear gelatin in it. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 150 g of cold mint water. Strain the mixture, pour it into the siphon using a funnel, charge with the gas cartridge, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

4. Coppa Broth

Cut the coppa into large chunks. Place it in a pot filled with water and begin cooking over very low heat. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the meat steep in its liquid for about an hour. Strain the broth and let it cool completely.

5. Blanched Fava Beans and Fava Bean Purée

Plunge the 400 g of fava beans into boiling salted water for a few moments, then drain them into a bowl of water, ice, and salt to set the color. Drain them again and keep them cool. Next, place 500 g of these fava beans in a blender along with 600 ml of broth (originally specified as ham/coppa broth). Season with salt, blend until smooth, strain the cream, and vacuum-seal it in the refrigerator.

6. Pasta Sauce

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta, adding a generous 350 g of salt. In a separate pan, create a base by sautéing the oil, the crushed unpeeled garlic cloves, and the two chili peppers; when the garlic is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta to the salted water and cook for just 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sautéed mixture, continuing to cook over low heat and alternately adding salted pasta water and plain water, stirring constantly to release the starch and create an emulsion. Pass the mixture first through a coarse-mesh strainer and then press it through a fine-mesh strainer, squeezing the pasta well. Taste the starch-rich sauce, let it cool, and store it vacuum-sealed.

7. Shelled Fava Beans

Take the box of fava beans and remove the pods. Blanch the beans for 10 seconds, then cool them quickly using a reverse water bath (a container inside a bowl of ice). Arm yourself with patience and peel the fava beans one by one, removing the outer skin.

8. Sautéed Fava Beans with Pancetta

Heat a skillet with a drizzle of oil and 5 g of pancetta cut into half-centimeter cubes. Add the previously peeled fava beans and sauté them. Thicken the mixture by pouring in the previously prepared pasta emulsion and let it simmer on the heat for a couple of minutes (if the sauce thickens too much, thin it with a splash of unsalted water).

Plating

Reheat the fava bean sauce gently.
Just before serving, blend the fava bean sauce with a hand blender to incorporate air and create bubbles on the surface.
In the bottom of a chilled coffee cup, place a layer of warm/hot pasta emulsion from the pan with the fava beans and pancetta.
Pour the emulsified fava bean cream on top.
Bring the cup to the table and, right in front of the guest, finish the dish by piping the cold mint foam from the siphon until it fills the rim of the cup.