Between memory and creativity, from cheese to bread: how the chef at La Perla del Mare transforms a traditional peasant dish into a signature culinary experience.

*Content with promotional purposes

From a very young age, Deborah Corsi showed an innate passion for cooking, enjoying experimenting with bold combinations and intense flavors under her father’s watchful eye. Her professional journey began within the family business: a true apprenticeship, starting at the bar and then moving straight into the restaurant’s kitchens. It was here that Deborah spent years of intense and invaluable learning under the wise guidance of her mother-in-law, Ferdinanda Novelli, a talented cook who passed on to her the secrets and fundamentals of local seafood cuisine. Eager to continually refine her technique, Deborah then trained at the prestigious ALMA school and expanded her skills through numerous courses focused on signature cuisine, pastry, and bread-making. Today, she leads the restaurant La Perla del Mare with flair and sensitivity alongside her husband, Emanuele Giampieri, and is a member of the JRE (Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe) association. One ingredient she never does without? Parmigiano Reggiano: here’s why.

Parmigiano Reggiano, bread, memories

In Deborah’s philosophy, Parmigiano Reggiano transcends the simple role of an ingredient: it is a cornerstone of taste memory and a true umami enhancer. The recipe for Pancotto with Parmigiano Reggiano and Cocoa, featuring summer vegetable chunks, stems from the fusion of fond memories of family recipes and the wisdom of rural tradition—which has always been careful not to waste stale bread, transforming it instead into delicious, comforting soups. By stirring in extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano off the heat, the humble bread takes on a rich, creamy texture, while the bittersweet notes of the cocoa create a perfect counterpoint to the savory depth of the cheese and the colorful crunch of the summer vegetables.

The Chef’s Words

“For me, Parmigiano Reggiano represents a range of memories that begin in childhood and continue to this day. It’s my first memory of a milky flavor…the aged cheese that added flavor to many of my grandmother’s and mother’s dishes, or that I’d sneak small pieces of just for the sheer pleasure of eating it. It’s a flavor enhancer: every dish that contains it gets a burst of savory depth that brings out the best in every ingredient. Moreover, it’s above all a versatile product, since its various aging profiles make it suitable for a wide range of traditional and modern dishes. In creating this recipe, I drew inspiration from an old peasant dish in which homemade bread—leftover for several days—was simmered in farm-raised meat broth with the addition of lightly sautéed garlic. The final stir-in of oil and Parmigiano gives the mixture a thick consistency and, above all, makes it deliciously rich; the cocoa, with its bittersweet flavor, provides a counterpoint to the savory, deep taste of the Parmigiano. The vegetables balance the dish and add color.»

The Recipe

Pancotto with Parmigiano Reggiano and Cocoa, Served with Summer Vegetable Gnocchi

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 egg whites
150 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
100 g vegetables (onions, zucchini, carrots, celery)
200 g stale Tuscan bread, crusts removed, thinly sliced (dried in the oven at 100°C)
250 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
70 g finely chopped shallots
Extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
Vegetable broth
Peanut oil (for frying)
Unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

Dice the vegetables (2 mm per side), blanch them for one minute in heavily salted boiling water, immediately transfer them to an ice bath, then pat them dry.
Heat the peanut oil for frying.
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly; use your hands to form balls about 3 cm in diameter.
Fry the balls for 4 minutes in plenty of oil at 170°C, then drain them on paper towels.
Place about 20 g of extra virgin olive oil with the shallot in a tall, narrow saucepan; sauté gently for 2 minutes, then add the bread crumbled by hand; after 1 minute, pour in the vegetable broth (enough to triple the level of the bread) .
Cook over moderate heat until it forms a creamy consistency (adding more broth if necessary), then remove from the heat and stir in Parmigiano Reggiano and extra virgin olive oil.
Serve on flat plates with a dusting of cocoa on half of the pancotto and the Parmigiano Reggiano shavings and vegetables in the center