Johnny From the Block
Lunching at Trattoria Biagio
I had not planned on going to Naples. In fact, many people advised me not to. So, of course, I went.
Ok, it’s not as rebellious as all of that. AGM, a former colleague and friend, recently moved to Napoli and when she saw that I was making my way through Italy, she extended the invite to visit her coastline condo.
There were a few highlights on this short pitstop but this particular feature is all about a banger lunch we enjoyed at a local hotspot. To set the stage, our cast of characters included AGM and I, an active JAG, a retired Navy captain, and Johnny.
A Brooklyn native, Johnny in the red scarf found his way to Italy as a G.I. in 1962. And that’s not all he found. He met his better half, an Amalfi coast native and a real spitfire, Livia. Now, fifty-seven years later, Johnny and Livia still call Napoli home. While his English-speaking accent remains with the distinct tune of Brooklyn, Johnny may as well be the mayor of this gulf coast town.
Our party regaled in the perks of his popularity on a sunny Saturday at Trattoria da Biagio. To keep things honest, it’s not exactly in Napoli proper, rather in a nearby town of Pozzuoli but they are so close so let’s not get lost in semantics.
The business began as a wine and olive oil shop, manned by Biagio and his wife. Johnny describes the place with dirt floors and barrel lined walls where locals stopped in for vino y olio and to shoot the shit.
A few years in, the couple thought to cater to the local blue collar lunch market. They began offering simple, Neapolitan fare. A home cooked pasta, sometimes accompanied by a hunk of mozzarella. Occasionally a sausage. And, often, a glass of wine. Locals would enjoy a quick, homestyle meal followed by a quickie of another kind at area motels. Then, they would return to work and eventually their wives, only to find themselves back at Biagio’s the next day.
Overtime the local bravado for Biagio’s grew and the couple, once again, catered to market demand. They expanded the menu and replaced the dirt floors with tile. While the interior became more modern, the menu remained true to Neapolitan classics.
Today, the Trattoria prevails as a favorite among locals. While the dining room has doubled in size, it is still too small to accommodate its potential patronage. Tables stay packed from open to close and it is not uncommon to see a line of the hopeful and hungry waiting for a chance to dine in. But, lucky us, we didn’t have to fight for a table. The family, of course, reserves a table for Johnny every Saturday, without fail.
Upon arrival, Biagio’s son and successor, Skinny Antonio (as Johnny calls him) greets the table and immediately starts explaining what chef has and doesn’t have available that day. While much of the menu stays consistent, there are daily changes based on what is in season and available at the local fish market. With a few questions fired off to us diners, Johnny places a feast of an order and we set off to enjoy what was a spectacular meal experience.
Bruschetta with burro di bufala and Sicilian anchovies is the stuff I dream about. Made with the leftover whey from mozzarella production, buffalo butter is creamy and compliments the ‘chovies even better than cow’s milk butter. Between the fantastic Italian loaf, the oily and salinic fish, and the burro di bufala, this dish is simple and oh so sexy.
Pasta faggioli is like eating a really warm hug. While it tastes nothing like khichdi the way pasta faggioli makes me feel is similar to the comfort food from my childhood. Typically made with pasta mista, or mixed pieces of pastas, this version of a hug in a bowl was made with spaghetti spezzati (broken pieces of spaghetti). Often times this dish of pasta pieces and perfectly cooked white beans is made with a hunk of smoked pork but, honestly, it does not need it. I know this Neopolitan staple will get made often in my own kitchen moving forward.
Onto the sautéd vongole. The key to this very moderately prepared dish is the clam. Currently, the clams at Biagio’s are coming from Turkey as the Neapolitan clams are less than abundant this year due to the massive uptick in rain. Anyway, these clams are chewy but tender and the fascinating thing to me is the entire dish contains no butter! In the states when you order clams the main ingredient tends not to be the meat morsels in their hard shells but lots and lots of butter. Turns out, you don’t need it.
And then came the risotto pescatore, or seafood risotto. Wow. Now, when I think of risotto a creamy, almost mushy, rice dish comes to mind. Not the way the Neapolitans make it. The rice remains toothy and tender and this plate was chock full of seafood. Specifically, cuttlefish mussels, shrimp, and clams. I must learn how to make this dish.
For the final dish description, I give you an unadorned plate of swordfish and prawns, fresh from the waters of Napoli. Expertly cooked, the sweetness of the swordfish was beautifully complimented by a squeeze of lemon and some fresh parsley. And then there was the prawns - oh my crustacean. The meat was flavorful, yet delicate. But the head just may have been my favorite part of the meal. I’m actually salivating now, thinking of sucking out all that sweet, salinic juice.
We ended the lunch with grappa, limoncello, espresso, and slices of birthday cake sent to us by a family celebrating at a nearby table. A true testament to the fondness between the folks who frequent Biagio’s.
For me, the warmth extended beyond the table of this neighborhood trattoria when I was invited to Johnny’s home the next day. Over coffee and the sweetest plate of oranges, Johnny and I talked through the meal from the previous day. For someone who never cooks himself, Johnny’s knowledge of each dish and how it is prepared was stately to say the least and the history lesson he gave me of Trattoria Biagio resulted in the report you read today.
Midday way through our chat, his wife Livia interjected with her own thoughts to which Johnny replied, “Liv, stop! It’s my time with G right now, you’ll get your turn.”
And that, she did, or rather I got my turn to cook with Livia. That was very lucky for me and almost as lucky for you - that cooking lesson will come together in my next story, complete with a recipe for you to try out yourself.
A very special thanks to Johnny for the meal and more importantly for the conversation. And to AGM for making it happen.
Until next time, ciao bellas.