San Pellegrino and what I ate in a year

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I’m sitting alone in a conference room at StyleCaster’s 5th Avenue office, but the meeting taking place here is no ordinary one. I’m having a Zoom call with Stanley Tucci. The actor, chef and author gives me a wry smile over the computer when I ask him about his favorite restaurant in New York City. “I don’t have anything that I like best,” he says expressionlessly. “I don’t.”

That doesn’t mean Tucci doesn’t like anything – quite the opposite. He likes many things, cheese being one of them. So much so that he teamed up with San Pellegrino and Murray’s Cheese to create a savory cheesecake. He clarifies: “I think we should call it cheesecake because it’s not actually cheesecake. They’re just wheels of cheese.”

In fact, the “cake” is made with it three Wheels of cheese, including La Tur, Mini Brie and Cave Aged Reserve Cornelia, topped with a “star” of Buonatavola Provolone. “We just wanted to develop cheeses with different textures and flavors so there was something for everyone,” he explains. “The idea is to create something that looks like a tiered cake, something my wife and I had at our wedding. Instead of a real wedding cake, we had a larger version of what you get in the San Pellegrino box and it’s just gorgeous. It’s something to have for the holidays. It’s a beautiful, beautiful looking thing. And as I said, different flavors and textures, before or after eating, are really wonderful.”

It’s been a busy year for Tucci. A few weeks ago there were rumors about his return The Devil Wears Prada 2 was shared across social media, delighting fans everywhere. More recently, Tucci published his second memoir: What I ate in a yearin which he records 12 whole months of food. Below I asked everything about his achievements and opinions related to food:

I read somewhere that you said cheese was your desert island food. What’s the most unique way you’ve used it in a dish?

I said cheese was my food on a desert island? No, I think someone made that up. I love cheese, but it’s not my desert island food. That would be pretty disgusting. I would say pasta would be my desert island food, with some cheese of course.

I mean, I love cheese. When you think about how much cheese there is in the world, it’s incredible. And not just the varieties, but what you can do with them is incredible. Think about Parmigiano, how it is used, how often it is used, how it can be used and how the peel can be used. Most people throw away the Parmigiano peel, but they are invaluable in soups, stews and ragus. I saw a guy frying his rind the other day, which sounds weird, on Instagram or something, and it looked really, really good.

So what type of pasta would your desert island pasta be?

Lasagna Bolognese.

What do you think is the secret to great pasta?

Great wheat – the ingredient from which the pasta is made, more specifically the flour.

What is your favorite lazy meal?

If I really don’t feel like cooking, then it’s simple scrambled eggs. Otherwise you can add some goat cheese, some spring onion, zucchini, potatoes, peppers. Make a frittata.

What have you learned about yourself while writing? What I ate in a year?

I learned how many times I ate the same things in a year. And the reason I eat them – because they are comforting, healthy and, for the most part, quick to prepare. But I’ve learned that the more you explore the everyday, the deeper you end up going. In the end you discover depths that you never thought were there.

What have you learned about other people?

How much I love her. However, not everyone.

What is your favorite Italian phrase and where did you learn it?

There is a phrase I learned when I was in Florence as a child. And the Italians, the Florentines, always say “Abbozzala,” which means “Stop it.” If someone is annoying, tell them to stop by saying “Abbozzala,” which means “Stop it.” . Only in Florence or Tuscany is it used, but I think especially in Florence they say “Abbozzala,” which means “finish it.” I think it’s funny.

If your kitchen could talk, what would it say about you?

It would probably say: Stop making the same dishes all the time. Do something new.

What is your favorite restaurant in New York City?

I don’t have one. I haven’t been to New York City in a long time. I don’t have a favorite. If I had to choose, it would be Il Gattopardo on 54th Street, right near the Museum of Modern Art. I love Il Gattopardo. There’s a wonderful guy running it.

Is there a particular dish there that you like?

NO.

I’ll close with one final question. Which of your recipes is your favorite and why?

I don’t have a favorite piece. I don’t. I love pasta with marinara. As I said, I love lasagna Bolognese. I love risotto. I love risotto cakes. So I like them all.