Campiello: Cucina Italiana in Naples, Florida

 

Housed in the historic Naples Mercantile Building on beautiful Third Street South and surrounded by the original beach cottages and lovely homes of Old Naples, Campiello is celebrated for its award-winning Italian cuisine inspired by traditional Tuscan country cooking. With an open kitchen with wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and rotisserie-grilled specialties, the restaurants Tuscan-inspired menu also features many fine wines from local and global vintners. With a beautiful outdoor courtyard of cascading bougainvillea and original 1930's fountain, Campiello is a Naples dining tradition. Owned by the D’Amico family, Campiello also features its own boutique Empori Campiello, a unique shop stocked with clothing and accessories imported from Italy. 

Arriving for a leisurely lunch with our dear friends Manita and Randy, we were seated at a lovely table in Campiello's gorgeous outdoor courtyard and enjoyed with a delicious chilled bottle of Franciacorta to celebrate our very special lunch. In addition to the regular menu, there are always a selection of special dishes which this day included one of my absolute favourites, a Burrata Caprese Salad with heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. We all shared the Fungo wood-fired pizza with heirloom mushrooms, cippolini onions, Taleggio cheese and fresh chives. 

For entrées Manita and I indulged in some of Campiello's sublime pastas, including Garganelli with roasted chicken, prosciutto and peas, and Gnocchi with rich tomato passata and parmigiana. My husband and Randy chose a more health conscious option of Grilled Triple Tail Condiglione with egg, fingerling potatoes, haricot verts, and Castelvetrano olives, with a burnt honey and mustard vinaigrette, Marinated Grilled Vegetables with sweet basil an goat cheese, plus a Risotto al Parmigiana for us all to share. Enjoying a delightful lunch on a perfect sunny afternoon, we took Campiello's sage motto to heart: 

"Eat well, Laugh often, Live long."

A precious bottle of Barone Pizzini Franciacorta from Lombardy,

which is Italy's answer for Champagne

Sublime

Pizza Funghi with a rich taleggio cream base layered with melted mozzarella, 

earthy roasted wild mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, 

and a fragrant touch of truffle oil and oregano

Scrumptious

Grilled Triple Tail, with fingerling potatoes, haricot verts, Castelvetrano olives, 

 with a burnt honey mustard vinaigrette

Housemade Gargnelli with roasted chicken, prosciutto and peas

Marinated Grilled Vegetables with sweet basil and goat cheese

Gnocchi with tomato passata, parmesan and fresh basil

Campiello's signature Sogno al Pistacchio cocktail with pistachio liquer, 

Vodka and pistachio dust, shared with four straws

My dear friend Manita and myself at Campiello

campiellonaples.com

Pappardelle with Braised Veal

Serves 4

Pasta Dough:

10 oz durum flour 

6 oz “double zero” flour 

10 egg yolks 

2 whole eggs

3/4 cup water 

2 tbsp olive oil 

Add flour to a KitchenAid mixing bowl. With the hook attachment, turn mixer on low. Add egg yolks, eggs, water and olive oil. Mix until dough is formed and stiff. Roll dough with pasta roller until almost paper thin. Cut into 3cm x 20cm ribbons.

Braise:

3 lb veal chuck 

3 yellow onions, julienned

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

2 28-oz cans San Marzano-style tomatoes 

1 cup fresh oregano, chopped 

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 tbsp butter 

1 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Season veal with salt and pepper. In a hot flat braising pan, add oil. Sear veal on both sides and remove from pan. Add onions. Cook on low for 15 minutes or until soft. Add in order: vinegar, tomatoes, oregano. Add veal back to braise. Cook on low for 2 hours. Let sauce cool and break apart veal with a spoon.

Cook 10 ribbons of pasta for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. In a sauté pan, heat veal sauce with butter and chicken broth. Add pasta ribbons to sauce and cook for 30 seconds. In a pasta bowl, place ribbons in first and top with sauce. Garnish with fresh oregano leaves.