Rosario Caputo chef/owner and sous-chef Matt Helstein have been creating several Italian regional dinners at the Oliver Square restaurant, Cibo.

“We chose Tuscany for our latest dinner. We wanted a region that not only had great food, but also produced a variety of white, red and dessert wines,” says Rosario.

“To stay true to what Tuscany had to offer, we researched recipes and procedures. We knew that Italian food keeps ingredients local, they don’t source out, but use whatever they can get from the land. So we used product we could find from Alberta. Mona supplied some nice wild hedgehog mushrooms.

“We wanted to serve a very rich dish for our pasta course so we decided on duck ragu. We confit the legs first, instead of stewing them, to add more layers of flavour.

“We used the fat from the confit, and rendered the guanciale to add a silky pork flavour. We kind of stewed the mirepoix (carrots, celery and onion) for about 45 minutes on a low simmer, until it became a rich paste. Once that was done we added white wine — adding another level of flavour — and then finished the dish off with four litres of reduced veal stock.

“People couldn’t wrap their heads around how explosive the flavours were.”

What’s up next?

“We’re looking at Lombardia, but it’s tough to find wines from that region here. Same with Emilia Romagna, so we might shoot down to Sicily.”

• 25 duck legs prepared conduto (confit)
• 1 c duck fat
• 1 guanciale small cubes
• 4 parts onions, small dice
• 2 parts carrots, small dice
• 2 parts celery
• 2lb wild mushroom cleaned and rough cut
• ½ bottle dry white wine
• 4 litres veal glace (reduced veal stock)
• salt and pepper to taste
• finish with fresh sage.

Taste of Toscana

Crostini Toscana & Meriggio Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Chicken liver pate, capers, raisins, pickled red onion.

Vitello Tonnato & Fattoria Di Magliano Pagliatura Vermentino 2010

Veal carpaccio, tuna dressing, caper, shaved radish, Italian parsley.

Traditional Duck Ragu & Fontodi Chianti Classico 2008

Duck and wild mushroom ragu on house-made pappardelle.

Limone Sorbetto

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina & Terralsole Brunello Di Montalcino 2006

Steak Florentine style, wilted spinach finished with lemon

Biscotti & Fattoria Del Barbi Vin Santo 2006

Classic twice-baked, chocolate, almonds, orange