meet THE CHEF :
MEET THE CHEF
Massimo Deidda , Head Chef , Amici , Ashford
Combining authentic ingredients with a warm welcome , family pride and Italian passion , North Street , Ashford-based ‘ Amici ’ offers indulgent and delicious dishes cooked fresh to order .
What led you to becoming a chef ? Since an early age I have always had a passion and love for cooking thanks to my nonna ( grandmother ) who owned a trattoria in my village in Sardinia . Being an Italian , the food we ate was very traditional – simple recipes based on fresh and healthy fruit , vegetables , fish , and meat .
Tell us about the dishes and menu you have created ? My grandmother always said that a good recipe doesn ’ t need lots and lots of ingredients , because if the ingredients are top quality and full of flavour why would you want to change the taste . We believe in simplicity , and since opening our family restaurant in 2014 , our menu has been inspired by classic Italian cuisine with a touch of traditional Sardinian flavours .
We pride ourselves on not only providing great service and quality food but also to take you on a journey through Italy . That ’ s why in our menu we bring something from each part to Italy from south to north , our pasta De-Cecco comes from the Abruzzo region of central Italy ; cicchetti – small sharing dishes – from Venice ; arancini from Sicily ; and our special black pasta tagliolini nero comes direct from Sardinia .
What is your signature / favourite dish ? ‘ Cassola di Pesce ’, a Sardinian seafood casserole with fregola ( Sardinian couscous ). It ’ s a delicious combination of tiger prawns , mussels , clams , calamari , a touch of garlic and chilli , white wine , and tomato base sauce . If you are a fish lover you MUST try it !
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