Support Italy's Amatrice
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the campaign at Spasso in Coconut Grove.
This weekend, villagers in the Central Italian town of Amatrice would have been celebrating their famed pasta and tomato sauce – Pasta all'Amatriciana – at their 50th annual festival. Instead, they are dealing with the aftermath of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that rocked their village, northeast of Rome, leaving at least 250 dead and thousands homeless.
Chefs and restaurateurs in Italy and worldwide have banded together to support relief efforts. Slow Food and Terra Madre president Carlo Petrini has launched an appeal to support those affected by the earthquake, including a request for restaurants to include a symbolic dish on their menu and donate proceeds to earthquake relief funds.
In South Florida, the Graspa Group – operators of Salumeria 104, TiramesU, Spris Pizzeria in Midtown and downtown Miami, Segafredo Originale Bayside – have followed suit with a campaign through Sept. 30. Each of their restaurants will feature a special "all'Amatricana" dish on their menus, and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Italian Red Cross. They've also set up a donation page here.
In Coconut Grove, chef Gaetano Ascione of Spasso is donating the full amount of every Penne all'Amatriciana dish sold ($15) to the Italian Red Cross through Sept. 30 via AMMADO.
Another way to show your support: Invite friends and family to a dinner showcasing this beloved dish, and make a donation at the same time. Try the recipe at left, or choose your own favorite version. The love of good food and community knows no borders.
