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The dish: A conversation with chef Alfredo Bajrakt
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• Title: Owner/chef, Panevino Italian Ristorante, 8853 U.S. 41 N., Naples, 514-8655
• Hometown? “I am from East Trieste, and I have been in Naples since 1996.”
• Experience? “I started cooking in Rome when I was 15 and a half.”
• What is the hardest part of your job? “To create and develop new dishes.”
• What is the best part of your job? “Cooking and catering to my customers. I enjoy the people.”
• Who would you like to cook for? “Everyone. I enjoy cooking and in the summer, when I close, I invite my friends ... and cook for them at home. I usually make a large salad, pasta and grill steaks. Sometimes I serve lobsters and shrimp.”
• What do you do after you leave work? “I go home and relax and love to spend time with my grandson, Adam. He will be one on May 31 and he is the greatest. He isn’t even a year and he is walking.”
• What would you be if your weren’t a chef? “I love my restaurant and being in Naples. It is paradise. This is what I want to do.”
• What is your inspiration for cooking? “From my mother and from being in Rome.”
• What is your favorite food indulgence? “My tiramisu and Hershey’s chocolate. I love Hershey’s chocolates.”
• What is your favorite thing to make? “I love to make a country-style, seven-bones baby veal chops. I make it with sliced potatoes, mushrooms and peppers and then add a very little bit of a hot pepper.”
• Do you have any superstitions before you start work? “I always have a cappuccino.”
• Are you using any new ingredients? “I am always searching for new ingredients, and now I am experimenting with Indian spices for fish.”
• What is your favorite utensil? “I use a fork for flipping.”
• What should every kitchen have? “I love a gas oven. Gas cooks even and doesn’t burn.”
• What do you eat when you go out? “I like prime rib — a good beef.”
• What is your perfect meal? “A salad with Italian dressing, prime rib and a baked potato and tiramisu for dessert.”
• What is your favorite time of day? “At 4 p.m., when I am done prepping and can relax and eat a light meal before my customers come for dinner.”
• What is your favorite cookbook? “What I have in my head and what I create as I go along.”
• What ingredient do you use most? “Salt and pepper.”
• What spice must you have? “Basil is a have-to-have.”
• What spice can you live without? “Oregano. It is very strong and I don’t use it in my dishes.”
Chef Bajrakt gave us this recipe.
Osso Bucco
Ingredients
2 veal shanks, 1 1/2 pounds each
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound beef bones
Preparation
• Fill a pot with water and boil the carrot, celery, onion and beef bones for two hours.
• When it is finished, strain off the liquid
• Place the shanks in a pan and pour strained liquid over the meat and cover tightly with foil.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees (yes, this is what he told us, although many recipes keep the oven at 350) and cook meat and for two hours.
• Plate the meat and pour sauce over it.
• Serve with gnocchi and sauted mushrooms.
• Serves two.
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