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Initial results of the partnership
food offered on board and providing
information about it so that guests will
better appreciate its significance and
essential goodness. The starting point
for this was the review of our process
of preparation of pizza, one of the
most iconic Italian dishes recognized
and loved universally.
As a result, we introduced radical
changes: pizza on Costa’s ships is now
made using two types of naturally
leavened sourdough, one derived
from a blend of Mulino Casillo flour
intended especially for the classic
Neapolitan pizza, the other from
Molino Varvello flour richer in fiber,
omega 3, polyphenols, selenium and
many other vitamins and minerals. The
use of naturally leavened sourdough
provides a more wholesome crust,
easier to digest and with enhanced
nutritional properties. These criteria
also underpinned the choice of
toppings: San Marzano DOP tomato,
mozzarella produced from Italian
milk, Prosciutto di Parma DOP and
other exclusively Italian products.
Fostering the culture of pizza
preparation also entailed the need
for a specific training program: Costa
pizza’s chefs attended theory lessons
and practical sessions all taught
by instructors from
UNISG’s
Alto
Apprendistato del Pane
. Pizza was
the first project and the pilot to test
the natural leavening of sourdough on
board, which will lead in 2016 to the
use of this basic ingredient for bread
making.
OUR NEW REGIONAL MENUS:
FOSTERING LOCAL ROOTS AND
A SHORT SUPPLY CHAIN
The first phase of the partnership
involved a review of the shipboard
menus and food preparation
processes. In 2015 Costa Cruises
introduced new regional menus on
board: these dishes reflect Italy’s
unrivalled culinary heritage and its
pride of place as the best modern
expression of the Mediterranean diet.
The menus were carefully chosen so
as to convey the traditions and flavors
of regions all over Italy. The study of
the recipes, sourcing of ingredients
and implementation on board were
particularly time consuming; there
are 14 regional menus (at lunch and
dinner) with a total of 252 new dishes
served fleetwide.
A key aspect, stemming from the
deployment of our ships all over the
world, is the management of menus
based on seasonal availability of
produce in the various ports of call.
UNISG’s support will also be used to
identify the best solutions to ensure
the shortest possible supply chain
and minimize environmental impact.
The main goal is to ensure, whenever
logistically possible, the use of fresh
products from local suppliers based in
or near the ports on the itinerary.
DOC PIZZA
One of the basic principles of the
work done together with UNISG is
the idea of conveying the value of the