Two Greedy Italians — Season 1, Episode 3: Piemonte: Regional Pride
Documentary • 60 min • 2 seasons, 8 episodes • ★ 8.4/10
Episode synopsis
When Antonio and Gennaro were boys, every Italian thought that the food from their own region was the best. In this episode they set out to discover if regional pride is still as strong today. Antonio returns to his home town of Borgo Franco to devour the truffles, cheeses and game of the Piemonte region in the far north-west of the country. From the moment they arrive, it's a battle between north and south, with Gennaro reluctantly admitting that the local food has some merits despite its lack of vegetables. The pair join in the celebratory feasts of the Asti palio, a famous horse race celebrating an ancient battle between regions. The local fans are passionate about their riders and the pair nearly come to blows when they support opposing teams. They discover that there are changes afoot in Italy, however. The recent waves of immigration have brought strange, new ingredients to the Turin vegetable market and foreign food producers are being restricted by tough rules from nationalistic politicians. The question is, will Antonio and Gennaro embrace the new influences on their beloved Italian cuisine? Or are the Two Greedy Italians traditionalists at heart? Antonio cooks a traditional dish of pasta ribbons with chicken liver sauce, and a German-influenced apple strudel which brings back memories. Gennaro gets creative with pork fillet with honey and ginger.
About Two Greedy Italians
Two Greedy Italians is a BBC television series that first aired on BBC Two in the UK on May 4, 2011. The series sees the chefs Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio travelling around Italy to see how society and food has evolved over the years. It was produced by Nicola Gooch. An accompanying cookery book was produced for the series. A second series was broadcast in April and May 2012. The series has also been sold and broadcast internationally, including on the Australian channels ABC and SBS, and the Swedish broadcaster SVT.