Milan: September 2022
We visit the pioneers of Italian bistronomy at Trippa reimagining the quintessential Italian trattoria for the modern age. Here, Diego Rossi takes his haute cuisine training to a different level with a more authentic experience that embraces Italy’s gastronomic roots and traditions. Indulging in the rich, honest flavours of Rossi’s dishes, from the ever-present vitello tonnato to the innovative use of the ‘quinto quarto,’ we explore the philosophy and charm of this contemporary Italian hotspot.
Diego Rossi
Diego Rossi’s culinary career was inspired by his childhood passion for cooking. He began his professional training in 2006 at the Hotel Bauer in Venice, under the mentorship of chef Giovanni Ciresa. He progressed to the position of chef de partie before moving to the St. Hubertus of Norbert Niederkofler in 2008, a three-starred Michelin restaurant in the Dolomites. In 2009, he joined Alfio Ghezzi at the Locanda Margon near Trento.
His first leadership role was in Piedmont, where he collaborated with chef Juri Chiotti. Their restaurant, Delle Antiche Contrade, quickly gained critical acclaim and received a Michelin star in 2011. After a brief stint at Villa Berghofer in Alto Adige in 2013, he pursued his dream of opening his own restaurant in Milan. He partnered with foodblogger Pietro Caroli and launched Trippa in May 2015.
The philosophy
Trippa is the result of a reaction to fine dining. What started with Yves Camdeborde and the bistronomie was now arriving to Italy. But of course this could not be through a bistrot, but a trattoria.
Rejecting the constraints and aesthetic concerns of fine dining, Rossi chose to redirect his energies towards the trattoria format. Despite his extensive experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, he found the fine dining scene increasingly stifling in terms of creativity and true connection to Italy’s gastronomic roots. Rossi observed a growing detachment from the core values of Italian cuisine and an overemphasis on opulence and superficiality. By returning to the trattoria, he sought to create a space where conviviality, tradition, and genuine Italian flavours could thrive. His dedication to this vision is evident in his meticulous sourcing of high-quality ingredients, often at a higher cost, and his preservation of the trattoria‘s authentic ambiance. Rossi believes that the resurgence of interest in traditional Italian cuisine reflects a collective desire to reconnect with Italy’s culinary heritage and embrace a more grounded, satisfying dining experience.
The cuisine
Diego Rossi’s cuisine is characterized by its focus on exceptional, unconventional raw materials and minimal manipulation of the ingredients. He prioritizes taste over aesthetics, and this is reflected in the honest and simple presentation of his dishes.
Analogously to a Fergus Henderson nose-to-tail, Rossi’s cuisine emphasizes the use of the ‘quinto quarto,’ or the fifth quarter, the term used in Italian for the often overlooked parts of the animal that do not belong to the traditional four pieces into which the animal was divided – such as the skin, head, and internal organs. The fifth quarter was once a vital part of traditional Italian cuisine, and Rossi has dedicated a whole book to the preparation of offal in his book Finché c’è trippa. The title is a play on words, as trippa in Italian means both tripe and substance or passion. Since September 2022, he has taken this concept further by eliminating meat dishes from his menu and focusing only on vegetables and offal.
While rich in technique, his dishes convey a sense of simplicity and authenticity that speaks to the heart of the trattoria experience. He aims to create dishes with striking, incisive flavours, which he believes elicit more emotions than an overly elaborated cuisine. This approach, combined with his commitment to recovering long-lost flavours and techniques, has led him to create dishes that resonate with both traditional and modern sensibilities. A prime example of this can be seen in his vitello tonnato, a technically challenging dish that showcases Rossi’s skill in blending advanced techniques without compromising the dish’s identity.
Eating at Trippa
Trippa occupies a former butcher’s shop on Via Giorgio Vasari, where it evokes a comfortable and nostalgic mood with its yellow walls, tiled floor, bare tables and the use of vintage objects as decor. The wine list showcases Italian natural wines that pair well with the seasonal dishes. The menu changes seasonally, but supposedly the trippa fritta and the vitello tonnato are always there.
Seating at the bar, overlooking Diego and his team at work, we began our meal with a glass of Maria Pia Castelli’s Stella Flora 2017, an orange wine with a mineral essence, honeyed notes, and a beautiful texture.
Our first antipasto was the Fichi freschi, lardo, ricotta di pecora, vincotto di fichi (Figs, lard, sheep ricotta, reduction of figs). This dish consisted of ripe figs cut into quarters and a generous dollop of traditional sheep ricotta. Unlike the smooth and bland varieties of ricotta, this one had a grainy texture and a pure, distinctive taste. Thin slices of lardo covered the ricotta and figs, adding a layer of richness and saltiness. To finish off, a fig reduction was drizzled over the dish, lending a touch of acidity and sweetness that enhanced the flavours. The lardo nearly melted on the tongue as soon as it made contact, leaving a trace of fat behind. The figs offered a burst of sweetness and softness, while the ricotta balanced the dish with its mildness and freshness.
The Vitello Tonnato skillfully balanced the delicate texture of thin, tender cuts of veal cooked sous vide with a revitalized version of the classic tuna sauce. By employing a syphon to aerate the sauce, the typically dense accompaniment is transformed into a fresher, more delicate, and inviting component. The flavours were harmonious and timeless: the subtle beefiness and sweetness of the veal, the umami-rich mayonnaise, and the briny capers. The veal glace contributes an additional layer of complexity to the dish, enhancing the flavours and leaving a memorable, lingering taste in your mouth. A demonstration that in Trippa technique never is used as an end, but as a means.
We continued with a glass of ‘A Vita’s Cirò Rosso Classico 2019 for our primo piatto. Despite the high alcohol, it felt balanced, with soft tannins and full of red fruits. Similar to a Garnacha from Aragón or Madrid.
The Tortelli di pannerone, uva e acciughe e parmigiano (Tortelli with cheese, anchovies, grapes and parmigiano) was one of the best pasta dishes we have ever had. The tortelli are filled with pannerone, a soft and creamy cheese from Lodi that is made with raw cow’s milk and cream, but without salt. The tortelli are topped with a simple butter sauce, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and garnished with grapes and anchovies. The grapes add a burst of freshness and sweetness, while the anchovies provide a salty and umami contrast. The combination of flavours is surprising and harmonious, creating a balanced and satisfying dish.
The pasta itself is remarkable for its thinness and softness. It melts in the mouth, letting the cheese filling shine. The texture of the pannerone is airy and whipped, almost like a mousse. The butter sauce is light and emulsified, coating the tortelli without overpowering them. The grapes and anchovies are used sparingly, but effectively, to create pops of flavour and texture.
For a snack to accompany our meal, we opted for the signature Trippa fritta. This dish is a brilliant and delectable way of transforming tripe, the edible lining of the cow’s second stomach, into a crispy and addictive snack. It draws inspiration from the Italian tradition of using tripe, but also elevates it by creating an unusual texture.The tripe is sliced into thin strips, boiled until tender, and then deep-fried until golden and crunchy. A sprinkle of salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary adds a simple but aromatic flavour to the dish. One might not even realize this is offal if they were not paying close attention. The dish lacks the chewy textures that often characterize offal, offering instead crisp and crunchy bites.
The last dessert of our meal was a tribute to one of the most beloved fruits of Sicily: the fig. The Crostata di fichi e zabaione alla maniera di Corrado Assenza was a tart made with a pâte brisée crust, baked to a deep golden hue, filled with a layer of fig jam to preserve the crust’s crispness, a sabayon infused with figs, and crowned with ripe fig halves.
Corrado Assenza is a Sicilian chef who runs Caffè Sicilia, a pastry shop and gelateria in Noto. This crostata embodied his style and philosophy: seemingly simple, yet intricately crafted, faithful to tradition, and balanced in flavour. We enjoyed it with an espresso, Miscela 100% Arabica by Milano Roastery. For once we got a good espresso in a restaurant. Italian is style, of course, but very well brewed.
Conclusions
Trippa offers an exceptional and accessible dining experience that combines high-quality ingredients, true technique, and a dedication to preserving Italy’s culinary heritage. Diego Rossi’s innovative take on the classic Italian trattoria has found success in embracing tradition and authenticity. With an average price of €50 per person, Trippa provides a unique alternative to fine dining. The expansion of his culinary vision, with establishments like Osteria alla Concorrenza and Testina in Hong Kong, showcases the growing appeal of this refreshing approach.