Coronato Announces Special Collaborative Dinner with Roman Food Expert Katie Parla

Katie Parla is traveling to Coronato for a special collaborative pizza party with Chef-Owner Teddy Diggs on Tuesday, October 15th. Parla is a Rome-based food and beverage educator and journalist who came out with a cookbook earlier this year, "Food of the Italian South."

In her book, 85 authentic recipes and 100 stunning photographs capture the cultural and cooking traditions of the Italian South, from the mountains to the coast. During the upcoming dinner, Parla and Diggs will be serving delicious dishes from her book or inspired by the Italian South, and the menu is as follows:

MENU

Antipasti (for the table)

• Manell’ (fried polenta fritters) - page 40

• Frittata ai Fiori (Frittata with flowers) - page 54

• Polpette Casce e ovo (bread Meatballs) - page 56 * Feat. Mutti

• Insalata di Rinforozo (Cauliflower, olive, pepper, and caper salad) - page 156

Pizza (choose 1)

• La Marinara Rivisitata di Attilio Bachetti (marinara with garlic pecorino Parmigiano, and basil)

• Pizza all’Alto Casertano (Lard, onions, black pepper, fig jam, Pecorino)

• Pizza con N’duja e Fior di Latte * Feat. Mutti (tomato, fresh milk mozzarella, ‘nduja, basil)

• ‘A Pizza co’lErva (vegetable Calzone)

Dolci (for the table)

• U’Piscquett’l (lemon zest and cherry jam cookies) - page 210

• ‘Mipigne (potato cookies) - page 221

• Giurgiulena (Calabrian Sesame-Nut Brittle) - page 218

*Sponsored by Mutti

TICKETS
Communal seating is available for the dinner with two arrival times: 5:30-7pm or 7:30-9pm. Tickets are $70 per person and are available on Eventbrite. Each ticket includes food, drink, signed cookbook, tax and tip. Limited tickets are available.

About Katie Parla and "Food of the Italian South"
In most cultures, exploring food means exploring history—and the Italian south has plenty of both to offer. The pasta-heavy, tomato-forward “Italian food” the world knows and loves does not actually represent the entire country; rather, these beloved and widespread culinary traditions hail from the regional cuisines of the south.

Acclaimed author and food journalist Katie Parla takes you on a tour through these vibrant destinations so you can sink your teeth into the secrets of their rustic, romantic dishes.

Parla shares rich recipes, both original and reimagined, along with historical and cultural insights that encapsulate the miles of rugged beaches, sheep-dotted mountains, meditatively quiet towns, and, most important, culinary traditions unique to this precious piece of Italy.

Connect with Katie Parla on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Chef Teddy Diggs
Chef Teddy Diggs was born into a military family and traveled across the country for much of his childhood, exploring foods and cultures native to the locations wherever his dad was stationed. He loved learning and experiencing regional traditions and cuisine and fell in love with food because of it’s ability to connect people. Diggs worked in the restaurant industry while in high school and he later attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

After culinary school, Diggs worked in the top kitchens in Washington D.C., focusing on high-end Italian cooking. In 2009, he was lured to Martha’s Vineyard to run a restaurant group that focused on the Island’s sustainable fishing and farming efforts and also ran the dining programs for two of the island’s top hotels where he was fortunate enough to have many varied restaurant operation experiences, including cooking for many celebrities and President Obama.

Diggs moved to Chapel Hill with his wife and two daughters in 2014 to operate the Siena Hotel and Il Palio restaurant as their executive chef and food and beverage director. While at the hotel, his hospitality team realized many achievements both locally and nationally including an invitation to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. After 5 years at the Siena Hotel, Diggs felt that his purpose and impact on the hospitality industry could be furthered if he opened his own project. He gravitated to Roman cuisine, specifically Rome’s pizza culture, and fell in love with the concept that is now Coronato.

Connect with Coronato on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.