Foodie Profile – Antonia Curcio
In this Foodie Profile I interview the greatest influence behind my cooking, my mother, Antonia Curcio. Mum was born in Sardinia and moved to Rome as a young woman. In her 30s she decided to move across the world to Melbourne, Australia. Her life has been an adventure but she carries her Italian heritage with enormous pride. Her greatest expression of this is through food, and she is a master. Here she shares a little bit more about her life in Sardinia, Rome and Australia. She talks about where she shops for Italian ingredients in Melbourne, her favourite Sardinian and Roman foods and dishes, and more.
1. You were born and raised in Sardinia. Could you tell us a little bit about where you’re from and what it means for you to be Sardinian?
I was born in Sardinia, in a small town close to Oristano. For me to be a Sardinian, it means being a very strong woman, with a tough shield, courage, integrity and inbuilt survival skills.
2. As a young woman you moved to Rome and had quite an adventure. Can you tell us a little bit about some of the highlights of living in Rome in the 60s?
As I had always wanted to expand my horizons, I wanted to move and continue studying in Rome, the eternal city. I started by studying language and tourism. I lived at one of the most stylish areas in Rome, close to the Spanish Steps – among glamour and fashion and beauty. My life was full of adventures and experiences like attending the opera in the open, such as at the Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla), meeting new friends, attending concerts such as The Beatles when they came to Rome. It was a big excitement in all the city when they came. I went there with my friends and it’s one of the best memories I have with them. Also meeting Alain Delon, the late French actor, when I was chosen among my school friends to play a part in a film with him, a small part, I would say, but it was very important for me, very exciting.
Another one of my experiences in Rome was meeting Audrey Hepburn. I met her on my way to school one day. We were both walking on a narrow street and I recognised her straight away. She looked at me and said hello (noting that I’d recognised her) and then she started a conversation. She asked questions about my school (I was in my uniform) and about languages. She was very elegant and beautiful.
3. You are one of the best cooks I know. Can you share a little bit about your passion for cooking, your cooking style and how you learnt to cook? Please share any tips you think are important for people to be aware of when cooking Italian food.
I do not consider myself one of the best cooks, because tastes can differ. My passion for cooking was born with my kids. I started by cooking for them. My aim was to provide the best quality food that I could, which they could also enjoy, but that was nourishing at the same time. They encouraged me to keep on improving my skills according to their dislikes and likes.
My style of cooking is mainly conservative, traditional Italian. My tips, if you are thinking of cooking Italian, always choose the best, authentic Italian products. Shop at Italian stores and supermarkets, which are full of the many Italian ingredients that you will need for cooking, such as olive oil, capers, mozzarella, oregano, tomato passata, pasta, your favourite liquor to add to your desserts, such as Galliano, Marsala, Strega, Amaretto, etc. And before starting your cooking, do not forget to keep in a good mood and put some Italian music on. I like Vivaldi because it’s allegro (happy) and puts me in a good mood!
4. What are your favourite Sardinian and Roman dishes/foods?
My favourite Sardinian food dishes are: suckling pig casserole (maialetto in umido), culurgiones (a type of cheese ravioli made with authentic Sardinian cheese). In terms of Roman food I always enjoy and still enjoy a nice maritozzo alla panna – very popular in Rome. I buy mine at one of the coffee bars in the Trastevere area where my relatives live.
5. You moved to Australia in your mid 30s and have never quite stopped missing home. What makes you feel transported to Italy when you’re in Melbourne?
Yes, I moved to Australia, but it wasn’t ever planned. I came to visit my sister-in-law, and my husband and I fell in love with Melbourne. So we bought a house close to the beach only three months after we moved. It was a big adventure but I never stopped being an Italian, even when I became an Australian citizen. In Italy, I had my family, my special memories as a child, my friends, my beautiful mountains, my special culture. I missed the smell of my house, my mother’s hugs and smile, the smell of the wine in the barrels that my father used to make, the smell of the wild country.
I shop at the Italian supermarkets, because by using the Italian products with Italian texts, names, tastes, I feel transported back to my country.
6. What are your favourite Italian food rituals and why do you continue them in Australia?
Cooking all the dishes that my mama used to and sharing them with friends and family. Celebrating and cooking traditional food, at Easter, Christmas, the anniversary of the Italian Republic foundation by decorating my cakes with Italian flag colours, sharing the tradition of La Befana with my grandchildren. And baking my cakes and sharing them with friends and family, passing recipes to friends and in doing so passing down my food culture to the next generation.
7. Where are your recommended places to shop for Italian food in Melbourne? And what ingredients would you recommend readers buy/try?
I normally shop in Brunswick for my Italian shopping, at Mediterranean Wholesalers on Sydney Road. I also buy my meats there, at Nino’s and Joe’s in Brunswick. They have a good variety like veal, beef, lamb and they are very good, very high level meats.
For my big shop I prefer Mediterranean Wholesalers. I go there normally to buy my different pastas, since every shape gives a different taste depending on the specific sauce you use. The mozzarella is always fresh there, and very good quality. And your prosciutto, salami, especially sopressa, ‘Nduja, Parmigiano Reggiano (the real one), and especially the extra virgin olive oil. And for your tiramisù, you can find your savoiardi and your mascarpone. You can also enjoy a nice cappuccino while you’re shopping, sit there and stop for a while and have your coffee.
8. What are your most requested dishes?
My most requested dishes are schnitzel, lasagna, tortellini, tiramisù, and arancini balls – these are my grandchildrens’ favourite foods.
9. How do you take your coffee?
Well, first thing in the morning I enjoy my espresso with creamy froth and at least one spoon of sugar, just to kill any bitterness. Always serve it in the classical thick Italian espresso cups, never in a glass, never. For morning tea at around 10am, I have my cappuccino.
