The project

I wanted to create this page “a occhio e quanto basta” because my Instagram page @aocchioequantobasta has become a community that amazed me for the enthusiasm and participation with which many friends welcomed my philosophy of life.

It all began with my two grandmothers: Emma, born in Mantova, but lived in Bologna until 98 years old, the queen of tortellini, that she made until the end of her days and grandmum Angelina, born in Petronà and lived in Addis Abeba during the period when the family of goldsmiths opened some jewellers in Ethiopia and then returned to Castrovillari (her story would deserve a novel).

Also Angelina was an extraordinary cook and I remember her always on the move in her kitchen, with a pearl necklace, her curly hair in a chignon that it looked like an embroidery and her baked pasta with fry meatballs.
They are the ones who inspired me, their elegance, and their ability to handle family, home and career, without neglecting anything, never complaining for the effort or for the limited time available for themselves.
I remember them beautiful, as well as my mum, my sister and I in the kitchen with the same pride which we have honored our careers and our lives.

When you were trying to ask them about doses they always gave the same answer: “a occhio”.
And that’s a wonderful heritage, engine of my page. We don’t need to be perfect, just passionate!
Time or missing ingredient should not scare us. We just need a cupboard, sacred such as a little altar, that it will be our salvation, the attitude to altruism, to improvisation and I promise you an unforgettable result.

I teach this to those who follow me and that’s what you recognize when you stop me to thank me for my recipes. You trusted me and you started over or you began to live the kitchen differently, worry-free.

In my novel “Verrà il vento e ti parlerà di me” (published by Garzanti) I tell the story of a grandma who gives her granddaughter a recipe book: each recipe is linked to a memory of her life, with the hope of not letting her leave her homeland even if she paws to find her place in the world.
It’s not at all autobiographical, but even I left my region to look for my place in the world. Now I got it.
Today that I accomplish every professional and personal dream, I would like to dedicate myself to craft, cooking, traditions because there is no future without memory.
Especially, during the pandemic I wanted to share my passions with all of you, opening the doors of my house, of my kitchen, supporting many craftsmen, and many dreams that risked to fade away because of the difficulties of the moment.
I’m happy to make you sit at my table, to welcome you, to share the good as well as when you cook for someone. As a communicator, I think we have to show the beauty to spread the good.