Introducing Leonardo Grazzi

Leonardo is a native Tuscan, from Tavarnelle Val di Pesa.  Following culinary school, where he met Monica, he owned and managed two very successful restaurants in Chianti for some 15 years. Keen for a change of direction, Leonardo took a chance and sold both of his restaurants to explore the fun and intimacy of cooking for private parties where he is able to become more directly involved with his guests.

Leonardo and Monica now visit clients in their own homes to provide tailor made dining experiences and their menus range from simple two course lunches through to sumptuous banquets for special occasions. They also provide bespoke cookery classes for guests keen to take home a new culinary skill. Children prove to be some of their most engaging‘pupils’, with ‘smiley face’ pizzas a popular choice. Leonardo enjoys imparting his gastronomic wisdom and is keen for guests to appreciate the range of the Tuscan culinary season, is a region where fruit, vegetables and meat is bought fresh from a local market, not flown in 12 months a year from faraway climes.

Leonardo’s skills are diverse, though his favourite dish is a hearty steak, which he likes to cook rare, as is the preference in Tuscany. Whilst Leonardo will always cook a steak according to a guest's liking, he believes that only by eating it rare can one truly appreciate the rich flavours of a good bistecca. 

A cookery class by Leonardo is included in our Saffron, Honey & Wine Gourmet Break in Tuscany and bespoke classes can be arranged on request with any of our Tuscan villa rentals. See below for Leonardo’s recipe’s for Roast Lamb with Mint & Balsamic Vinegar and Dark Chocolate & Chilli Dessert, as recommended by our lucky team in Italy…

INGREDIENTS ( 8 people ):

• 2 kg leg of lamb
• 2 lemon
• 8 garlic gloves
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Fresh mint
• 4 glasses of white wine
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• knob of butter
• 1 teaspoon flour

PREPARATION:

• Finely chop: lemon peel, rosemary, garlic, sage and mint
• Lay the leg of lamb on the table and cover with the chopped seasoning
• Tie the lamb with string
• In a oven dish add some olive oil, add the lamb and cook in the oven at 200 degrees centigrade for 40 – 50 minutes
• 5 minutes before the end of the cooking period, cover the meat with wine and allow evaporate

SAUCE PREPARATION:

• In a saucepan add the juice from the lamb together with balsamic vinegar, flour and 1\2 glass of water, stirring with the whisk
• At this point, cut the lamb into slices and cover with the juice

 INGREDIENTS (4 people):

• 250 g dark chocolate
• 200 g  butter
• 80 g  icing sugar
• 4 eggs
• hot chilli powder

PREPARATION:

• Melt the chocolate “bagno marie” (in a bowl over hot water)
• Add the hot chilli powder
• Melt the butter into the chocolate
• Prepare the eggs by separating the white from the yolk
• Mix the icing sugar with the yolk and add to the chocolate and butter mixture
• Mount the egg whites with a mixer
• Delicately fold in the whites to the chocolate mixture
• Line a heart shaped baking tin with oven paper and cook for 20 minutes at 180 °c.
• When cooked sprinkle with icing sugar for decoration