Continuing to tell the Italian story through food and wine, Stefano and the Balla family welcome back the Italian Regional Dinner Series for 2014.

Over the past ten years, Stefano has followed his love affair of Italian food and wine to all the country's regions, tasted first hand and shared his knowledge in his definitive cookbook Stefano Manfredi's Italian Food.

This year, Stefano has chosen 4 of the country's 20 regions, to celebrate and also highlight the seasons; Valle d'Aosta in Autumn, Friuli during Winter, Molise for Spring and Calabria celebrates Summer.

BALLA REGIONAL DINNER SERIES DATES

Valle d'Aosta (Autumn)- Tuesday 13th May

Friuli (Winter) - Tuesday 5th August

Molise (Spring) - Tuesday 4th November

Calabria (Summer)- Tuesday 3rd February

EVENT DETAILS

Ticket cost from $95 per person

4-course regionally inspired menu

Guests take home a recipe for the main dish from the night

Booking essential - reservations via calling The Star 1800 700 700

The series will commence on Tuesday 13 May with a menu inspired by Valle d'Aosta, the smallest region in the north-western mountains of Italy, bordering France and Switzerland. Valle d'Aosta is an independent yet frugal territory as the inhabitants have a limited but fascinating cuisine including some wonderful cheeses aged in the mountain caves. Guest will enjoy the best known of these, fontina as well as the local style veal fillet in pastry at the first of Balla's series.

The second dinner series event on Tuesday 5 August will celebrate Friuli, the region nestled into the north-eastern corner of Italy bound by Austria and Slovenia. Friuli is culturally rich with some noteworthy delicacies and great wines due to the cold climate. Famous for Montasio, a fresh cow's milk cheese, and Prosciutto di San Daniele, guests will be served both these delicacies on a bed of polenta gnocchi. Another noteworthy dish at his event is the sweet and sour venison with braised red cabbage.

Tuesday 4 November, Balla will celebrate Molise and the delights of Italian Spring. The Molisani are known for their fondness for cooking with local cheese and their judicious use of herbs and spices, including saffron and chili. The Molise menu will highlight protein from the mountains, the plains and sea starting with a poached pulled pork salad and Stefano's (sting) ray wings with saffron.

The final region Balla celebrates is Calabria, the peninsula that forms the 'toe' of the famous geographical boot. Calabria is a major food producer, rich in citrus and vegetables, with diverse terrain, sheltering forests, glades, streams and touching two seas. Manfredi will execute a Calabrese-style lamb shoulder with onion, olives and pancetta, follwed by Chocolate and hazelnut truffle.

Stefano will speak at each event about the inspiration behind the menus. Balla sommelier Piero Fonseca will be in attendance to recommend matching Italian wines with each course or for the table.

For all media enquiries please contact The Mint Partners on 02 9280 2133

Ali O'Neill e. ali@themintpartners.com.au 

Osteria Balla Manfredi

The Star

80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009

star.com.au/balla

02 9777 9000

Lunch Tue-Sat 12pm-2.30pm

Dinner Mon-Sat 5.30pm-10.30pm

Partnership: Echo Entertainment and Manfredi Enterprises

Osteria Balla Social Media

F: @OsteriaBalla

I: @OsteriaBalla

T: @OsteriaBalla

Manfredi Social Media

F: @Manfredi

I: @ManfrediAUS

T: @manfredistefano