Like herself, who became a mother when she was very young – of Martina, a very bright girl who now works in the dining room and had a daughter herself, Viola – creating a sound and united family, These are the foundations, together with her passion for baking and cooking.

Amalia Costantini, who’s both shy and energetic, has always faced her challenges: after Martina was born she worked for 17 years for a textile factory in Fiano Romano, a town a half an hour’s drive from Rome, from which you can reach the green countryside of the Sabina region.

She took care of the family and of course cooked for everyone. Then the time came when she could follow her dreams thanks to the complicity of her husband,Fabio, who in 2008 bought her a course as a professional cook in Rome.

That’s when the Mater project starts taking shape: Amalia leaves her job and opens this nice pizzeria, with the collaboration of all the family, or at least of all the adults in the family. The décor and atmosphere recall a warm home, and there’s also a pub next-door mostly created for the sake of their second born.

In the kitchen, however, she’s doing most things: from freshening up the mother yeast to kneading the dough – 2 or 3 three different types, from the “basic” one with semi-whole wheat flour and natural leavening to the one with ancient wheat varieties or hydrolysis, with no added yeast –, to the rolls for the pub and the topping for the pizzas, made with genuine ingredients often from small producers, local or from other regions.

There’s a wide choice in the menu, and on top of fried food, various starters and a few cooked dishes, there’s calzoni and pizza fritta, Mater classic pizzas – from the classic Margherita to Vegana with carrot cream, onion from Montoro au gratin, roasted potatoes and black sesame seeds – and gourmet pizzas, a dozen, which change depending on the season, on what’s available at the market and on Amalia’s whim.

The dough is thick but light. They’re available both as focaccias – seasoned after baking – or as pizza and served already sliced and seasoned with great care.

They’re all really delicious and show that Amalia has perfectly learnt the lessons of Simone Padoan and Renato Bosco, from whom she learnt a lot during courses and meetings. For instance, the focaccia Terra Mater with sliced steamed aubergines from the family vegetable garden, tomatoes confit, stripes of pepper and local extra virgin olive oil, is truly delicious.


Luciana Squadrilli
source: http://www.identitagolose.it/news/view.php?id=95

Leggi il testo integrale nel link FONTE (qui sopra)