JEDDAH: Thursday night witnessed the 4th Italian Cuisine Week at the World Street Food Festival, where residents of Saudi Arabia came together under the umbrella of culture to try focaccia col formaggio.
Held at Al-Basateen Compound, the Italian Consulate General in Jeddah set up an elaborate street food scene around the pool area, ranging from big local Italian brands from Piatto to Lallo Ristorante serving finger food, gelato and coffee.
“All across the world, Italian embassies and consulates are celebrating the joy of Italian food — welcome to the fourth Italian Cuisine Week,” said Italian consul general, Stefano Stucci.
“Tonight is a night dedicated to street food,” he added, thanking a number of the partners who made the event happen. “Most importantly, we have Consorzio Focaccia di Recco who have come all the way from Italy to give you a taste of focaccia di recco with cheese.”
Focaccia col formaggio is, simply put, a cheese pie often made with stracchino cheese, sea salt and olive oil, in a thin layer of dough, originating from the coastal village of Recco.
Italian chefs Fabrizio Passano and Umberto Squarzati flew all the way from Italy to deliver the taste of focaccia col formaggio to Saudi Arabia.
In closing, the consul general talked about recent events in Venice, where flooding has increasingly threatened the historical site. He urged whoever was capable to donate, no matter how small an amount, to rescue the sinking city.
“Please contribute so that Venice can rise back from the water and return to its pristine beauty,” he told guests.
The Italian Cuisine Week has been celebrated for four years, to promote Italy’s traditional food and dining experiences, a substantial part of the country’s identity. This year, it will run from Nov. 18 to 24.
