In last week's episode of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, the American actor and gastronome visited the Eternal City, Rome, mastering their famous 'four pastas'. This week's Bologna episode saw him head northwards, eating his way through Italy’s 'Food Valley', Emilia Romagna, stopping off at local producers and homes to discover the real flavours of the region.
Emilia Romagna, in northern Italy, has few rivals when it comes to the variety of traditional foods on offer. It has dozens of homegrown, globally-renowned, and protected food products - think umami-rich aged Parmigiano Reggiano, melt-in-your-mouth Prosciutto de Parma, silky-sweet mortadella and rich, traditional balsamic vinegar to name but a few - as well as a long tradition of local recipes like tortellini and lasagna that are known in kitchens around the world.
If that weren't enough, the region is also home to the former 'best restaurant in the world' in Modena – Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana.
As well as Modena, Tucci visits a number of other cities and towns in the region, including Rimini, Parma and Forlimpopoli, exploring each city's foods, wines, and culture.
Discover Tucci's food picks below:
How to Make Massimo Bottura's Tortellini in Brodo from Searching for Italy
Naturally, no trip to Emilia Romagna would be complete without a visit to the home of one of Italy's most iconic chefs, Massimo Bottura in Modena.
"If you don't believe in God you believe in Tortellini in Modena," jokes Bottura as he tells Tucci about the city's devout worship of pasta.
Watch Bottura as he makes tortellini in brodo from scratch at home during his lockdown series with his family for company.
