To celebrate Easter with a touch of sublime refinement, Executive Chef Antonello Sardi, the creative mind behind the Serrae Villa Fiesole restaurant, awarded the coveted Michelin Star 2026, has come up with a first course that is a true hymn to Tuscan culinary tradition, reinterpreted with a bold and exquisitely contemporary look: Tagliatelle with Beef Ragout, Cocoa Beans and Bay Leaves.
The dish, created by Chef Antonello Sardi, is a gastronomic work rich in memory and innovation, where fresh pasta, strictly handmade, welcomes a rich and deeply aromatic ragout, a true concentrate of flavors, enhanced by unexpected notes of bitter cocoa and the unmistakable, delicate and persistent scent of bay leaves.
This dish is capable of surprising the palate, winning over even the most demanding palates with its refined simplicity that conceals a masterfully orchestrated complexity of flavors.
The richness of the beef ragout, the beating heart of this creation, comes from carefully selected cuts from local farms that follow strict quality protocols.
But it is the encounter with the aromatic depth of the cocoa beans, expertly dosed by Chef Sardi, that gives the dish an additional dimension, a fascinating roasted and bitter aftertaste with an almost ancestral charm, reminiscent of ancient traditions and forgotten flavors.
This symphony of flavors is completed by a very fine powder of laurel, obtained from fresh leaves, slowly dried in the sun to preserve their organoleptic properties, and then reduced to a pure, impalpable essence.
The contrast between the fresh pasta, rough and full-bodied, and the enveloping sauce creates a perfect harmony, enriched by the mantecatura with Parmigiano Reggiano, which gives depth and roundness to the palate. The final touch is the lemon zest, which brings freshness and liveliness, enhancing every single nuance of this dish designed to leave its mark.
Recipe of Tagliatelle with beef ragu, cocoa beans and bay leaf
Ingredients for 4 people
For the dough:
250 g “00” flour
250 g of durum wheat semolina
150 g egg yolks
10 g extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste.
For the beef ragout:
220 g beef (Rosetta), cut into cubes
4 shallots, finely chopped
45 g butter
Salt to taste.
Finishing and seasoning:
1 tablespoon cocoa grué (crushed cocoa beans)
6 bay leaves
15 g Parmesan cheese
Lemon zest (to taste)
Extra virgin olive oil
Procedure
Preparing the fresh pasta
Combine flour, semolina, egg yolks, oil and a pinch of salt. Knead until smooth and homogeneous. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours, then roll it out and cut it into noodles about 1 cm wide. Form floured dough nests, cover with a tea towel.
Preparing the meat sauce
Wilt the chopped shallots in a saucepan with a drizzle of oil. Add the salted meat and brown until all the water evaporates. Transfer the meat to a plate with the butter and a little water; bake at 180°C for 12 minutes, stir and continue cooking for another 12 minutes.
Preparation of bay leaf powder
Dry the bay leaves at 55°C overnight. Finely chop and sieve to make a fine powder.
Dish composition.
Cook the noodles in plenty of salted water. Drain them al dente and toss them in a pan with the meat sauce and a ladle of cooking water. Stir-fry with Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve by forming a nest of noodles. Top with cocoa beans and a sprinkling of bay leaf powder.
This creation fully expresses the identity of Ristorante Serrae Villa Fiesole: a signature cuisine that respects tradition but renews it with elegance. Perfect for celebrating Easter in a place where taste meets the breathtaking beauty of the Florentine hills or prepare it at home to surprise your guests.