Strega: Bringing the Countryside of Benevento to the Branford Restaurant Scene

Strega: Bringing the Countryside of Benevento to the Branford Restaurant Scene

by Courtney Squire

Winter Caplanson photos

Stepping into Strega, one is immediately transported halfway across the globe to the smells, sounds, and tastes of an authentic family ristorante set in the rolling hills of Italy, where ingredients come together to reflect the very best of what the countryside has to offer. Owner and food aficionado, Danilo Mongillo, has traveled all the way from Benevento, Italy, to bring his agrarian Italian heritage, experience, and passion to the table in this enchanting corner restaurant in the center of Branford.

Danilo grew up steeped in the rich cultural heritage of his small diverse family farm on the outskirts of Naples. His family raised their own pork and beef, produced milk, made cheese and olive oil, grew grapes for wine, and raised their own vegetables (canning over 500 liters of tomatoes each year from their harvest!). His father is the area butcher, and in his shop, they do everything from scratch, and stock the shelves with local goods made by their neighbors. Danilo’s entire family was always around him - raising, cooking and celebrating food. As a child, he began cooking for his younger brothers as early as ten years old, making pasta and pizza dough, while learning how to operate the wood-burning oven in his family’s basement.

As a young man, Danilo served three years in the armed forces, and returned home a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. After his service, it was a natural fit for him to join the Italian police force, working for the Ministry of Agriculture where his job was to investigate fraud in the Italian food and beverage industry, and enforce the country’s strict labeling laws. He was essentially the guardian of Italian tradition, working to protect the integrity of Italian products that for generations have been recognized globally for their flavor, terroir, and quality. As one of the legal gatekeepers of Italy’s cultural identity, Danilo developed a keen sense of respect and passion for the highest quality ingredients. This experience, coupled with his childhood spent on the family farm, has helped shape Danilo’s unwavering passion and deep respect for real food and real flavor that he brings to this gem of a restaurant in Branford.

Passion and respect inform all of Danilo’s decisions regarding where he sources his ingredients and how he builds his menu. The flour they use for the pizza at Strega is the Caputo 00, a very light bread flour from one of the oldest mills in Naples, and a traditional favorite of some of the most esteemed pizzaiolos in the world. The tomatoes for the sauce are the San Marzanoa vital ingredient to make a true Neapolitan pizza- grown in the fertile volcanic soils near Mt. Vesuvius. The cherry tomatoes that add such depth and sweetness to many dishes are the Piennolo del Vesuvio- the hanging tomatoes of Vesuvius. Growers in these rich mineral soils harvest the entire plant, hanging the vine upside down in a well-ventilated area where the tomatoes then stay fresh for months, bringing the wonders of the fresh tomato to the winter palate. The pasta is either made in-house from scratch, or is imported from Rummo, traditional master pasta makers in Benevento that have been making pasta since 1846, with a starch that is “like a cream” according to Danilo.

The list goes on and on: the prosciutto di Parma, the gorgonzola, and all the Italian wines on the menu are all certified appellations that contribute to the dynamic dining experience at Strega. Even more important: most of the ingredients are produced by people that Danilo knows personally. Nearly 90% of the wines Strega offers are produced by friends of his from all over Italy. They are mostly single-grape varietals, so you can taste the fruit’s unique qualities and discern the environment of the particular area it is from. Sipping the Terra di Giumara Nero D’Avola, one can almost taste the ocean, smoky volcanic soils, and Sicilian sun that coalesce to create this epicurean delight. The house wines hail from Danilo’s hometown of Benevento, offering a glimpse into the tastes of the terrain that molded him as a young boy.

Interspersed amongst these worldrenowned ingredients and exceptional wines are also the flavors and foods more reflective of the American landscape, such as lobster from Long Island sound, Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, and popular craft beers. From the very first day he opened the doors at Strega, Danilo has been committed to using certified organic vegetables and grass-fed beef whenever possible. This standard connects him back to his childhood in Benevento, where real food consists of real ingredients grown and raised in the tradition of his ancestors. As Danilo becomes more immersed in the local community, he also hopes to bring more of his farming roots to the table by building relationships with area vegetable growers, as well as local pork and beef producers who share the same quality standards and ideals he has known all his life.

Strega is forging a new path forward these days with the addition of Chef Marco Giugliano. A rising star in the global culinary scene, Marco’s resume includes Ristorante Quattro Passi, a 2-Star Michelin-rated restaurant near the Amalfi coast, as well as Taverna Estia, located on the outskirts of Naples. Taverna Estia received its second Michelin star during Marco’s tenure there- an enormous accomplishment for any chef. Just maintaining a Michelin star is enough to make or break any chef’s career, but achieving an additional star is the stuff dreams are made of in the culinary world. Marco has taken the traditional family recipes Danilo has introduced at Strega, and infused the menu with his own innovative take on classic regional favorites.

Strega offers a diverse menu that represents many of the different regions and nuances of Italy’s best culinary traditions. The Fritto Misto is representative of street food from Naples, with its fried arancini (risotto balls), potato croquettes, and montanara (a fried pizza dough). The Bucatino Cacio e Pepe hails from Rome, but the addition of Sichuan peppercorns lends a slightly citrusy undertone to this famed pasta dish that is both smooth and luscious at the same time. The Rigatoni alla Genovese, a somewhat lesser known Neapolitan specialty, is a delectable centuries-old traditional ragu of slow-cooked beef and onions served with pasta. Danilo and Marco continue to craft the menu seasonally to reflect their own heritage, celebrating the spectrum of culinary expressions indigenous to their homeland.

It hasn’t always been easy for Danilo and the staff at Strega to forge a new path into the culinary landscape of Branford. One of Strega’s signature dishes is their totally authentic Neapolitan pizza, complete with its charred crust and chewy texture from the fermented and bubbly dough. Light as a feather and cooked for less than a minute at 900 degrees in a woodburning oven, this pizza is the original mother of all pizzas, though a far cry from what most Americans know today. The simple balance of textures and flavors remains underappreciated by some patrons who are ensconced in a world of New Haven-style pizza pies, famous for their thin and crispy crusts. The pizza we know and love here in Connecticut has most certainly evolved from this original Neapolitan form, and Strega is the place to go to taste this centuries-old tradition and sample one of the best examples of Neapolitan pizza found in this part of the world.

Danilo remains steadfast in his commitment to offering the authentic Italian experience, while at the same time giving something back to his new community and home. Strega strives to offer something different, something that adds a counterpoint and value to the distinctly Italian-American and New Haven style of Italian food so ubiquitous and cherished by the Branford community. Danilo and Marco are well on their way to weaving their own narrative of culinary identity into the cultural fabric of the New Haven area, creating cuisine with a distinct fidelity to the Italian tradition that serves to enrich both. As Danilo says, “I don’t compete. I don’t need to…I just offer another kind of experience and option. We are not in competition, we help each other, that’s how it works.”

Strega continues to put itself on the map, both with visiting Italian nationals who find their way here for a taste of home, and locals who enjoy the amazing food, great drinks and upbeat atmosphere. Strega is honored to have been awarded the “Eccellenze Italianne” award for the third time, celebrating the best of authentic Italian businesses and products throughout the world. Strega also just received the incredible distinction of being named a “2019 Top Italian Restaurant” by the esteemed Gambero Rosso Restaurant Guide, welcoming Connecticut into the ranks of the world’s finest Italian food destinations for the very first time. But Danilo, who exudes passion and love for what he does with every ounce of his being, will be the first to say that “this is beautiful. We want to be here, we love to be here. But the end goal is the food, not the recognition.”

Find Strega at stregarestaurant.com and facebook.com/stregarestaurant.