Paul Di Bari - Stuzzichini Bar (NY)

Paul Di Bari has been chef of Stuzzichini Bar in New York’s Flatiron District, since its opening two years ago. Before taking that post, he worked in top Manhattan French restaurants, including Balthazar and Daniel, and at Wallse, an upscale Austrian restaurant. Di Bari graduated from Johnson & Wales University and apprenticed in the French Basque region.

Q: You have a strong background in French cooking. Do you feel at home in an Italian restaurant?

A: Yes, in part because I grew up eating Italian food. My mom’s family came from Naples and my dad’s family from Bari. I’ve always enjoyed Italian food, cooking with friends, and doing research in Italy when I can. So when this job showed up on Craig’s List, I jumped at it.

Q: What do you do when you’re in Italy?

A: I love to visit shops, cafes, markets and, of course, restaurants. When I walk into a salumeria, I’m knocked over by all the wonderful cured meats. Usually I go to one area and try to get to know it. For example, on a recent trip to Sicily, I spent a lot of time exploring Taormina and Cefalu.

Q: Tell us about your current menu.

Stuzzichini means to taste this and that--we offer the Italian version of small plates. I want to present some of the best foods I tasted in Italy. I serve a lot of Prosciutto di Parma. We use an18-month ham that has a perfect blend of sweetness and saltiness and just the right amount of fat, not too much and not too little. Slice this ham paper thin, and it just melts in your mouth.

Q: Any slicing techniques to share?

A: We use a Tamagnini manual fly-wheel slicer from Parma positioned behind the bar. It’s better than an electric slicer, which can warm up the ham and damage the taste. We tried slicing the ham full size, but the slices were too large for our small plates and tables. Now we cut a boneless Prosciutto di Parma ham lengthwise in half before placing it on the slicer and hide the flat side by overlapping slices on the plate. This is not a traditional method, but we think the smaller slices look nicer on our plates.

Q: How do customers order when they come to the restaurant?

A: Typically, they order three plates, or perhaps five. A tasting of four kinds of crostini is another option—or affettati, a combination of several kinds of Italian salumi, including Prosciutto di Parma.

Q: What other ways would you serve Prosciutto di Parma?

You could enjoy several slices on a plate, with a glass of wine, just as in Italy. If you want something else with that, I’d suggest a good aged cheese and some olives. Or perhaps a hot antipasto, like arancine. We also serve prosciutto with whatever melon is in season. Right now it’s canary melon, a sweet, juicy melon that resembles honeydew.

Q: Could you suggest a few pairings?

A: Prosciutto di Parma pairs very well with the Lini Lambrusco rosé on our list, or with a prosecco. I’m a white wine lover, so I might choose Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from a producer like Dario D’Angelo. Wines with a little sparkle, like these, balance the richness of the ham.

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