Chef’s Table: Mi Piaci expands charcuterie program

Mi Piaci, the Italian restaurant that once defined authentic Italian in Dallas, is working hard to reclaim its glory. They’ve changed chefs, updated the interior with a new, softer look, and brought in a new management team with a proven track record. Now, the chef, Ross Demers, has expanded the number and types of pastas made in-house and has added ricotta salata cheese to his charcuterie program, which now includes bresaola, pancetta, pepperoni, and salami.

Demers’ ricotta salata is different from most, which is usually just salted, pressed ricotta cheese that’s briefly aged. Mi Piaci’s publicist describes theirs as “made fresh from whole cow’s milk, curdled, wrapped in cheese cloth overnight, soaked in milk and herbs for twenty-four hours, salt dusted and hung for two weeks.”

I had a chance to preview the spring menu a few weeks ago and thought that Mi Piaci was on the right track: tender pastas, flavorful braised meats, adventurous menu. I like where they’re headed.