Hennie Fisher is ready to become an honorary member of the Mazzone family after eating their sublime food. For Italians the concept of family is as much part of their being as tomato and basil form part of their food history. The Mazzone family of Ritrovo restaurant in Pretoria is a perfect example; the scion of the family, Fortunato Mazzone, and his wife Ilse, can often be seen dining en famille. Forti and his dad, Giovanni Mazzone, started the business together as equal partners. Even though the senior Mazzone has earned the right to take things a little slower nowadays, he can often still be seen in the restaurant or experimenting with new gelato flavours in his restored 1955 Carpigiani ice-cream churner.story_article_left1Forti has had a busy year so far. He is overseeing the launch of another BICCCS branch at a fuelling station in Moreleta Park, and they are enjoying the success of their swanky Priva Lounge - an upmarket venue serving fine food in a smart but relaxed atmosphere with live jazz and a kitchen that stays open well after midnight. But the most important reason for celebration is the 20th birthday of Ritrovo, the bastion from which many other operations have been launched, such as the high-end kitchen shop next door.To commemorate, Forti developed a new menu inspired by his annual visits to his hometown of Pietrastornina in Avellino, Campania (just outside Naples). The sophisticated menu celebrates everything that Italian food is about - showcasing the raw product through home-style cooking characterised by simplicity, honesty, and generosity. Forti believes that South Africans are ready for a truly authentic Italian menu, instead of a misinformed version of what Italian food should be in a South African context.Gone are the overly sauced pastas; gone are the heavy, cream-based dishes. The menu is much simpler, more culturally authentic and perhaps even considerably healthier. It features numerous items that celebrate Neapolitan street-food, such as arancini al ragu - rice balls filled with cheese and served with pulled beef ragu - or pizza fritta (deep-fried mini pizza), while still serving delicious, comforting food, which is what Italian cuisine is all about.mini_story_image_hright1Some items were not readily available from commercial distributors, so Forti outsourced their production. For example, the broccoli for the penne broccoli e acciughe (with anchovies and breadcrumbs) is grown especially for the restaurant. This dish manages to be simple, authentic and sophisticated at the same time, and is excellent. Other delicious options that are cooked to perfection include oven-baked smoked mozzarella and fried baby marrow rigatone; prawns roasted with garlic, tomato and wine; and costata alla Fiorentina, a large T-bone with rosemary and roasted garlic. Visit Ritrovo and celebrate their 20 years of success in the restaurant business with this generous man and his family.Contact details: Ritrovo Ristorante, Waterkloof Heights Shopping Centre, 103 Club Avenue, Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria. Open for lunch Tuesday-Sunday and dinner Monday-Saturday. Call 012-460-5173...