Førma Bakery, a new bakery in L'Aquila worth trying
Førma Bakery. We're in the center of L'Aquila, just steps from Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Piazza del Duomo, to witness the birth of a new establishment, as chef Simone Ciuffetelli describes it, "the only bakery in the historic center.
The bakery initiative comes after the opening, just before Covid, of the restaurant of the same name (we told you about it here) that Simone Ciuffetelli, a native of the area, and Roberta Milone opened at the foot of the San Bernardino steps. The two met through experiences abroad that, as Simone recalls, "opened their minds." Roberta oversees the dining room and communications, Simone the kitchen and now also the baking. A trained chef, he approached the world of breadmaking as a self-taught chef: "I only spent one day at Mirabelle in Copenhagen. How much do you think I've learned?" he tells me. So Førma's bread is the result of elbow grease, testing, and sourcing local products, a foolproof method learned both in Denmark and Australia.
So, just steps from the restaurant, Førma Bakery opened, taking the restaurant's name and effectively serving as its backbone. "We wanted to own a bakery to make bread and pastries for the restaurant. During lockdown, we realized they were the most popular takeout products. So, instead of a bakery, we moved to a space that could do all of its own production. We're working on expanding the line; in a few months, we'll be able to focus on puff pastry as well." Then, "The hardest part is over. Now we're ready to have some fun," says the chef, emphasizing his strong belief in local bakeries, those with a watchful eye for quality.
Beyond the name, the style remains the same as the restaurant, both to avoid confusion and to reinforce a core concept: the idea of using quality products and bringing innovation to this area. This includes whole-wheat or semi-whole-wheat flours sourced from Italy, with no additives or improvers. "For the flour, we're working with the Gasbarri Mill Association in Tempera, a municipality near L'Aquila, while a new project with a producer in Santo Stefano di Sessanio could launch in September, allowing us to grow wheat specifically for us," he explains. The Gasbarri Mill Association was formed to support the maintenance of the historic, exclusively water-powered mill in Tempera, which was reactivated nine years after the 2018 earthquake. It promotes traditional stone milling and the rediscovery of ancient grains.
At Førma Bakery you can find Førma bread, made with type 2, Solina and Senatore Cappelli flour and Sicilian wholemeal salt, then baguettes with type 1 flour, pizza in pala, both stuffed and classic, mini pizzas and other leavened products.
Next up are desserts, such as lemon tarts, cookies, and tartlets, where whole grain flours are prominent. There are also specialty breads, with cocoa and raisins, rye, and products selected daily. As anticipated, puff pastry products, other types of bread, and coffee, which are currently being developed, will also be available. For now, the offering is primarily takeout, with small kiosks inside and outside the shop for snacks.
Simone's international experience is already evident in the restaurant, which uses extensively local ingredients while also showcasing international techniques and recipes. As mentioned, the chef was born in L'Aquila, where he studied at the hotel management school, and then worked in the kitchen between Australia and Denmark (where he led the production team that makes cheese and meat for Christian Puglisi's restaurants). Upon returning to Abruzzo, he worked for a year in the pastry shop at Caesar, before opening his own restaurant. A bakery has also been available since March 13th, open Wednesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but with the intention of operating five days a week in the summer, opening earlier for breakfast. In short, one more reason to visit L'Aquila and discover its latest innovations.
