Since opening in Sydney’s west in 1999, Candelori’s has developed a reputation for its authentic Italian food and unpretentious dining experiences.
The venue has recently undergone a multi million dollar renovation by the same designers behind Alpha Restaurant and China Republic DS17. They’ve added a dedicated chic bar, a dramatic 17-metre marble-clad open kitchen and glass-encased wine towers throughout the venue. Contemporary accents include bulb lights, elegant glass faux-windows and brushed metallic accents. Luxe details extend into the bathrooms, which showcase elegant tiled floors and stunning finishes.
Candelori’s is known for its fabulous, authentic Italian food – think house made pasta, wood fired pizzas, and stunning antipasto plates. They were also named by Daily Telegraph as having the best pizzas in Sydney! While still maintaining the authentic Italian flavours Candelori’s has developed its reputation for, the menu has been refined. The focus remains on top-quality local and imported Italian ingredients, with hand-crafted pastas and bread made fresh in-house daily.
Candelori’s shares two of its popular recipes:
Chitarra with Crab, Bottarga & Zucchini Flowers
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 500g local blue swimmer crab
- 300g spaghettini alla chitarra
- 100g eschallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 100ml Santa Margherita pinot grigio
- 1 long chilli
- 8 Zucchini Flowers with stem
- 50g Sardinian bottarga (cured mullet roe)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 60ml homemade fish stock
- Sea salt to season
Method
Clean your blue swimmer crab and cut in quarters. Detach the stems of the zucchini flowers and dice. On high heat, pan fry the garlic, eschallots, zucchini flower stems and blue swimmer crab in the extra virgin olive oil for 2-3 minutes until you get good colour. You can then add the pinot grigio white whine, diced long chilli and season with sea salt to your taste. Then keep the pan on a low simmer.
Meanwhile, prepare a pot of boiling water for the pasta. Make sure the water is well salted to ensure the pasta has lots of flavour. Add the spaghetti alla chitarra to the water and cook until al dente.
When ready, take the pasta out of the water and put it straight into the pan. Pan toss all the ingredients, and just before serving add the zucchini flowers and generously grate the bottarga.
Baked Figs Recipe
Serves 3
Ingredients
3 locally sourced figs
3 slices of San Daniele prosciutto
50 grams of gorgonzola dolce (sweet blue vain cheese)
100ml mascarpone cream
Method
Carve the tops of each fig in an x-formation, only half way down.
Take a slice of San Daniele prosciutto and feed one side down through the centre of each fig. Then wrap the remaining part of the prosciutto around the outside of the fig. The outside of each fig should be covered by the prosciutto.
Once wrapped, place figs inside a static oven at 180C for 5 minutes
Cooking Tip: Place figs on top of baking paper to avoid sticking to tray.
Sauce:
In a hot pan place the gorgonzola dolce and allow to simmer slightly before adding the mascarpone cream. Once together stir briskly and allow time for the gorgonzola dolce to melt completely. Allow 3-5 minutes for the sauce to reduce.
Once figs are ready, remove them from the oven and place into warm plate and spoon the sauce onto each fig.
Candelori’s is located at 685 The Horseley Drive, Smithfield, NSW 2164. Phone (02) 9729 1155. It’s open Monday – Sunday, 12.00pm – 3.00pm, 6.00pm – 10.00pm.
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