Simone Lucarini treasures many a memory from his childhood cooking with his family in his Tuscan hometown of Cortona. He remembers joking and playing with his mother, making a mess of ingredients as they prepared dinner in a bona fide Italian kitchen. It’s those flavors of authenticity that Simone said he and his wife, Elizabeth, intend to bring to Fortville.

Patrons of the new restaurant Cortona — named for Lucarini’s hometown, which was also the setting for the film “Under the Tuscan Sun” — won’t be finding fettucini alfredo or spaghetti and meatballs on the menu. While those might be staples of your typical Italian-American restaurant, Lucarini said he wants to bring Fortville the real deal.