Mario Matassa’s take on bucatini all’amatriciana is a classic from Amatrice in Lazio. Puritans argue that the dish must be made using guanciale (cured pork cheek), but pancetta makes a fine substitute Serves 4 Preparation time 5 minutes Cooking time 1-12 minutes Ingredients: • 320g bucatini pasta • 150g pancetta, diced • 1 small onion, peeled, finely […]
Here’s a fantastic idea for lardo, a cured meat that works well in cooking – Mario Matassa’s recipe is a wonderful combination of flavours Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time none Ingredients: • 12 small slices of rye bread • 12 slices of lardo • 16 pre-cooked chestnuts • a sprig of rosemary, finely chopped • […]
Mario Matassa’s gorgeous, colourful salad is a great way to use Parma ham without overpowering its delicate texture and flavour Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 5-7 minutes Ingredients: • 250g mixed grains, including rice, spelt and pearl barley • 2 sweet yellow peppers, diced • 4 small young courgettes, diced • 2 untreated oranges • […]
Intensely flavoured speck works well with soft cheeses, and this recipe from Mario Matassa helps to demonstrate its great versatility Makes about 20 Preparation time 15 minutes plus rising Cooking time 10 minutes for the dough Ingredients: •50g plain flour • 125ml tepid water • 12g fresh yeast • ½ tsp salt For the topping • 8-10 slices of […]
Fancy a tomino avvolti in speck alla grillia? Mario Matassa shares his recipe for this simple Italian delight… Serves 4 Preparation time 5 minutes Cooking time 10 minutes Ingredients: • 4 Tomino cheese, or a similar cheese with an edible rind, such as brie • 8 slices of speck • 12 cherry tomatoes • small head of crisp […]
If you’re seeking an extra-special experience from your next holiday, consider staying with the Landmark Trust in Italy – Jane Keightley explains what to expect… Photos by The Landmark Trust The Landmark Trust is a charity that rescues historic buildings and then lets them out for holidays. It became involved with Casa Guidi in […]
Jane Keightley stays at atmospheric Casa Guidi, the Florence apartment that Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett called home Photos by Jane Keightley Ever since my first trip to Florence I had always wanted to look around Casa Guidi, the home of the poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband Robert. I was now getting the chance […]
It’s summertime and we’re dreaming of sunny days in Italy – our readers have captured some spectacular photos from across the peninsula… This month’s winner: “A photo of Cremona Cathedral at night, the day before sitting in the square drinking red wine and people watching. This is a lovely small town full of dog walkers. […]
Mark Nicholls visits Venice, where he goes beyond the usual tourist sites to take lessons in rowing like a real gondolier… Photos by Sharon Nicholls unless otherwise stated Nan McElroy is patiently attempting to teach me the technique. The words grip, twist, lunge, push and return are in the instructions, chanted like a coded mantra, but […]
We join Penny Wainwright to explore the tourist initiatives that are encouraging visitors back to Umbria, after the devastating earthquakes of 2016… Photos by Penny Wainwright and iStock After the serious earthquakes that hit central Italy in 2016, I was keen to see how the region was recovering from the devastation, so I jumped at the […]