This asparagus bruschetta is great way to get in two of your five a day. With fresh green veg and creamy cheese, it’s a pretty and flavoursome dish that’s ideal for summer entertaining Makes 4 (serves 4 as a starter or snack) Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 10 mins Ingredients: 300g podded and […]
There are hundreds of pasta shapes out there, some more familiar than others. Here we try out seven short pastas – read on and enhance your Italian cooking! With the best will in the world, no one has time to make fresh pasta every day – not even Italians. This is why dried pasta is as […]
Mark Nicholls follows the culinary contours of Puglia on a walking – and eating – tour around this unique region of southern Italy Words and photos by Mark Nicholls The darkened inner walls of the baker’s oven begin to glow as the fire takes hold. With a long-handled tool, the baker loads the creamy-coloured dough […]
This classic Tuscan bread and tomato salad gets a summery twist, thanks to the addition of fresh Romaine lettuce. It’s a perfect dish for al fresco dining in the sunshine! Serves 2 Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 20 mins Ingredients: 4 slices stale ciabatta 300g ripe tomatoes, any type you have ¼ red […]
Serve this classic Italian seafood pasta in hot bowls and finish with a sprinkling of chopped herbs – a perfect midweek meal for any time of year Serves 4 Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 10 mins Ingredients: 800g fresh clams (discard any open ones) 12 whole shallots, finely chopped 75g butter 2 cloves of […]
In this flavoursome Italian dish the sweetness of the shallots is beautifully complemented by the robust taste of the blue cheese. It’s a great recipe for dinner parties, or makes a hearty but simple weekend dinner Serves 4 Ingredients 12 shallots, peeled and roughly diced 320g risotto rice 40g butter 2 tbsp olive oil […]
We asked our wine buyers to recommend good-value Italian red wines to enjoy this spring and beyond. Here are six we think will become favourites for 2018… Even if you have your ‘go-to’ wines, one of the joys of wine appreciation is finding a new bottle that surprises you and goes on to become a favourite. […]
The northern coastal city of Genoa offers so much to delight prospective visitors – not least the selection of renowned (and lesser-known) food and drinks that hail from this area. Here are a few local specialities to try… Photos by Jon Palmer […]
Balsamic vinegar is the lifeblood of Italian cuisine, and one of the nation’s most valuable exports. Here, we taste seven of the best… Casanova two-year-old Balsamic Vinegar of Modena From Puglia Shop Online Price £5.45 for 250ml You know it’s going to be a good balsamic when you see the sediment at the bottom of the […]
Rachael Martin continues her story of what living in Italy has taught her about food, moving on from pasta and risotto to polenta… The days get colder, wild mushrooms are picked and chestnuts roasted. Pumpkins have made their way into shops and risottos. Then autumn is about to give way to winter and Christmas is […]