Join resident chef Mario Matassa as he shows us how to make perfect focaccia with step by step instructions! To say that Italians take their focaccia very seriously would be a simple understatement. Once, a dentist friend asked me if I’d like to take a quick drive with him as he had a hankering […]
One of the ‘Tenderstem® in Ten’ recipes – ten recipes ready in less than ten minutes – this bruschetta would make a speedy and delicious lunch or supper snack. Image and recipe © Tenderstem® For more recipes, please visit www.tenderstem.co.uk Serves: 4 Prep and cook time: under 10 minutes For the bruschetta: 1 ciabatta loaf […]
There are so many incredible Italian breads to choose from, it can be overwhelming! Learn more about some of our favourite kinds of bread in this guide of 5 Italian breads to try in 2021… Images © iStock unless otherwise stated 1. Focaccia Focaccia is popular all over the world. Oven-baked, its name comes from […]
Torta salata con funghi MAKES: One 24cm tart PREPARATION: 10 minutes COOKING: 1 hour Ingredients: • 300g chestnut or button mushrooms • 30g dried porcini mushrooms • a few tbsp of olive oil • knob of unsalted butter • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed • 2 free-range eggs • small bunch of fresh parsley, […]
Pappardelle con ragù di anatra. Discover this dish from Pappardelle, the classic fresh egg pasta of the region. This is often served with a rich, slow-cooked sauce – often made from wild duck, hare or boar, reflecting the Tuscan passion for game. SERVES 6 PREPARATION 20 minutes COOKING 2 hours INGREDIENTS • 1 onion, peeled, […]
Image: ©iStock 1. It’s a pud that’s beloved both in Italy and beyond, usually made with savoiardi (sponge lady finger biscuits), coffee, mascarpone cheese and zabaglione custard – with cocoa powder to top it off. The name tiramisù literally means ‘pick-me-up’ and this refers to the dessert’s sugar-laden, energy-boosting ingredients! For a dessert so universally […]
Mario Matassa explores the riches of the food of Naples, perhaps the most iconically Italian of all cuisine. Simply grilled vegetables, milky white balls of buffalo mozzarella, spaghetti with tomato sauce, pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans), clams with linguine, melanzane alla parmigiana, torta di ricotta, babà al rhum (just one in a long list […]
Ricotta cake is hugely popular in Naples. This dish must be left to cool completely. I find it is better if you leave it to cool overnight in the fridge before eating. Add a spoonful of pine nuts for a different texture. Recipe and photo: Mario Matassa • MAKES One 24cm tart • PREPARATION 15 […]
In the restaurants of Santa Lucia this recipe is a daily fixture. The clams are delivered by small fishing boats to the restaurants in the harbour. You can add mussels or shrimps too, or have a combination of all three. Recipe and photo: Mario Matassa • SERVES 4 • PREPARATION 10 minutes • COOKING 15 […]
Despite the name, this dish has nothing to do with Parma: it is as Neapolitan as Mount Vesuvius, but it does use Parmesan cheese. Few dishes better symbolise the cuisine of Naples. There are variations, including adding a few slices of cooked ham. Recipe and photo: Mario Matassa • SERVES 4 • PREPARATION 1 hour […]