Mario Matassa’s Torta di lepre e funghi does require some effort, but you will be rewarded with a unique and flavoursome pie Serves 4 Preparation time 1 hour plus marinating Cooking time 2 hours Ingredients: For the marinade: • 350ml red wine • 1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped • 1 onion, […]
Rabbit is a versatile meat that can be pan-fried, roasted or stewed. Remember that older rabbits will taste better after being marinated overnight and cooked slowly. Recipe by Mario Matassa Serves 4 Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 1 hour Ingredients: • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped • 1kg wild rabbit on […]
This recipe from Mario Matassa – ‘risotto con l’anatra‘ is a great way to make a couple of duck breasts stretch a long way… Serves 4 Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 35 minutes Ingredients: • olive oil • 1 small onion, peeled, finely chopped • 1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped • […]
In Italy wild boar (cinghiale) tends to be cooked very slowly over a long period to avoid the meat becoming tough. Mario’s recipe is a tasty take on a classic dish Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 2 hours Ingredients: • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped • 500g wild boar […]
Enjoy Mario Matassa’s easy recipe for arancini – delicious balls of risotto – they are a great way to use up leftover rice… I’ve always wondered why arancini balls are especially popular in the south of Italy, despite the fact that risotto is a northern speciality. Arancini balls are the south’s answer to a great […]
A great way to use up leftover polenta, Frittelle di polenta works as either an accompaniment or a main dish. Here’s how to make it… Polenta is perhaps the most humble of all Italian staples. When first cooked, it is eaten ‘wet’. In this form it can be enjoyed on its own or as an […]
Polpette – made from meat, fish or vegetables – can either be prepared from leftovers or made with fresh ingredients. Mario Matassa shares this classic dish… Polpette (small, round patties) can be made from meat, fish or vegetables, and can either be cooked in a tomato sauce or fried. Traditionally they were prepared from leftovers, […]
This no-fuss Italian omelette recipe uses asparagus, potatoes and cheese, but the beauty of the dish is that you can include pretty much any ingredients you fancy… The frittata is simply an Italian version of the omelette. It’s a no-fuss dish, with no hard and fast rules when it comes to adding fillings. It’s the […]
Green spinach pasta is probably the most popular and widely used flavoured pasta and this lasagne from Mario Matassa is a great way to showcase its charms… Spinach (spinaci) is one of the best-loved of all Italian vegetables and finds its way into many different dishes. Part of the reason for its popularity is its […]
Cuttlefish is very popular in Italian cuisine and its ink can be bought in small packets in supermarkets or Italian speciality stores – here’s a great recipe to showcase its flavour Cuttlefish (seppia) is very popular in Italian cuisine. In the past the ink sac of the cuttlefish was used by artists, thereby giving its […]