Milan’s saffron risotto

Milan saffron risotto

Fancy making a real saffron risotto (risotto alla milanese)? Mario Matassa shows us how. Remember that it should be creamy and soft, and each grain of rice should be separate but joined together by the sauce. Buonissimo!   Serves 2 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time none Ingredients: • 50g unsalted butter • 30g beef marrow • 2 tbsp […]

Mozzarella, tomato and basil salad

Mozzarella tomato and basil salad or insulate caprese

The mozzarella, tomato and basil salad (or insalate caprese) is an Italian classic – the secret to its success lies in its simplicity and the quality of the ingredients used. Mario Matassa shares the recipe for this iconic dish…   Serves 2 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time none Ingredients: • 2 large ripe tomatoes • 200g […]

Milanese veal cutlet

Milanese veal cutlet

Known as ‘costoletta alla milanese‘ in Italian, the Milanese veal cutlet is a great one to master properly. Mario Matassa’s recipe will help you to create a truly authentic version of this historic dish…   Serves 4 Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes Ingredients: • 4 veal chops on the bone • 2 free-range eggs […]

Bolognese ragù

Think you know how to make bolognese? Think again! Mario Matassa explains how to make this popular dish properly… a lengthy cooking time makes it ideal for a leisurely Sunday lunch…     Serves 4 Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 2 hours 20 minutes Ingredients: • 150g pancetta, chopped • 50g carrot, peeled, finely chopped • 50g celery, […]

Leafy Panzanella

Leafy Panzanella recipe

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 […]

Pasta Vongole

Pasta Vongole

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 […]

Italian Shallot, Gorgonzola and Rocket Risotto

shallot, gorgonzola and rocket risotto

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 […]

Apple cake

This apple cake or torta di mele is absolutely divine and a good way to use up those leftover apples!  Apple cake/ Torta di mele Ingredients: 4 large apples (1kg) juice of ½ a lemon 2 medium free-range eggs 150g brown sugar 100g wholewheat flour, sifted 100g plain flour, sifted 150ml milk 2 tsp baking powder 3 tbsp […]

Cod loin, Prosciutto and Red Pepper skewers

Cod, prosciutto and pepper kebabs

These cod, prosciutto and red pepper skewers from Lakeland are simple and delicious. The perfect addition to your BBQ! Ingredients: 500g cod loins, cut into 16 bite-sized chunks 16 slices prosciutto 12 cheese-stuffed sweet peppers in dressing Instructions Wrap each piece of fish in a slice of prosciutto. Thread four pieces onto each skewer, alternating with […]