These cheese and parma ham twists from Lakeland are the perfect snack! Ingredients: 225g plain flour Pinch salt 50g butter, cubed 50g lard, cubed 150g Parmesan cheese, grated 30ml cold water 1 egg, beaten 8 slices Parma ham Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with non-stick liner. Combine the flour […]
With so many wonderful regional specialities, it’s a hard choice to make, but these five formaggi could rival cheeseboards from anywhere in the world… 1. Mozzarella di bufala Campania It may seem controversial to place mozzarella above Parmigiano Reggiano, but few could argue that this luxurious, creamy delight now has an unassailable place in kitchens worldwide, and […]
Delicious wheels of Pecorino cheese wrapped neatly in red radicchio, leek and green cabbage – the pride of any Italian artisan food fair or market Photo by iStock Pecorino is a ewe’s milk cheese that, although pretty well known, often falls into the shadow of the nation’s far more famous Parmesan, for virtue of the […]
Radicchio is a popular vegetable in Italian cooking and its intense flavour pairs well with traditional pizza ingredients such as cheese and pancetta. The bright red leaves also make a dish all the more attractive to look at… Ingredients SERVES 4-6 FOR THE DOUGH 300g plain wheat flour 100g strong wheat flour 20g Brewer’s yeast […]
Italy is a major player in the EU dairy industry. It is not the biggest producer, Germany is, but in terms of exports to France – arguably a telling statistic – Italy is Number 1 in Europe… As you will be aware, the French and the Italians have a friendly little argument going on between […]
Tagliolini con Parmigiano, prezzemolo e panna This delicately flavoured pasta dish is simplicity itself. If you serve it on its own, it will make a filling starter. With salad and some Italian bread, it becomes a complete meal. Use good-quality fresh pasta to cut down on time, because it cooks very quickly, although you can […]
Named after the region in which it is produced, delicious Parmigiano Reggiano is by far Italy’s most popular cheese. We test seven and give you a flavour of our findings… The recent earthquake in northern Italy has deeply affected the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. During the disaster, high stacks of shelved cheese wheels – each […]
This month James Gingell looks at the success of Pecorino cheese, and how best to utilise this ingredient in your Italian kitchen. Plus, a few recipes to get you started in true Abruzzo style… Pecorino is the name given to a group of Italian hard cheeses predominately made from ewes’ milk. Its name derives from […]
Leave the cream in the fridge – Mario Matassa makes this spaghetti carbonara recipe in traditional Italian style, with simple, high-quality ingredients. The history of carbonara is very short. There’s no reference to it in cookbooks over 50 years old, at least not with this name. There are many stories, of varying credibility, which claim […]
This chocolate and mascarpone mousse is rich, elegant and irresistibly simple to make. With silky white chocolate and a pistachio crunch, it’s a proper Italian treat for dessert lovers. Chocolate might not be the first ingredient you associate with traditional Italian cuisine, but for many of us, it holds a very nostalgic place at the […]