Gorgonzola, mascarpone and walnut pâté

This recipe makes a stunning gorgonzola, mascarpone and walnut pâté, which is sure to impress in a festive antipasti or after-dinner formaggi e frutta Words, recipe and photos © Mario Matassa At Christmas, along with meat and fish pâté, Italian supermarkets offer huge cakes of mascarpone and gorgonzola garnished with walnuts, essential components to a […]

Savoury Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Pie

This savoury pumpkin pie recipe is a great way to make use of leftovers after carving pumpkins, but you can enjoy this hearty meal long after Halloween is over… Words, recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Pumpkins have earned something of a bad rap and I can’t help but consider myself partially to blame. Ever […]

Pumpkin, Baby Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

This warm winter salad, with roasted pumpkin, spinach, baby roasted tomatoes and mozzarella, drizzled with balsamic is a wonderful and healthy vegetarian option… Words, recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Naturally, when we think of pumpkin, we tend to visualise the large orange head-shaped variety, perfectly suited for carving scary faces. In my local supermarket, […]

Back to the land in Siena, Tuscany

In the Siena region and neighbouring Chianti Classico territory, Amy McPherson meets a group of passionate Tuscans whose love for their land is creating a lifestyle and production choice of returning to the basics Giovanni Stella never thought he’d become a winemaker. “I wanted to go fishing!” he admits, arms waving like a conductor of […]

Mixed Wild Mushroom Soup Recipe

Made with a mix of foraged and local ingredients, Mario Matassa’s wild mushroom soup recipe is a rich, down-to-earth meal to savour with crusty Italian bread Words, recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Mushrooms in Italy are never just a side dish: they’re an event. Wild mushrooms come in many guises, each with its own […]

Slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes

Bring out the sweetness of fresh summer produce with Mario Matassa’s recipe for slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes… Recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Tomatoes are at the heart of Italian cuisine, embodying both its simplicity and depth of flavour. This recipe for slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes, or pomodorini confit, celebrates the natural sweetness and intensity of the […]

5 foodie reasons to visit Lecce

From local delicacies to some of Italy’s finest wines, discover our top five reasons to visit Lecce… 1. Puglian olive oil At the heart of Lecce’s cuisine lies the region’s olive oil. Puglia produces around one-third of Italy’s total olive oil exports and the oil is also a staple ingredient in many of Lecce’s traditional […]

Day trips from Rome: 12 top locations to visit in Lazio

Let Elisa Colarossi take you on a voyage of discovery around Lazio, with her 12 favourite day trips to take from Rome Words by Elisa Colarossi. Lazio, my region. A region of many wonders; a compound of sumptuous landscapes, ancient medieval hamlets, superb regional delicacies and ravishing nature. Bordered by the Tirreno waves and traversed […]

5 reasons to visit Pisa

The famous leaning tower isn’t the only reason to visit Pisa. Here are our top things to do in the city… 1. Sample Tuscan wines Wine aplenty is to be found at Bacchus Enoteca (Via Mascagni) and, as Tuscany is one of Italy’s most famous wine-producing regions, you can be sure of sampling something special. […]