Chestnuts roasting…

Julie Friend attends a special food festival in the province of Viterbo, and discovers that here the chestnut is not just for Christmas Photos by Getty unless otherwise stated   Clinging to the side of Mount Cimino, in the province of Viterbo, is the hilltop town of Vallerano. Perched 400 metres above sea level, the […]

Ask the experts: recipes, cycling and buying a home

Our experts are here to help with all your questions about Italy. This month we find a favourite Neapolitan recipe, go cycling in Italy and ask about Americans buying property there… Favourite recipe I’m looking for a recipe for pasta fazool. We had it on holiday in Naples and it was deliciously different! I have […]

Making Tracks, Part 3: to Lake Como

Two decades ago Rachael Martin arrived in Italy, exploring the country by rail and dreaming of rooms with a view. Twenty years, one Italian husband and two kids later, she still has the memories of those first voyages of discovery… Photos by Rachael Martin I start off in Lecco, at the southern tip of Lake […]

Homes in Abruzzo

Abruzzo is spacious and unspoilt, and has some of Italy’s best-value property – it’s little surprise that the market is hotting up right now By Fleur Kinson. Photos by Getty   Halfway down the eastern side of the Italian leg, Abruzzo confidently unfurls between the high Apennines and the blue Adriatic. This is a region […]

Spinach lasagne

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… Serves 4 Preparation time 45 minutes, plus resting Cooking time 25 minutes Ingredients: • 350g plain flour • 3 medium free-range eggs • 100g fresh spinach For the sauce • 500ml […]

Cuttlefish tagliatelle with spicy squid sauce

Cuttlefish (seppia) 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 Serves 4 Preparation time 45 minutes, plus resting Cooking time 10 minutes Ingredients: • 400g plain flour • 4 medium free-range eggs • 1 sachet of cuttlefish ink […]

Chocolate pappardelle with wild boar ragù

Love pasta? Adore chocolate? It turns out that the two can be deliciously combined – Mario Matassa shows us how in this meaty recipe that’s bursting with flavour Serves 4 Preparation time 50 minutes, plus resting Cooking time 2 hours 45 minutes Ingredients: • 400g plain flour • 4 medium free-range eggs • 1 tbsp bitter cocoa powder For […]

Tomato spaghetti with tomato and mozzarella sauce

Give pasta a glorious colour and add a Mediterranean kick to the flavour using tomato purée… Mario Matassa’s spaghetti recipe shows you how! Serves 4 Preparation time 40 minutes, plus resting Cooking time 10 minutes Ingredients: • 400g plain flour, plus a few extra tablespoons if necessary • 4 medium free-range eggs • 1 tbsp tomato purée […]

Le Marche regional property guide

Fleur Kinson explores the property potential of this diverse Italian region, so you can find the destination that suits you perfectly… Introduction Le Marche lies on the eastern side of Italy, east of Umbria, between majestic mountains and inviting sea. The region is split into five provinces: Pesaro-Urbino, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno and the recently […]