Any fan of Italian cuisine should learn how to make passata – the classic tomato sauce – here’s how to do it! Recipe & image by Mario Matassa Makes 4 x 250g jars Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes, plus sterilising Ingredients: • 2kg ripe but firm plum tomatoes • 3 tbsp olive oil […]
These peppers can be eaten on their own as an appetiser or, more commonly, as part of a classic antipasto. Recipe & image by Mario Matassa Makes 4 x 250g jars Preparation time 20 minutes, plus resting time Cooking time 5 minutes Ingredients: • about 20 small round smooth-skinned spicy red peppers • 250ml white wine • […]
Italians love mushrooms (funghi), especially porcini, but if you can’t find porcini, this recipe will work with a mix of button and chestnut mushrooms. Recipe & image by Mario Matassa Makes 4 x 250g jars Preparation time 10 minutes, plus overnight drying Cooking time 5 minutes Ingredients: • 1kg fresh porcini mushrooms • 500ml white wine […]
Lemon marmalade (marmellata di limone) is a delicious way to preserve lemons, Italian-style. Recipe and image by Mario Matassa Makes 4 x 250g jars of marmalade Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 1 hour 20 minutes Ingredients: • 1.5kg organic lemons • about 1kg caster sugar Instructions: 1 Begin by washing the lemons very well. Then bring […]
This recipe for confettura di cipolle rosse makes a sweet jam that goes well with strong cheeses and is delicious with burgers. Recipe and image by Mario Matassa Makes 4 x 250g jars of jam Preparation time 10 minutes, plus 1 hour resting Cooking time 45 minutes Ingredients: • 1kg red onions, peeled • 2 bay leaves […]
This recipe for ‘verdure piccante’ is an excellent way of using up surplus summer vegetables. Recipe and image by Mario Matassa Makes 4 x 500g jars Preparation time 20 minutes, plus overnight drying Cooking time 5 minutes, plus sterilising Ingredients: • 2kg mixed vegetables, including aubergines, courgettes, sweet red and yellow peppers, red onions, etc • 1 […]
Learn how to turn a glut of fresh fruit and vegetables into wonderful preserves to see you through till next summer. Words and photos by Mario Matassa Italians love to preserve. It seems that every day of the summer just takes them one step closer to the day when the whole family will gather in […]
Rich and intense, thanks to the hot summer climate, red wines from Puglia continue to consolidate their reputation for finely crafted wine at fair prices Puglia’s largely flat, fertile lands have supported vines – and grains – since at least as far back as the 3rd century BC. There are very few mountains in the […]
Have you ever wondered how Parmesan is created? Wonder no more! Chris Allsop discovers the process behind the making of Italy’s favourite cheese 1 To start the Parmesan making process the milk is steamed in shallow, copper lined vats. The cream is taken away to make butter and the remainder slowly separates into curds and whey […]
Chris Allsop flies to Emilia Romagna to tour a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and discover how this world-famous cheese is created… “When I have French groups, they have many excellent cheeses, but they do not have Parmigiano Reggiano.” Our guide, Helena, puts her fingers together and gestures aggressively. “They have to accept.” Only five minutes into […]