Julie Friend heads to Vellerano, in the province of Viterbo, for a festival that proves the humble chestnut is not just for Christmas in Italy 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 air up here has that […]
Chestnuts and chocolate are a winning cake combination in this delicious recipe for torta di castagne e cioccolato… Chestnut flour is a great gluten-free alternative, giving cakes and biscuits a delicious nutty background flavour; and in many European countries, such as Italy, France and Spain, chestnut spread or jam is found slathered on bread and […]
Make a meal of the spookiest seasonal vegetable with these autumnal Italian pumpkin recipes – they’re gourd-geously tasty! From a simple starter to a delightful pumpkin dessert, with plenty of options for main courses, these cosy Italian pumpkin recipes are ideal for an autumn dinner party or a post-Halloween feast to use up your pumpkins. […]
Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or a cuisine-curious newbie, here are five great reasons to explore Ischia. 1. Taste traditional, wild-caught dishes Arguably Ischia’s most popular delicacy is the Ischitanian rabbit. The rabbits live wild in the woods and mountains and are still caught according to ancient tradition, where farmers lay pits in the wild […]
Whether you want to make pasta from scratch or create a traditional Italian dish with pre-made pasta, you can’t go wrong with these authentic pasta recipes. In Italy, pasta is so much more than just a meal. The beauty of traditional Italian pasta recipes lies in their simplicity, relying on high-quality ingredients and time-tested techniques […]
The ciambella rustica is a simple country ring cake made throughout Italy. It tends to be quite dry and so is often accompanied by a glass of white wine. The classic ciambella, like the crostata or the torta di frutta, is a simple country cake for which every grandmother in Italy has her own recipe. As […]
Spinach and ricotta tortelli are one of Italy’s great comfort foods, delicate parcels of fresh pasta filled with creamy ricotta and soft spinach. Served with tomato and basil, they’re elegant enough for a Sunday lunch yet reassuringly simple to make. Across Italy, stuffed pasta takes countless forms, from the tiny folded shapes of Emilia-Romagna to […]
In the heart of Umbria, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Assisi may be small, but it has plenty to offer any visiting food fan. Here are the top reasons foodies love Assisi: 1. Perfect pasticcerie Those with a sweet tooth will be glad to hear that Assisi is blessed with many tempting pasticcerie. A […]
Want to make the perfect Italian-style focaccia? Mario Matassa shows us how in this step-by-step recipe, enriched with cherry tomatoes and herbs To say that Italians take their focaccia very seriously would be a simple understatement. Once, a dentist friend asked me if I’d like to take a quick drive with him as he had […]
This breaded mushroom recipe turns fresh porcini into something irresistibly crisp and golden. With just breadcrumbs, parsley and hot oil, they’re proof that the best mushrooms need very little embellishment. In parts of Italy where porcini appear with reliable generosity, mushroom season has a rhythm all of its own. Baskets are carried into the woods […]