Tomatoes are a most versatile fruit – though they have only been in Europe for some 500 years, hundreds of Italian recipes use them. Here are just four ways of using them as a base for a tasty meal… Tomato and ricotta tart – Sfogliatina al pomodoro e ricotta Makes 1 – 28cm tart – Preparation 20 minutes – Cooking 25 minutes Ingredients […]
This month, Mario Matassa continues his delicious journey through the fascinating world of Italian cuisine, tackling, in this issue the all-important first course In a country that is as much defined by its gastronomy as it is by its history, art and architecture, there is perhaps no better place to begin to understand Italy than at […]
Peppery, refreshing and full of goodness, watercress has been farmed since prehistoric times. Its season is now, though under the right conditions it will grow nearly all year round… Spaghetti with prawns and watercress and pumpkin seed pesto OR Spaghetti con gamberi al pesto di semi di zucca e crescione d’acqua Serves 2 (with leftover pesto) […]
Dive in to Sicily’s historic and picturesque Ionian Coast, today we visit Syracuse, an area featuring some fantastic ruins and beautiful lanes My final stop involved travelling south once again, to Sicily’s third city, Syracuse. Founded on the island of Ortigia in 734 BC by the Greeks, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a shining Baroque […]
This is a simple but tasty pizza, which can be prepared and cooked in less than an hour. If fresh porcini are available, use 9oz (250g) of sliced, fresh porcini mushrooms in place of the dried ones Ham and Porcini Pizza Serves 4 Ingredients Dough 1¾ tsp (12g) active dry yeast ¾ cup plus 1 […]
This summer, step away from the burgers and kebabs… Fast food can be a good thing, when it’s Italian of course. Take a look at this tasty trio of quick fixes… Cut and Dried We’re great fans of dried spaghetti for a quick midweek supper, but if you’re cutting down on carbs, why not try Courgette Nests, for […]
Pretty to look at and delicious to eat, this fabulously easy no knead bread is perfect served warm as a dinner accompaniment. It tastes great served cold too, making it a fab way to jazz up those lunch boxes! Easy Italian Pesto Bread Preparation time 10 mins plus rising – Baking time 20-25 mins – Makes […]
It’s such a controversial question: what is the world’s best pizzeria in the pizza capital of the world? Here are our top 5… 1. Antica pizzeria da Michele Via Cesare Sersale 1/3, Naples Given that there are reputedly 12,000 pizzerias in Naples, it would have been easy to fill our top five with venues […]
The most popular soup in Venice is pasta and fagioli (pasta and beans), a hearty combination that warms body and soul during the long rainy season. Risi e bisi (rice and peas) is a simple and yet delicious duo enjoyed especially in the early spring. The local pasta of choice is bigoli, long wholewheat strands […]
Whip up a quick and colourful dessert with this tasty treat, which combines the fruitiness of concord grapes and the sweetness of Moscato wine to round off any meal in style Moscato and Concord Grape Jelly Ingredients For the Jelly: 1½ cups (7oz or 200g) concord grapes 2 tbsps sugar 2 tsps water 3.4 fl oz (100ml) […]