Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto

Make your own basil pesto. The perfect addition to pasta topped with tomatoes, rocket and parmesan.  Basil Pesto by Lakeland Ingredients: 50g basil leaves 30g pine nuts, lightly toasted 30g Parmesan cheese or vegetarian alternative, grated 1 clove of garlic, peeled 75ml extra virgin olive oil salt and black pepper small squeeze of lemon juice, […]

Basil Tagliatelle

Basil Tagliatelle

Have this basil tagliatelle on standby for a delicious, speedy supper.  Basil Tagliatelle by Lakeland Ingredients: 50g basil leaves Salt and freshly ground pepper 250g ‘00’ flour, plus extra to dust ¾ tsp salt 20ml basil oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 egg 3 egg yolks Instructions: First, make a basil purée by bringing a […]

Meet the ultimate pasta master, Giovanni Rana

Jenny Crombie travelled to Verona to meet the undisputed king of tortellini, Giovanni Rana, at his restaurant where she learnt the secrets of pasta making from the experts Giovanni Rana’s renowned trattoria Le Tre Corone is perfectly located in Verona’s Piazza Bra. It forms the ideal stop-off for opera lovers before and after performances at […]

Bolognese is best in Britain

What’s the verdict? Italian or British bundle of bolognese? This story first appeared on The Telegraph and was written by XANTHE CLAY.   I was brought up on spaghetti bolognese. Slippery tendrils of pasta wreathed in a great mound of meat and tomato sauce, which we didn’t know was called a ragu, was a regular supper. For us […]

Food icons of Italy – this month, Pasta

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 […]

Spaghetti with prawns, watercress and pesto

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) […]

Roasted Vegetable and Watercress Linguine

We take on watercress this week and this recipe is fresh and delicious! Serves 4 – Preparation 10 minutes – Cooking 30 minutes Roasted vegetable and watercress linguine OR Linguine alle verdure arrostite e crescione d’acqua Ingredients 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 red onion, chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 100g chestnut mushrooms, […]

Top 3 Ideas for Fast Food

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 […]

Creative Holiday

Have you ever wanted to combine a holiday in Italy with a real learning experience? Then a creative holiday is just what you are looking for… Life Holidays Experience a luxury Pilates holiday in Italy with Life Holidays, May to October every year Life Holidays is an experienced holiday specialist, unique to Italy and Sicily.  […]

Mid-week Meals: Penne with prawns & artichokes

Artichokes are a hugely popular ingredient in Italian cooking, and these succulent baby globes, combined with juicy prawns make this pasta concoction a mouth-watering treat that can be on your plate in minutes.   Ingredients Serves 4 1 lemon, for juice 4 baby globe artichokes, preferably with good long stalks 3 tbsp olive oil 2 […]