Sole wrapped in prosciutto with bay leaf sauce

Sogliola al prosciutto crudo in salsa d’ alloro

Sole fillets marry very well with Parma ham and combining both with a simple sauce of shallots and bay leaves makes this a lovely main course dish. For guests who don’t eat meat, simply cook the fish without the Parma ham. Sole wrapped in prosciutto with bay leaf sauce – Sogliola al prosciutto crudo in salsa […]

Mid-Week Meals: Arezzo Style Bean Soup

Try this hearty, delicious staple from Tuscany, where peasant cooking – or la cucina povera – prevails, and satisfying bean-based dishes like this form the backbone of the region’s famous cuisine Mid-Week Meals: Arezzo-Style Bean Soup Ingredients ¾ cup (5.5oz or 150g) black-eyed peas  2 ripe tomatoes  2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil  1 bay leaf  […]

Recipes from Venice – Part 2

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 […]

Recipes from Venice – Part 1

The legendary cuisine of La Serenisima deserves close attention, so join Mario Matassa as he unpicks the flavours and feeling behind Venetian cooking… Venice hardly needs an introduction. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, the Renaissance city is renowned among other things for its stunning architecture, its history, its art, its […]

Anchovy and mozzarella mini rolls

Second in our new series of Sicilian recipes is the Anchovy and Mozerella Mini Rolls.  Anchovy and mozzarella mini rolls Crispeddi siciliani Makes 12 – Preparation 2 hours – Cooking 15 minutes Ingredients 250g white strong flour 2 tsp fine sea salt 10g fresh yeast, crumbled, or 1 tsp dried yeast 2 tbsp olive oil 150ml water, at […]

Aubergine and Pomegranate Recipe

A new series of Sicilian recipes. Sicily offers delicious influences from all over the Mediterranean and beyond! Aubergine and Pomegranate Salad   Ingredients 2 medium aubergines cut lengthways into 4mm-thick slices 3 tbsp olive oil grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 2 unwaxed lemons 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar […]

Tagliatelle with pesto trapanese

This makes quite a lot of pesto, so if you have too much for the pasta you can pop the excess in a container and keep it in the fridge, under olive oil, for a few days. Tagliatelle with pesto trapanese Tagliatelle al pesto trapanese Serves 2 – Preparation 10 minutes – Cooking 10 minutes Ingredients 200g […]

Grilled Fig and Prosciutto Bruschetta

This combination of caramelised figs and crisply barbecued prosciutto is irresistible. The figs are best cooked on a barbecue, but you can use a stove-top grill pan or a grill – just get the right amount of charring on the figs Method To make the bruschetta, grill, toast or pan-grill the bread on both sides […]

Sea Bream baked in Foil

This sea bream recipe with a fresh, zesty flavour, is perfect for a quick meal but looks impressive enough to ‘wow’ a few friends! Sea Bream baked in foil Serves 4  Preparation 15 minutes Cooking 30 minutes Ingredients 2 sea bream, gutted and scaled but with head and skin on olive oil 2 garlic cloves 3 sprigs of […]

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala may have originated with British residents of Sicily in the 19th century. Certainly its popularity extends beyond Italian shores. Serves 2 Preparation 10 minutes Cooking 35 minutes Ingredients 2 medium organic free-range chicken breast fillets, pounded seasoned Italian ‘00’ flour 15g unsalted butter 1 tbsp olive oil 90ml dry Marsala 2 tbsp chicken […]