Applying for Italian citizenship in Italy vs abroad

The Italian Cultural Institute in Belgravia, London.

In many cases when applying for Italian citizenship, you can choose whether to apply in Italy or abroad. Find out more below… Applying for citizenship via an Italian municipality If you are able to travel to Italy, it is often a much quicker process than applying at an Italian consulate. The most important first step […]

Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Ciambella

Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Ciambella

Turn your leftover pumpkin into a delicious dessert with this chocolate chip and pumpkin ciambella recipe by Mario Matassa… Recipe and photo © Mario Matassa This chocolate chip and pumpkin ciambella recipe is virtually foolproof, and the bitter chocolate and sweet pumpkin combine perfectly. What’s more, it keeps well, handy for those winter nights in […]

Top 5 natural wonders in Italy

Overview of Mount Etna in Sicily during an eruption

Italy is home to many natural wonders. Browse our list of five of the best to find your next destination… 1. Mount Etna, Sicily This brooding volcano in Sicily is one of Italy’s most majestic sights. Virgil himself witnessed an eruption in Roman times, an account of which was recorded in the Aeneid. Because of […]

Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Taleggio

Gnocchi with pumpkin and taleggio

Make a delicious dish using seasonal produce with Mario Matassa’s recipe for gnocchi with pumpkin sauce… Recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Enjoy this gnocchi with a creamy pumpkin sauce, finished under the grill with taleggio cheese. It makes a delicious starter or light meal. Warm and filling, this dish is comfort food at its […]

Mushroom, Sausage and Sage Risotto Recipe

Mushroom, sausage and sage risotto

With rich porcini mushroom and flavourful Italian sausage, this risotto makes a delicious and filling meal Recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Mushroom, sausage and sage risotto | Risotto funghi, salsiccia e salvia ➤ SERVES: 4 ➤ PREPARATION: 20 minutes ➤ COOKING: 15 minutes Ingredients: 50g dried porcini mushrooms olive oil handful of fresh sage leaves 160g Italian […]

Back to the land in Siena, Tuscany

view of Tuscany from above siena in hot air balloon

In the Siena region and neighbouring Chianti Classico territory, Amy McPherson meets a group of passionate Tuscans whose love for their land is creating a lifestyle and production choice of returning to the basics Giovanni Stella never thought he’d become a winemaker. “I wanted to go fishing!” he admits, arms waving like a conductor of […]

Mixed Wild Mushroom Soup Recipe

Mixed Wild Mushroom Soup

Made with a mix of foraged and local ingredients, Mario Matassa’s wild mushroom soup recipe is a rich, down-to-earth meal to savour with crusty Italian bread Words, recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Mushrooms in Italy are never just a side dish: they’re an event. Wild mushrooms come in many guises, each with its own […]

Slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes

Slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes

Bring out the sweetness of fresh summer produce with Mario Matassa’s recipe for slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes… Recipe and photo © Mario Matassa Tomatoes are at the heart of Italian cuisine, embodying both its simplicity and depth of flavour. This recipe for slow-roasted caramelised tomatoes, or pomodorini confit, celebrates the natural sweetness and intensity of the […]

Gazzetta Italia: The race to save Bologna’s leaning tower

Two Towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, both of them leaning, symbol of Bologna

In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull looks at Italy’s other famous leaning towers, the Asinelli and Garisenda towers of Bologna Words by Tom Alberto Bull Key words Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Ho avuto il privilegio I had the privilege Dopo aver passato Having spent Per […]