Grilled radicchio

radicchio

Mario Matassa’s radicchio recipe makes for an excellent contorno or part of a main of mixed roasted vegetables… Serves 2 Preparation time 1 minutes Barbecuing time 5 minutes Ingredients: • 2 heads of Treviso radicchio • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tbsp lemon juice • salt and freshly ground black pepper Instructions: 1 Cut the radicchio […]

Sirloin steak (tagliata) with home-made salsa

sirloin steak

Mario Matassa’s sirloin steak with tomato, red onion and caper relish is sure to become a firm favourite recipe for your barbecue… Serves 2 Preparation time 10 minutes Barbecuing time 7-10 minutes Ingredients: • 1 large tomato, finely diced • 1 small red onion, peeled, finely diced • 1 tbsp capers • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil […]

Polpettine di tacchino (turkey meatballs)

polpettine

Meatballs (polpettine) are generally fried in a pan, but they can also work on the grill if you ensure that they remain moist, says Mario Matassa Serves 4 Preparation time 15 minutes Barbecuing time 15 minutes Ingredients: • 2 thick slices of day-old rustic bread • 100ml milk • 400g turkey breast mince • 4 limes […]

A taste of Italy: the barbecue

sirloin steak

The start of summer means one thing – it’s barbecue time! This month Mario Matassa shares some classic Italian recipes for la grigliata Barbecue food photos by Mario Matassa Nothing stirs the appetite quite like the aroma of a good barbecue on a summer’s evening. Italians first take to their grills from late June and […]

Puglia dining & accommodation guide

octopus ceviche

Adrian Mourby shares some of his favourite places to eat in Puglia, plus places to stay with a focus on local gastronomy… Puglia photos by Kate Tadman Mourby  Where to eat Gran Bar Pugliese This superb café and fish restaurant sits on an old harbourside just 15 minutes from Bari Airport. Ideal for a first […]

How to do a foodie tour of Venice

bacarando in corte dell Orso

Sara Scarpa shares her tips for taking in Venice’s gastronomic highlights like a local, and finding the very best places to eat and drink in the city… Photos by Iain Reid In her article Giro d’ombre: a cicchetti and wine tour of Venice Sara Scarpa shares the Venetian version of the pub crawl with us. This […]

Where to eat in Venice

cicchetti at ai zemei, venice

Sara Scarpa loves the tradition of the Venetian pub crawl, and here she shares some of her favourite venues for great wine and authentic cicchetti… Photos by Iain Reid Antica Osteria Ruga Rialto (left) Located off the same main calle, just a few metres along on the way to San Polo, this is an historical osteria […]

Mixed fruit salad with basil syrup

Mixed fruit salad with basil syrup

Mario Matassa shares a tempting Italian fruit salad recipe – this macedonia con sciroppo al basilico is a perfect dessert for hot summer days Serves 4 Preparation time 15 minutes  Cooking time 10 minutes Ingredients: • 500ml water • 100g caster sugar • a handful of fresh basil leaves • 250g fresh strawberries, washed, chopped • […]

Chocolate and banana mini yoghurt muffins

Chocolate chip and banana mini yoghurt muffins for picnic

In Italy sweet muffins are usually made as a treat for children but they also make an excellent picnic food, says Mario Matassa Makes about 20 Preparation time 10 minutes plus cooling Cooking time 10-15 minutes Ingredients: • 1 large free-range egg, beaten • 125ml plain Greek-style yoghurt • 125ml whole milk • 200g self-raising flour […]