This courgette flower and gorgonzola risotto is a perfect recipe for a simple but stunning dinner. If you can’t get hold of courgette flowers, pumpkin makes a fine substitution. There are no shortcuts for making a good risotto. Good quality homemade stock makes the world of difference, as does a good quality variety of rice. […]
A staple with ancient origins, polenta has now found favour around the world. Mario Matassa demonstrates how wonderfully versatile it can be in this recipe for polenta pizza margherita Polenta is perhaps one of the oldest dishes known to Italy. Made originally from any pulse – often a mix of spelt and rye – it […]
Discover the delicious reasons to visit Bologna in Emilia-Romagna … 1. Authentic ragù When you think of Bologna, Bolognese sauce may spring to mind – but you won’t ever find it teamed with spaghetti in this city. This is a common misconception that spread across Europe and the United States when the ragù left its […]
A staple with ancient origins, polenta has now found favour around the world. Mario Matassa demonstrates how wonderfully versatile it can be in this recipe for polenta with black bean and spicy sausage stew. Cooking polenta There’s good news and there’s bad news. I always like to start with the latter, as it pays to […]
Turn Christmas leftovers into the perfect party starter with this panettone gastronomico recipe by Mario Matassa. This savoury take on the classic sweet panettone has in recent years become a fashionable antipasto in Italy, often served before Christmas lunch. Alternatively, prepared in the days after Christmas, I see it as the perfect vehicle for a good […]
Learn to make Crocchette di riso con mozzarella e pomodoro with Mario Matassa’s Italian rice cake recipe Okay, if you form the exact same ingredients set out below into a ball, then arancini is the word you’ll be looking for. But, while working the lunch menu in restaurants here in the north, we more often formed […]
Indulge your taste buds in the vibrant flavours of Italy with this delightful ‘Insalata di riso’ Mediterranean rice salad recipe. Rice salad has been described as the caposaldo, ‘cornerstone’, of Italian summer cuisine. Every Italian has an opinion about what makes a good rice salad, and there are as many variations on the recipe as there are […]
Discover five delicious reasons to visit Modena… 1. Beautiful balsamic vinegar Modena is a favourite with gastronomes for many reasons, but one of its greatest attractions has to be its world-acclaimed balsamic vinegar. The DOP product has been made in the city since the Middle Ages, and unlike ordinary vinegar is made from reduced grape […]
Griddled chicken skewers, or, spiedini are a popular summer treat to cook and eat outside… Spiedini, to give them their Italian name, are a firm favourite in Italy over the summer months. They don’t require indoor cooking and can be easily prepared in advance. They are cooked and sold at practically every festival throughout the country and […]
Use fresh, seasonal vegetables to make this Pinzimonio starter a summertime stunner… You could barely call this a recipe, pinzimonio is more of an ensemble. Yet, it is a dish widely enjoyed in Italy, especially at the height of summer when vegetables are at their best. The joy of this dish is in the selection. […]