Join resident chef Mario Matassa as he shows us how to make perfect tagliatelle with step by step instructions! When I first moved to Italy, many years ago now, I quickly realised that there was one sure-fire strategy for ingratiating myself with my new neighbours: learn how to make a decent plate of fresh egg […]
Category: Food
Can you feel the heat?
Mary Novakovich visited Calabria and discovered the full extent of the locals’ passion for peperoncino in a region of Italy where the love of this fiery fruit reigns supreme. Images by Adam Batterbee unless otherwise stated Of the colours of the Tricolore, red is the one that best sums up Calabria. Not through any political […]
Panna Cotta
Join resident chef Mario Matassa as he shows us how to make perfect panna cotta with step by step instructions! In Italy, panna cotta, like tiramisù, zabaglione and budino, falls within that category of dessert known as dolci al cucchiaio – desserts that are to be eaten with a spoon. Very little is known about […]
Focaccia with cherry tomatoes and herbs
Join resident chef Mario Matassa as he shows us how to make perfect focaccia with step by step instructions! To say that Italians take their focaccia very seriously would be a simple understatement. Once, a dentist friend asked me if I’d like to take a quick drive with him as he had a hankering […]
Bruschetta with Tenderstem®, garlic mushrooms and feta
One of the ‘Tenderstem® in Ten’ recipes – ten recipes ready in less than ten minutes – this bruschetta would make a speedy and delicious lunch or supper snack. Image and recipe © Tenderstem® For more recipes, please visit www.tenderstem.co.uk Serves: 4 Prep and cook time: under 10 minutes For the bruschetta: 1 ciabatta loaf […]
5 Italian breads to try in 2021
There are so many incredible Italian breads to choose from, it can be overwhelming! Learn more about some of our favourite kinds of bread in this guide of 5 Italian breads to try in 2021… Images © iStock unless otherwise stated 1. Focaccia Focaccia is popular all over the world. Oven-baked, its name comes from […]
Cook Italia!: Mushroom tart recipe
Torta salata con funghi MAKES: One 24cm tart PREPARATION: 10 minutes COOKING: 1 hour Ingredients: • 300g chestnut or button mushrooms • 30g dried porcini mushrooms • a few tbsp of olive oil • knob of unsalted butter • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed • 2 free-range eggs • small bunch of fresh parsley, […]
Pappardelle with duck ragù
Pappardelle con ragù di anatra. Discover this dish from Pappardelle, the classic fresh egg pasta of the region. This is often served with a rich, slow-cooked sauce – often made from wild duck, hare or boar, reflecting the Tuscan passion for game. SERVES 6 PREPARATION 20 minutes COOKING 2 hours INGREDIENTS • 1 onion, peeled, […]
Top 5 Desserts
Image: ©iStock 1. It’s a pud that’s beloved both in Italy and beyond, usually made with savoiardi (sponge lady finger biscuits), coffee, mascarpone cheese and zabaglione custard – with cocoa powder to top it off. The name tiramisù literally means ‘pick-me-up’ and this refers to the dessert’s sugar-laden, energy-boosting ingredients! For a dessert so universally […]
Taste of Naples
Mario Matassa explores the riches of the food of Naples, perhaps the most iconically Italian of all cuisine. Simply grilled vegetables, milky white balls of buffalo mozzarella, spaghetti with tomato sauce, pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans), clams with linguine, melanzane alla parmigiana, torta di ricotta, babà al rhum (just one in a long list […]