By now summer is in full swing and there is no shortage of interesting ingredients to try in your dishes. Vegetables, fruit, herbs and edible flowers are all in good supply… Strawberries – Fragole The ultimate symbol of British summertime, these juicy red fruits are equally cherished by the Italians, and thankfully have quite a […]
This Piadina con fave is a beautiful way of using up delicious broad beans whilst they are in season. Ingredients: 1kg broad beans, in pods 1 small bunch of spring onions, trimmed, finely chopped 100g Quartirolo Lombardo cheese 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil flat breads, for serving salt and freshly ground black pepper Method: Pod the beans […]
These Risotto Stuffed Tomatoes by Lakeland are the perfect summer starter! Ingredients: 6 large salad tomatoes 25g risotto rice 2 tsp olive oil 1 spring onion, finely sliced 25g courgette, roughly chopped 25g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 125ml vegetable stock ½ tsp dried mixed Italian herbs 4 fresh basil leaves 2 tsp Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), […]
This pasta dish by Lakeland is just what is needed for a tasty meal. Ingredients: For the pasta: 160g ‘00’ flour, plus extra to dust 240g fine semolina 5 eggs For the filling: 600g cooked spinach, squeezed as dry as possible and finely chopped 600g ricotta cheese Pinch freshly grated nutmeg 1 egg yolk Salt and […]
Perfect for a laid-back weekend lunch, this impressive tart by Lakeland gives maximum flavour from minimum effort. Ingredients: 500g baby plum or cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp olive oil 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry 2 tbsp pesto 55g pitted black olives 360g ricotta cheese Method: Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF. In a […]
This tart by Lakeland is the perfect dish for a summer picnic or a light evening meal with some potatoes and salad For the rough puff pastry: 75g plain flour Pinch salt 25g butter, chilled and cut into 1cm cubes 25g white vegetable fat, chilled and cut into 1cm cubes 3 tbsp cold water For […]
If you have ever skied at Chiavenna you will be aware of the concept of the crotto, a cave that has been converted into a restaurant. Rachael Martin revisits the haunts of her youth… Walk into Pasticceria Mastai in Chiavenna on a cold winter’s morning and it’s full of skiers having a quick cappuccino and […]
Artichokes, for example, began their season in Italy before Easter, but the British season often lags some way behind. Mario Matassa is your guide to your local market’s fare… Mackerel – Sgombro This silver-bodied fish with dark grey stripes is a close relative of the tuna fish, yet has quite a different flavour. Plentiful in […]
These Costolette d’agnello con crosta di pistacchi are the perfect midweek meal. Serves: 2 Prep: 10 minutes Cooking: 10 minutes Ingredients: 6 lamb cutlets 40g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped 2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs 1 tbsp finely grated mature pecorino cheese 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 small free-range egg […]
This month, we put some fine Italian chocolate treats to the test – well, it’s a difficult job but someone has to do it… Over the last few decades, Italy has established itself as one of the leading nations worldwide for the production of fine chocolate, making significant inroads, primarily in the gourmet market. Our […]