Panna cotta with raspberries

These vanilla scented creamy panacottas, drizzled in a summer fruit coulis, go brilliantly with fruit, and raspberries and blackcurrants are a winning combination for a delicious summer dessert Serves: 4 Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 10 mins Ingredients For the pannacotta 300ml milk (full fat or semi skimmed) 300ml double cream 30g caster sugar […]

Candied Fruit Ricotta Cannoli

Cannoli are classic Italian pastries, originally from Sicily. They make beautiful little treats to wow your friends! Ingredients Pastry 250g plain flour 1tsp cocoa powder 1tsp freshly ground coffee 30g softened butter 25g sugar 100ml white wine 1 egg, beaten Filling 600g ricotta cheese 150g icing sugar 25g chocolate chips 50g candied fruits, finely chopped olive […]

Strawberry, Parma Ham & Parmesan Crostini

This is a wonderfully quick and aromatic way to introduce strawberries into a savoury snack. The Parmesan works really well with the strawberries and balsamic with the savoury sourdough being the perfect base. Strawberry, Parma Ham & Parmesan Crostini  Serves 4 – Prep time 5 mins – Cook time 5 mins Ingredients 200g of quartered strawberries 8 slices of sourdough […]

Play it cool

Our love affair with Italian gelato Whether you believe that Marco Polo brought back the idea of ice cream to Italy from his travels in China (along with pasta, but that’s a different story), there’s no doubt that gelato is close to every Italian’s heart, and we’re in love with it too. Italian gelato is different from the […]

Top 5 Italian Cheeses

With so many wonderful regional specialities, it’s a hard choice to make, but these five formaggi could rival cheeseboards from anywhere in the world… 1. Mozzarella di bufala Campania It may seem controversial to place mozzarella above Parmigiano Reggiano, but few could argue that this luxurious, creamy delight now has an unassailable place in kitchens worldwide, and […]

Mackerel fillets with potato and olive salad

Some of the more complex Italian recipes will take hours to prepare – and just as long to enjoy! – but when you’re in a hurry you’re going to need quick-and-easy recipes.  Mackerel fillets with potato and olive salad – (Filetti di sgombro con insalata di patate e olive) There are lots of different fish called […]

Food and Drink Christmas Gift Guide

Bring a dash of Italian style to the festive season with our gift ideas for the whole family Adopt an Olive Tree For an unusual gift that lovers of Italian food will adore, why not adopt an olive tree? The recipient of your gift will be sent an adoption certificate and a welcome pack, together […]

Top Five: Italian Markets

There’s no better way of buying authentic Italian produce than by rubbing shoulders with the locals at one of Italy’s many bustling markets. Here are our favourites… The Rialto Markets/ Pescheria Venice, Veneto Among the multitude of architectural, historical and scenic ‘must-sees’ and ‘must-dos’ in this iconic city, here is a gastronomic imperative  to add […]

Viewpoint: Pecorino cheese

Delicious wheels of Pecorino cheese wrapped neatly in red radicchio, leek and green cabbage – the pride of any Italian artisan food fair or market Photo by iStock Pecorino is a ewe’s milk cheese that, although pretty well known, often falls into the shadow of the nation’s far more famous Parmesan, for virtue of the […]

Is the world’s best restaurant, truly the best?

Massimo Bottura is one the world’s most famous chefs but do his abstract ideas pay off? The restaurant Osteria Francescana, was named number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards this year. It is located in Modena and native, Massimo Bottura owns and runs the show. This foodie palace has been in the top five […]