48 Hours in Modena

Famous for making some of the world’s best cars, Modena is also at the heart of Italy’s Food Valley and can boast one of the nation’s most beautiful cathedrals. Sarah Lane explores… The city of Modena has numerous claims to fame. It’s where the legendary Ferrari racing cars are made, it was the hometown of […]

2015 Italia Taste Awards

Throughout the past year we sampled Italian products you can buy in the UK in our Buy Italia! feature and brought you our recommendations. Now we can tell you what our favourites have been. And here they are, at the… Now that we’ve got the old year properly packed off to bed and tucked up nicely, […]

Best Honey

Bears might be particularly well known for loving honey, but so do we. Italia! puts some fine examples of liquid gold to the taste test. It’s time for something sweet… Honey always seemed a quintessentially British ingredient as a child, whether as the adorable Winnie the Pooh’s ‘drug’ of choice, or because of the way […]

Best Green Pesto

When it comes to store cupboard stand ins, they don’t come more handy than a trusty jar of green basil pesto. Italia! put a selection of the classic sauce to the test There are countless classic basil pestos available on our supermarket shelves, but there are many variations on the authentic recipe on offer too. The […]

Top Five Chocolatiers

Look out France, Switzerland and Belgium. A new contender is shaking up the world of luxury chocolates. Italia! looks at the dark gold rivalling Europe’s most established chocolatiers 1. Amedei Since the early 1990s, when Cecilia and Alessio Tessieri (the brother and sister team behind Amedei) set up their Tuscan chocolate factory, they have been […]

Mid-week Meals: Penne with prawns & artichokes

Artichokes are a hugely popular ingredient in Italian cooking, and these succulent baby globes, combined with juicy prawns make this pasta concoction a mouth-watering treat that can be on your plate in minutes.   Ingredients Serves 4 1 lemon, for juice 4 baby globe artichokes, preferably with good long stalks 3 tbsp olive oil 2 […]

Courgette and Escarole Pie

A light and tasty snack that is easy to make and full of vitamins. Escarole is a form of chicory and has a gentle, but distinctive, bitter taste. The young leaves are also great in salads and soups Serves 4-6 Ingredients 250g filo pastry 1 head of escarole 2 courgettes, sliced 1 clove of garlic […]

Pizza with Radicchio and Parmesan Cheese

Radicchio is a popular vegetable in Italian cooking and its intense flavour pairs well with traditional pizza ingredients such as cheese and pancetta. The bright red leaves also make a dish all the more attractive to look at… Ingredients SERVES 4-6 FOR THE DOUGH 300g plain wheat flour 100g strong wheat flour 20g Brewer’s yeast […]

Ciabatta Recipe

Ciabatta was given its name because the bread resembles a well-worn slipper. Prolonged rising and plenty of liquid produce a very light bread with a uniquely open and porous texture. Ingredients FOR THE STARTER ½ tsp dried yeast 150ml water 3 tbsp tepid milk ¼ tsp honey or granulated sugar 150g strong white flour FOR […]

Tomato, mint and red onion salad

Tweak your culinary skills with this deliciously fresh salad…   I have fond memories of this salad and of eating it in Syracuse, Sicily, with my father. Some friends there grow lettuces, and this salad was part of a wonderful meal after a long, dusty drive to their farm. It was the first time I […]