Asparagus, tarragon & almond pizza bianco

Ever thought of topping your pizza with asparagus? Now there’s an idea… This pizza bianco is quick to prepare and takes just 10 minutes in the oven – it’s the ideal mid-week supper Serves: 2 – Preparation time: 5 minutes – Cooking time: 10 minutes Ingredients 100ml crème fraiche 20g parmesan, grated 2 flatbreads 2 tbsp flaked […]

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 […]

Bruschetta with smashed peas and crispy pancetta

We love this little bites of heaven! Peas bring a lovely lightness to these mini bruschetta Bruschetta with smashed peas and crispy pancetta or Bruschetta con purè di piselli e pancetta croccante Makes 10 – Preparation 10 minutes – Cooking 20 minutes Ingredients 1 ciabatta loaf extra-virgin olive oil 500g frozen peas 10 slices of pancetta 1 lemon, zested and […]

Warm green pea and bean salad

Fresh or frozen, peas bring a refreshing lightness to any dish and are therefore often used to lift the spirits of what might otherwise be overly-hearty winter warmers… Warm green pea and bean salad with herb-roasted tomatoes or Insalata tiepida di piselli verdi e fave con pomodori arrostiti all’erbe Serves 4 – Preparation 10 minutes –  Cooking 25 […]

Saffron-braised chicken with peas, almonds and garlic

Fresh or frozen, peas bring a refreshing lightness to any dish and are therefore often used to lift the spirits of what might otherwise be overly-hearty winter warmers… Saffron-braised chicken with peas, almonds and garlic Serves 4 – Preparation 15 minutes – Cooking 45 minutes Ingredients 4 free-range chicken legs,  cut in half 3 tbsp olive oil 4 shallots, […]

Viewpoint: Markets in Pomposa

A solitary market stall in Pomposa, near Ferrara, selling pumpkins of all shapes and sizes in late October of last year. It doesn’t get more Italian – and yet, of course, it’s not Italian at all… Like maize – another crop that is grown very extensively here in the Po Valley – and tomatoes – […]

Bolognese is best in Britain

What’s the verdict? Italian or British bundle of bolognese? This story first appeared on The Telegraph and was written by XANTHE CLAY.   I was brought up on spaghetti bolognese. Slippery tendrils of pasta wreathed in a great mound of meat and tomato sauce, which we didn’t know was called a ragu, was a regular supper. For us […]