Lemon Custard Strawberry Tart
“La crostata” is a traditional Italian cake. It is made by assembling a fragrant crust with pastry cream and fresh fruits. This tart is simple and versatile, so you can use other fresh seasonal fruits instead of strawberries. There is another version made with the same crust and marmalade. Plenty of recipes exist, but this…
Avocado, cucumber, and salmon salad
Summer is the perfect season to visit your local farmers’ market. You’ll find juicy tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, and—of course—tons of cucumbers. If you are inspired by the piles of colorful vegetables, you will find some ways to make the most of summer’s finest fruits and greens. Last week we visited the local market and found…
Parmigiana with Red Pesto
This week you will find a traditional Italian vegetarian recipe made simple thanks to red pesto. Summertime offers a variety of fresh vegetables, like courgettes and aubergines. Since they are versatile, you can decide to prepare your parmigiana with just one of them or both. You will find this recipe an healthy and light dish but…
White Asparagus, Ham and Bozner Sauce: a recipe from the North of Italy
Last week I went in the most northern part of Italy, to visit my relatives. In this season, there you can find a seasonal jewel: the White Asparagus. White asparagus are renowned and quite expensive for their high quality. Their characteristic is the lack of colour since they grow under the ground and therefore without…
Cantuccini
Cantucci are typical Tuscan cookies. They are made from dough and cooked like a finger roll. They are unique because they are double cooked.
Orecchiette with Fresh Tomato & Mushroom Sauce
One of my favourite short pasta shapes is orecchiette, which means “little ears”. The original recipe from Puglia combines orecchiette with “Cime di Rapa” – a variety of the same family of broccoli from the heel of Italy’s “boot” However, it’s also perfect with tomato and vegetable-based sauces because it’s ear-like shape holds the sauce very well. So what are you…
Chicken Breast “Al Cartoccio”
In one of my shopping expeditions, I bought some free range Chicken breast from my friend Ray at People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire. I want it to cook the chicken breasts in an innovative but traditional way, so decided to prepare it “al cartoccio” as we say in Italy… I started to experiment and came up with…
Oven Baked Tomato Risotto
Do you know how to make a traditional Italian oven-baked risotto? A delicious and easy-to-prepare dish that makes a great presentation. Its wonderful smell evokes powerful childhood memories of a typical Sunday lunch with my family… This recipe concentrates the incredible Mediterranean flavours and scents and it’s a good source of energy. Moreover, it’s a great…
Asparagus Patè Crèpes
It doesn’t quite feel like spring is officially here until asparagus has been spotted, does it? In Italy, the harvesting season takes place from the end of March until May and we’re looking forward to eating as much asparagus as we can until its brief season is over! I love crèpes because they are a…
Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino – Garlic, Oil and Chilli Spaghetti
This is the most basic Italians recipe: simple and speedy but with gorgeous flavours! Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino: Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chilli! You only need four ingredients, and it is a perfect meal-saver when you give an invitation to your friends to come over, but your fridge is empty! High-quality ingredients are…
