These biscuits are a version of the Italian Ricciarelli, a chewy, almond biscuit originating from Siena, Tuscany. They can be made with the addition of cocoa, cherries, or infused with citrus flavour. I love this orange and almond version. The orange brings a real floral note to them. You could substitute with lemon if you…
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Bombe Alaska
If you want to make something spectacular this Christmas, you can’t go wrong with the classic, retro Bombe Alaska. Also known as ‘Baked Alaska’ – so named because of its frozen interior served with a baked, theatrical exterior. A layered ice-cream centre surrounded by sponge cake, covered in meringue, then torched to golden perfection. This…
Panforte
Is it just me, or has the year seemed to have flown by for you, too? Christmas is just around the corner, so it is natural to start thinking about one of the most important aspects of the season – what are we going to eat? This is the time when food is much more…
Crostini
Crostini, loosely translated in Italian mean “little toasts” and are the perfect blank canvas for any kind of topping. They are perfect to serve up before a meal, especially if you’re entertaining, as the crostini can be made in advance and stored in a container, ready to top with whatever takes your fancy (they keep…
Sicilian Pizza
Sicily is one of my favourite regions of Italy. Full of history, baroque little towns, amazing coastline, vineyards, not to mention an active volcano. But the best thing about Sicily is the food. Such an eclectic mix of flavours due to the influences from so many different cultures that invaded it over the years. What…
Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples
I have always been obsessed with the ancient world. It’s probably one of the reasons I love Italy so much, walking through the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the many ancient sites of Rome for the first time is mind-blowing. To imagine people going about their day to day lives thousands of years ago, the…
Best Ever Slow Cooked Tomato Ragu
If I had to pick one meal that could give you a taste of who I am and where I come from it is undeniably this slow-cooked Tomato Ragu. It is a part of my childhood, part of my family legacy, it practically oozes through my veins. This year, as an ambassador for Taste of…
Pasta with Simple No-Cook Tomato Sauce
How strange the world is since I started writing about food. Whoever thought our ability to travel, work, educate our children, spend time with each other, even shop, could have changed so monumentally. The way we think about our health, our choices, our future – seem so huge, so all-encompassing it is almost impossible to…
Chicken Cacciatore
One of the most often cooked ingredients in my kitchen is chicken pieces. Legs and thighs mainly, although I do like Marylands (a combination of both) when I can find them. Apart from being an incredibly economical ingredient, chicken pieces are just so versatile. As with any kind of meat, it always tastes better when…
Simple Green Salad
You know when you follow a recipe for something new and at the end, it suggests serving with a ‘simple green salad’? This is that salad. I’m almost embarrassed to write about it, it’s just so simple, something I throw together without even thinking about. It isn’t something I weigh, use spoon or cup measures….
