Recipes
Crema di Funghi Porcini
Wild Mushroom Soup
Simply handling the main ingredients for this soup of wild mushrooms fills me with ecstasy and reminds me always of autumnal walks in beautiful woods in search of them. This soup can be made in two ways, both of which are delicious. I like to serve the version with fresh ceps. (During the rest of the year I make it with ceps I have frozen). The alternative version is even simpler, and (unless you have gathered your own ceps) cheaper.
Croccante di Nocciole
Wild Hazelnut Crunch
Almost every year I make these sweets a couple of weeks before Christmas and store them in an airtight jar to keep them crisp. I put them into little individual cellophane bags to give as presents. A little care is needed when cooking them, as the liquid caramelised sugar used to make the hazelnuts stick together is extremely hot and can burn: I use a half lemon as my shaping tool to save my fingers.
Fagiolini al Pomodoro
Green Beans Stewed with Tomatoes
This is a dish from the Neapolitan region, which is good just eaten with breads as a first course. We had it quite often in my family as a first course instead of pasta or soup.
Fegato di vitello con cipolle
Calf's Liver with Onions
This dish is often found in Venice where it is called fegato all veneziano. It can also be made with pork, lamb or chickens livers. Whichever you use, the result is always satisfying, and is particularly tasty when served with a puree of potatoes and celeriac.
Festoni del Ghiottone
Gourmet Lasagne
This dish reminds me of those apparently never-ending Christmas meals where succulent course follows succulent course. As it requires quite a lot of preparation, I suggest that you only make it on really special occasions. Because festoni is so rich and substantial, you may wish to make it a main course, accompanied only by salad.
Fiori di Zucchini Ripieni
Stuffed Courgette Flowers
There are two ways of cooking courgette flowers, either fried in batter as they are, or stuffed and then fried. Fiori di zucca, pumpkin flowers, are often used in regional cooking, but unless you have pumpkin plants in your garden, they are difficult to come by. In the trade, because they have become a 'classic' in the cooking of many cuisines, courgette flowers are now supplied so that they are not quite so rare any more. In fact, it is easier to find the small courgettes with the flowers still attached, and this is what I suggest you use. If you get the flowers from your garden, check very carefully to see that there are no insects in them.
Focaccia al Rosmarino
Pizza Bread with Rosemary
Focaccia has become almost commonplace throughout Europe, where once it was unfamiliar to all except Italians. This hasn't diminished its deliciousness, though, and home-made focaccia is the best of all. The most common variety is simply topped with some oil and sea salt, and comes in large rectangular shapes which are then cut into squares. It can also be made, however, in the shape of a pizza. Focaccia dough should be slightly thicker than a normal pizza as it is very similar to bread in consistency and, like bread, it can accompany all sorts of foods.
Gamberoni all 'Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
Prawns in Garlic, Oil and Chilli Sauce
These prawns are especially delicious if you take the trouble to peel the body, leaving the flesh exposed so that it can absorb the other flavours. The juices from the head also contribute to the final taste of the sauce. Add chilli to taste - I like it hot!
Gnocchetti Sardi con Sugo di Salsiccia e Pomodoro
Sardinian Pasta with Sausage and Tomato Sauce
Sardinia has many specialities which are quite different from the rest of Italy. Most dishes are of peasant origin, and they demonstrate how poor people managed to satisfy their dietary needs using only combinations of humble ingredients, but which resulted in wonderful flavours. Sardinian dishes are now enjoying a well-deserved renaissance.
Granita di Pantelleria
Blackberry Granita
During a holiday in Pantelleria, a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean (between Sicily and Malta), I consumed a mulberry granite every day. Made by a local cook, this helped considerably to cool me down in the intense summer heat. Ripe, scented blackberries can be used in the same way, as indeed can strawberries, raspberries or other soft fruit.