Insalata Caprese Insalata Caprese is a classic mozzarella and tomato salad from the Isle of Capri in the Bay of Naples. Indian water buffalo were introduced to the swampy plains near Naples as draft animals around the 6th or 7th century, and today this area is famous for one of Italy’s most delicious cheeses, Mozzarella […]
Grilled Zucchini with Stracciatella Grilled zucchini with stracciatella is a simple dish that’s great as a starter or part of an antipasti. It’s inspired by a dish I had at Bert’s at Newport – the first time I ever tasted stracciatella. This wonderful southern Italian cheese is shredded mozzarella mixed with cream – it’s what’s […]
Baked Scamorza with Salami I love cheeses that melt to a lovely soft texture without becoming oily, like Italian scamorza. Baked scamorza is a perfect quick dinner with salad and some sliced salumi. In Italy it’s often topped with prosciutto, but I prefer slices of Salumi Australia’s picante (chilli) or finocchietto (fennel) salami for something […]
Broad Bean Bruschetta Every meal at Lucio’s Paddington restaurant started with bruschetta, a slice of delicious toasted Italian bread, topped with a mound of something seasonal. I love using tender young broad beans during their short spring season to make this broad bean bruschetta. In summer it’s often diced ripe tomatoes; sliced sauteed mushrooms are […]
Burrata with Tapenade I love stretched curd cheeses of every kind – including delicate, creamy burrata, the southern Italian cheese that’s a thin pouch of mozzarella filled with a rich blend of cream and fine strands of stringy fresh curd tied off with a knot. It makes a lovely presentation and, with a touch of […]
Quesadilla with Salsa Verde I love recipes that are so simple they’re hardly a recipe at all – where great produce and flavours shine and I don’t have to do too much. That’s what these simple fried cheese sandwiches are all about, especially served with vibrant green salsa verde (which keeps for a week in […]
Bruschetta Caprese It’s good to eat with the seasons, but occasionally I want a touch of summer year-round – that’s when I call on a few of my favourite things and create this delicious bruschetta Caprese. Windy Hills Farm pots of living basil are the perfect way to use this summer herb year-round, Vannella’s small buffalo […]
Ricotta Walnuts & Honey This is a great way to end a meal when you feel like something slightly sweet to nibble on but don’t want dessert. It’s inspired by a recipe in Lucio Galletto’s book Coastline, he makes his own ricotta – and you can too, see video below – but I usually cheat […]
Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells in Taleggio Sauce My cooking’s often inspired by what happens to be on hand, like some delicious Vannella ricotta leftover from recipe testing and a huge bunch of chives from a herb patch gone berserk. That’s how this dish came about. Giant pasta shells, called conchiglioni, are simple to fill and […]
Mozzarella Grilled in Lemon Leaves I discovered mozzarella grilled in lemon leaves on the Amalfi coast, where lemons are a way of life. It’s delicious and so very simple to make, especially if you (or a neighbour) have a lemon tree in the backyard. I’ve tried it with fresh fior di latte, but that’s a […]
