Cheese adds flavour, texture and aroma to dishes, whether it’s salty feta crumbled into a salad, oozy melting Swiss gruyere in a sandwich, or ricotta baked into a simple dessert. From making simple fresh cheese to dishes using a vast range of European, Asian and Australian cheeses, here are some of my favourite cheese recipes.
Truffle & Provolone Toastie This black truffle & provolone toastie is quite simply the most decadent toasted sandwich you’ll ever make. Australian black truffles are one of the joys of winter (see FAQ below) and, although they cost upwards of $2,500/kg, a little goes a long way with a small one (20g) costing only $75 […]
Zucchini Carbonara Like this recipe?You’ll love my online Italian cooking class featuring the food of southern Italy! Carbonara sauce traditionally contains guanciale (cured pork cheek), but I had a delicious vegetarian version with zucchini at Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point, and couldn’t resist trying to recreate it at home. You need female zucchini flowers for […]
Spaghetti Carbonara Like this recipe?You’ll love my online Italian cooking class featuring the food of southern Italy! Spaghetti carbonara is a simple Roman pasta with a sauce made creamy by combining egg yolks and hard cheese – it doesn’t contain cream, despite the profusion of recipes using it. The origin of the name is a […]
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 […]
Nachos I’ve always had a soft spot for this Tex-Mex snack, invented, as so many good things are, out of necessity. Asked to feed some hungry customers after the kitchen had closed, a Mexican cook called Ignacio (“Nacho” for short), fried strips of tortillas, melted cheese over them and topped them with pickled chillies. The […]
Greek Leek & Cheese Pie (Prasopita) I’ve always loved Greek pies like spanakopita (spinach and cheese), tiropita (cheese) and hortopita (wild weeds – see video below). Then I discovered this Greek leek and cheese pie, which might just be the most delicious of all. Prasopita is popular in Greece during Lent, when devout Orthodox Christians […]
Raw Artichoke Salad Insalata de carciofi is one of my favourite ways to serve artichokes – simply thinly sliced with a tangy lemon dressing and a little salty cheese. Celery heart adds crunch and a few baby rocket leaves give colour but don’t use too much, let the artichoke be the star, and only use […]
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe Like this recipe?You’ll love my online Italian cooking class featuring the food of southern Italy! Cacio e pepe, cheese and pepper – one of the simplest pasta sauces, this Roman classic can also be one of the trickiest to get just right. The idea is to emulsify the cheese with the […]
Welsh Rarebit The alternative name for this cheesy British classic, Welsh rabbit, may be the original title, and the ‘rarebit’ name may have been created later to try and make sense of a nonsensical sounding dish. Etymology aside, this is the classic cheddar dish and the ‘Welsh’ appellation suggests an origin close to cheddar’s traditional […]
Pancetta-wrapped Grilled Mozzarella Pancetta-wrapped grilled mozzarella is one of those quick-to-assemble dishes that’s perfect for entertaining. Inspired by a dish I used to love years ago at Castelmola restaurant in Leichhardt, the addition of mustard fruit takes this snack from yum to wow! I use Vannella nodini – large, juicy, bite-sized knots of fresh mozzarella […]
