Italian food is good for the soul! Despite great regional diversity, northern Italy and southern Italy are united by passion for fresh produce, pasta and the shared table. I love the simplicity and seasonality of la cucina Italiana. Here are some of my favourite Italian recipes.
Potato Focaccia I love authentic focaccia made with a generous amount of olive oil. My recipe is inspired by Ligurian-born restaurateur, Lucio Galletto, who uses more water and oil in his recipe than many I’ve seen, which is what makes his focaccia so delicious. I love how versatile focaccia is and especially enjoy potato focaccia […]
Bottarga & Lemon Pappardelle I love pasta! I also love lemon and bottarga, so I created this simple recipe combining all three. It’s inspired by my friend and co-author, Giovanni Pilu who introduced me to the joys of bottarga along with many other Sardinian ingredients (you can order his Aussie-made bottarga online and scroll to […]
Ice Cream with Balsamic Vinegar Vinegar on ice cream? Really? Absolutely if it’s the thick black gold of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. Good vanilla ice cream with balsamic vinegar is a life-changing dessert. This sweet/sour elixir made from grape must is aged in a series of barrels of various woods (including cherry, chestnut and […]
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 […]
Potato Gnocchi I love potato gnocchi and when I asked restaurateur Lucio Galletto if they’re popular in Liguria he replied “On special occasions, we say: ‘Come home Mamma’s making gnocchi.’” Gnocchi are so versatile, they’re delicious dressed with just about any pasta sauce including pesto, easy gnocchi Sorrentina from the Amalfi coast, or the simplest […]
Spungata (Ligurian Apricot Tart) This delicious fruit tart, called spungata in Liguria and spongata in neighbouring Emilia-Romagna, is similar to what other Italian regions call crostata. In Liguria it’s often given as a gift when visiting friends and family. Apricots are a common filling, but it’s also made with apples, pears and other fruits; the […]
Pinolate (Ligurian Pine Nut Cookies) These simple Ligurian pine nut cookies have a wonderfully chewy soft centre with a crisp outer and delicious nutty flavour. Also called pignoli or amaretti con pignoli, they’re traditionally made with a mix of bitter and sweet almonds. As bitter almonds can be hard to find, I use marzipan mixed […]
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; in summer it’s often diced ripe tomatoes; sliced sauteed mushrooms are wonderful in autumn; and in winter […]
Trofie al Pesto Genovese I love this classic way of serving pesto – with the beans and potatoes cooked in the same water as the pasta it’s more like a main meal than an entrée. This is done with various pasta shapes in Liguria, but the most typical are trenette (a thin flat pasta similar […]
Focaccia I love authentic focaccia made with a generous amount of olive oil and had such fun working on focaccia recipes for our Month on the Italian Riviera inspired by Lucio Galletto. Lucio uses more water and oil in his recipe than many I’ve seen and I think that’s what makes his focaccia so delicious. […]
