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.
Baked Ocean Trout with Mushrooms Catching freshwater fish (like trout) and foraging for mushrooms are both popular pastimes in northern Italy, and the fruits of these activities come together deliciously in this simple dish of baked ocean trout with mushrooms. Use whatever mushrooms are available just as they would in Italy, I love wild pine […]
Baked Salmon with Fennel & Orange Fennel, oranges and oregano are delicious flavourings for almost any seafood and I especially like them with a thick piece of crisp-skinned salmon. If you don’t like eating salmon skin, still cook the fish with the skin on as the oils add flavour to the flesh and help keep […]
Salmon al Cartoccio This salmon al cartoccio (or sto harti in Greek) is inspired by the classic Greek slow-cooked lamb as taught to me by my friend Janni Kyritsis. The low-slow cooking in a parcel gives a wonderfully delicate result, the fish is cooked through but still quite bright and ‘just-set’ in the thickest parts. […]
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 Like bottarga?You’ll love my online Italian cooking class featuring the food of Sardinia! 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 […]
Ice Cream with Balsamic Vinegar Join my Small Group Food & Wine Tour of Modena – Home of 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 dotted with traditional balsamic vinegar is a life-changing dessert. This sweet-sour elixir made […]
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 Like gnocchi?You’ll love my online Italian cooking class! I love versatile potato gnocchi, they’re delicious dressed with just about any pasta sauce including pesto, easy gnocchi Sorrentina from the Amalfi coast, or the simplest burnt butter and sage. You can even boil the gnocchi ahead of time, chill them in iced water then […]
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 spungata are 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; […]
Pinolate (Ligurian Pine Nut Cookies) Pinolate are simple Ligurian pine nut cookies with a wonderfully chewy soft centre, 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 […]
