CAS Project - Italian Recipe Book

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Salted Muffins with Courgettes and Provola

Ingredients ●

2 eggs

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60 g of sunflower oil

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100 g of milk

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1 tbsp of salt

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1 tbsp of sugar

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230 g of flour

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1 tbsp of instant yeast for salted cakes

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Half of a courgette

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50 g of spicy provola cheese

Preparation 1. Break the eggs in a bowl and add oil, milk sugar, salt and yeast.

2. Mix everything with an electric beater and a little at a time add the flour.

3. When the dough is completely amalgamated, cut in little pieces the courgette and the provola cheese, and add everything to the dough.

4. Once we have put everything in the ramekins, bake in the oven at 180° for 20-25 minutes.

Ready in 35 minutes Serves 8 people

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Linguine with cherry tomatoes and prawns

Ingredients ●

Linguine (80 g per person)

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Cut cherry tomatoes

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1 cloves of garlic

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1 tbsp of salt

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1 tbsp of sugar

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Extra virgin olive oil q.s.

Preparation 1. Boil and then brow the prawns in a pan with the clove of garlic 2. Add the cherry tomatoes, the salt, the sugar and the olive oil and cook for a few minutes on low heat.

3. Boil the water and add the past once boiled 4. Stir-fry the pasta after it is being cooked and the sauce in a pan at high heat.

Ready in 35 minutes

Tips If possible add some basil and oregano to the sauce.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Cannoli

For the filling ●

250 g ricotta, drained and beaten until fluffy

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100 g mascarpone

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2 tbsp finely chopped candied peel

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2 tbsp of icing sugar

Preparation

Serves 10 people

Ingredients ●

150 g plain flour

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1 tbsp golden caster sugar

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Large pinch bicarbonate of soda

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1/2 tbsp of cinnamon

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1 tbsp of cocoa powder

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30 g of butter

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1 egg (separate)

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50 ml white Marsala or white wine

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Rapeseed oil or sunflower oil for deep frying

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50 g dark chocolate (melted)

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Handful pistachio kernels, finely chopped

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Icing sugar, to dust

1. Mix dry ingredients in a food processor.

2. Pulse in butter.

3. Add marsala wine and egg and pulse to bring together.

4. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and rest the dough.

5. Heat oil in a pot.

6. Roll dough out very thin on a floured surface.

7. Cut into rounds or ovals (about 4-inches each).

8. Wrap rounds around greased cannoli forms, brush top or bottom edge with egg white to seal shut.

9. Fry in preheated oil until golden brown and crisp, about 1 – 2 minutes.

10. Remove cannoli shells and drain on paper towels.

11. Remove shells from forms, let forms cool and repeat the process.

12. Make cannoli filling.

13. Let shells cool completely then fill with cannoli filling.

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Creamy Paccheri with Speck and Courgettes

Ingredients ●

350 g of paccheri

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30 g of Parmesan cheese

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30 g of walnuts

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100 g of speck (chopped in little cubes)

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2 courgette

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Basil leaves

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Oil and salt (to taste)

Preparation 1. Cook the paccheri (as Italians do!!!)

2. Blend courgettes (which were previously cut) with oil, walnuts, basil and Parmesan cheese.

3. Pan-fry the speck and then add the cream obtained before and one ladleful of cooking water.

4. Flavour the pasta and serve.

Tips Learn how to cook pasta just like Italians do!

It will make EVERY recipe better.

Ready in 35 minutes Serves 4 people

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Soft Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for a baking tray of 24 cm ●

Dark chocolate 200 grams

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Sugar 100 grams

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Butter 100 grams

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Eggs: 3

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Wheat flour 00: 60 grams

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Milk or coffee : 30 ml

Preparation

Ready in 1 hour and 5 minutes

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave 2. Cut the butter and mix it with the chocolate with a beater 3. Whip the egg white with half of the sugar with an electric beater until a composed light and foamy dough is obtained 4. Merge the white egg with the chocolate dough and add the milk or coffee and also the sifted flour until a dough without lumps is obtained 5. In another bowl, whip the yolks with the other half of the sugar and a bit of salt 6. With a spatula incorporate the yolks with the chocolate and mix from bottom to top 7. Cover the baking tray with baking paper and verse the dough inside it 8. Then put it in the oven, preheated at 180 degrees for 25/30 minutes 9. Let the cake cool down for 15-20 minutes.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Meat balls

Preparation 1. Combine beef, veal and pork in a large bowl 2. Add the other ingredients and mix altogether using your bare hands for best results 3. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs 4. Coat your hands with olive oil and shape into meatballs to desired size.

5. At this point, you can either brown the meatballs in a frying pan or broil them in the oven which Nonna

Ready in 1 hour

Francesca prefers to do.

6. Broil them, placing the meatballs on a

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

½ kg of ground veal 250 g of ground pork 250 g of ground beef 60 g of chopped parsley 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tbsp of milk 2 tbsp of olive oil 120 g bread crumbs ¾ cup of parmesan cheese 4 large eggs 2 tbsp of salt 1 tbsp of pepper 1 tbsp of garlic powder

broiler pan.

7. to fry them, heat olive oil in a large skillet and fry meatballs in batches.

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Meringues

Ingredients ●

4 egg whites

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Sugar, the amount double the weight of the egg whites

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6 or 7 drops of lemon juice

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A pinch of salt

Preparation 1. Beat the egg whites until stiff with the pitch of salt 2. Make powdered sugar and slowly add it to the egg whites with the lemon drops.

3. Bake at 110° for an hour and 10 minutes.

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

Ready in 1 hour and 30 minutes

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Parmigiana

Ready in 2 hour and 20 minutes

Ingredients serving 8 people ●

Black eggplants 1.5 kg

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Tomato purée 1.4 l

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Fior di latte mozzarella cheese 500g

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Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese 150 g

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Yellow onions 1

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Extra virgin olive oil to taste

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Black pepper to taste

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Basil several lives

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Fine salt to taste

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Peanut seed oil to taste- for frying the eggplant

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Coarse salt 35 g- for purging the eggplants

Preparation 1. Wash and dry the eggplants. Then, remove the stems and slice the eggplant lengthwise to obtain slices about 4-5mm thick.

2. Place the slices inside a colander and sprinkle them with the coarse salt between the layers. On top of the eggplants, place a plate with a weight on it to let the eggplants purge the excess water for an hour.

3. Slice the mozzarella into strips, place them in another colander.

4. In a large saucepan pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the chopped onion, stir often so as not to burn it and let it brown for a couple of minutes.

5. Add the tomato purée, a little water, salt and let it simmer for 45 minutes, when finished cooking add the basil leaves.

6. Heat plenty of vegetable oil and in the meantime rinse the portion of eggplant that you are going to fry and dry it with oil blotting paper.

7. Fry a few slices at a time in boiling oil at 170 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Then, drain on absorbent paper and do the same with the others.

8. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with a little sauce, then make the first layer by arranging the eggplants slices horizontally.

9. Garet some black pepper, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pour the mozzarella cubes and pour on a little more sauce.

10. Repeat the same procedure inverting each time the direction of the slices

each time. Between the layers, remember to press gently with the palms of your hands in order to compact them.

11. Bake the eggplant parmigiana in a hot oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes. once ready, let out cool for a few minute try before serving

Tips Choose the most suitable eggplants, they will make the difference. Preferably, large, oval, dark purple and not too hard nor too soft.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Polenta

Ingredients -

4 cups of water 1 teaspoon of fine salt 1 cup of polenta 3 tablespoon of butter ½ cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Preparation 1. Boil water with salt in a large 2.

3.

Ready in 55 minutes

4.

Serves 4 people 5.

6.

7.

8.

saucepan Pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred with no lumps Reduce heat to low simmer until polenta starts to thicken Cover and cook for 30 minutes whisking every 5 to 6 minutes Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender Turn off the heat and stir 2 tablespoon of butter Mix the cheese Cover for 5 minutes and then mix the remaining butter and cheese for garnish

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Veal Roulades with Ham and Mozzarella

Ingredients ●

600 g of veal thigh

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100 g of ham

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100 g of mozzarella

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Salt and oil to taste

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Breadcrumbs to taste

Preparation 1. Lay the veal slices, add salt, put a slice of ham and a piece of mozzarella and roll them in the shape of a roulade.

2. Close the sides with a toothpick and roll them into the breadcrumbs.

3. Take an oven pan, put some oil on it and lay the roulades onto it.

4. Add a little bit of oil on top of them.

5. Bake everything at 170° for 15/20 minutes.

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

Ready in 30 minutes Serves 6 people

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Saffron Risotto

Ready in 40minutes Serves 4 people

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

1.22 litres/ 2 paints chicken stock 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, very finely chopped 350g risotto rice 125 ml dry white wine ½ tsp saffron 50g Parmesan 1 egg yolk

Preparation 1. Heat the stock in a pan over a very low heat 2. Melt the butter and olive oil in a high-sided, non-stick frying pan.

3. Add the onion and a large pinch of salt, thank cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant but not colouring.

4. Tip in the rice and coat in the oil and butter, cooking for a few minutes until beginning to toast.

5. Pour in the wine and cook, a ladle at a time, stirring continually.

6. Add more stock as it’s absorbed 7. After 25-30 minutes, all the stocks should be absorbed and the rice should be creamy and al denote.

8. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted. Turn off the heat and stir the egg yolk.

Tips Season and serve with a peppery rocket salad.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

‘Nduja Arancini

Preparation 1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 10 minutes until soft. Add the rice and gently fry for 5 minutes. Tip in the wine and cook until completely evaporated.

2. Add the saffron, then slowly add the stock, ladle by ladle, until the rice is cooked and the consistency is very thick. Add the Grana Padano and a little seasoning, mix well and cool.

Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Put the eggs, flour and breadcrumbs into 3 separate bowls. Using clean hands, take 1 tbsp of the risotto mix into the palm of your hand and put 1 tsp of ’nduja in the centre, folding the risotto mix around so it’s completely encased. Repeat with the remaining risotto and ’nduja.

Ready in 75minutes Serves 12 units

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Olive oil Onion Arborio rice White wine Saffron 1 liter of chicken stock 150 g grana padano 2 eggs 50g plain flour 100g panko breadcrumbs ‘Nduja vegetable oil

4. Roll the balls first in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

Fill a pan no more than 1/3 full with vegetable oil and heat to 180C, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Fry the balls, in batches, for 3 minutes until golden, then drain on kitchen paper and serve.

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Saltimbocca alla Romana

Ingredients ●

4 slices of veal

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4 slices of prosciutto di Parma

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4 leaves of sage

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Salt and pepper to taste

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A dab of butter

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Half a glass of white wine

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Flour and oil to taste

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4 toothpicks

Preparation

Ready in 30 minutes Serves 4 people

1. Lay the veal slices and cover with Parma ham and sage.

2. Secure everything with toothpicks and roll in the flour.

3. Melt the butter in a pan and brown it.

4. Simmer with white wine until reduced.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Focaccia Genovese

Ready in 2 hours and 45 minutes Makes one tray of focaccia, approximately 9” x 13”

Ingredients ●

225 ml lukewarm water

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1 tsp dried yeast

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350g (2- ½ cups) all purpose flour, or a bit more if needed

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1 tsp honey

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1 tbsp salt

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2 tbsp olive oil

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2-3 tb olive oil for finishing focaccia

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Coarse salt

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Rosemary leaves

Preparation 1. Whisk the Lukewarm water and yeast in the bottom of the bowl of a standing mixer 2. Let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes 3. Add one cup of teh flour and mix the dough hook until you have a smooth paste 4. Then add the salt, honey and olive oil and the rest of the flour.

5. Continue mixing the dough until you have a nice, elastic and just slightly sticky ball of dough.

6. Slide teh dough off the hook into the mixing bowl. Four the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with a towel.

7. Let the dough rest for a good 2 hours or more in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

8. Drizzle a good pour of olive oil and open a baking sheet. Then scoop the dough out of its bowl onto the oil.

9. Flatten the dough out into a roughly rectangular shape and turn it over to grease both sides of the dough thoroughly.

10. Cover the dough with some plastic wrap or wax paper and then a light towel.

11. Let the dough rest in the banking pan for about 20-30 minutes or so to soften.

12. Spread the dough out with your hands, until it thinly and evenly covers the entire surface of the baking pan.

13. Speed the oil over the dough, press the tips of your fingers, create little dimples all over the surface of the dough.

14. Sprinkle the dough with the coarse salt and rosemary leaves.

15. Bake in a hot (200 C/ 400 F) pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes until the focaccia is golden brown on top.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Bacon and Ricotta oven-baked Frittata

Ingredients -

A knob of butter 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced 8 rashers back bacon, no fat 6 eggs, beaten 250 g pack ricotta 100ml single cream Small bunch chives, chopped Salad and crusty bread to serve

Preparation 1. Heat the oven to 200C 2. Line a 20 x30 cm roasting tin with baking parchment 3. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the leeks for 10 minutes until soft. If they stick add a splash of water and put them in a bowl 4. Add the bacon to the pan and fry for 5 minutes 5. Ass to the leeks and leave it to cool 6. Add the remaking ingredients to the leeks and bacon and mix 7. Pour into the lined roasting tin 8. Cook for about 20-25 minutes

Ready in 30 minutes Serves 6 people

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Chicken Skewers

Ingredients ●

400 g of minced chicken breast

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100 g of breadcrumbs

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40 g of Parmesan cheese

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2 medium courgettes

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1 egg

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Oregano

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1 clove of garlic

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Salt to taste

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Spices to taste

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Long toothpicks

Preparation

Ready in 30 minutes Serves 4 people

1. Mince the courgettes and combine them with the meat, the cheese, breadcrumbs, the egg and the pieces.

2. With your hands (previously oiled) create the skewers directly on the toothpick.

3. Lay them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.

4. Bake at 200º for 15 minutes.

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Ossobuco alla Milanese

Ready in 2h and 30 min Serves 4 people

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

4 pieces of cross-cut veal shank (3cm thick) Flour Olive oil 2 onions, sliced 2 celery sticks 1 garlic clove 1 sprig of thyme 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp of tomato purée 500 ml of white wine 1l chicken stock, hot Pepper

Preparation 1. To begin, place a heavy-based saucepan over a high heat and add a splash of oil. Dust the pieces of veal in seasoned flour and fry until nicely browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside 2. Turn the heat down and add another dash of oil with the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Season with salt and sauté until softened 3. Add the thyme, bay leaf and tomato purée and stir for a further 2 minutes 4. Return the meat to the pan and pour in the wine. Reduce by a third.

Simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender 5. To make the gremolata, finely chop the parsley and place in a bowl. Add the garlic and lemon zest and mix together 6. To serve, sprinkle the gremolata over the ossobuco. This dish is traditionally eaten with saffron risotto, but you could also have it with creamy polenta or crusty bread.

Don’t forget to scoop out the delicious, rich marrow from the holes of the bones

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Broccoli and Anchovy Orecchiette

Ready in 20 minutes Serves 6 people

Ingredients -

2 large heads of broccoli 2 large cloves of garlic 8 anchovy fillets 4 good knobs of butter 2-4 small drilled red chillies 450g dried orecchiette Parmesan cheese

Preparation 1. Trim round the broccoli to remove the dark green florets from the main stalks and put them to the side 2. Peel the stalks, trim off the dry end and throw it away 3. Peel and chop the garlic 4. Chop the broccoli stalks and put into a large pan with the garlic, anchovies and half of the butter 5. Crumble in the chilli, cover with a lid and cook slowly for 10 minutes.

6. In the meantime, cook the pasta 7. Drain the pasta, saving a little of the cooking water 8. Toss into the other pan and remove the pan from the heat 9. Season to taste with the sea salt, black pepper, the rest of the butter and grate in a large handful of Parmesan. Mix and add the cooking water.

10. Serve with more parmesan cheese

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Chocolate and Amaretti Biscuits Cake

Ingredients ●

200 g of sugar

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200 g of butter

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150 g of flour

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100 g of dark chocolate

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4 eggs

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100 g of amaretti biscuits

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1 tbsp of yeast

Preparation 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar.

Whip the egg whites until stiff.

Crush the amaretti biscuits.

Chop up the chocolate.

Melt the butter.

Add the butter, the flour, the yeast, the chocolate and lastly the whipped egg whites to the egg yolks.

7. Mix everything and put it in a baking tray.

8. Bake in the oven for 180° for 40 minutes Ready in 1 hours

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Gnocchi

Serves 5 people

Ingredients ●

●

●

500 g (approximately 3 cups) cooked Russet potatoes, boiled (with the skin ion) peeled and riced (or an other type of dry potato, just don’t use waxy potatoes) 125 to 150 g (about 1 to 11/3 cups) all purpose flour (extra for dusting, and some semolina if you have it) 2 Tbsp beaten egg

Special equipment: potato ricer, bench scraper, pasta pot, or hand strainer (a gnocchi board is not needed, as you can use a fork)

Preparation 1. Be sure to boil, peel and rice the potatoes when you are ready to make the dough and continue with the recipe. They should be riced when hot, and cooled off quickly.

2. Once your potatoes are riced, spread them out on a board or worktop and add the flour on top. Start with a lesser amount of flour as you can always add more. Less flour will result in lighter potato gnocchi.

3. Add the beaten egg on top 4. Using your hands, start incorporating the flour and egg into the potatoes.

5. The mixture will form a dough. A bench scraper is useful to keep all the bits of dough in the mixture.

6. Once a dough forms, knead it on a flat surface until it is smooth and homogenous, but don’t keep kneading it past this point! Also, resist the temptation to add flour unless it’s absolutely necessary, or you will end up with tough gnocchi.

7. Slice off a piece of the dough. The size doesn’t matter as long as it’s not too big. With a little flour on the worktop, start rolling the piece of dough into a long, rope shape. Keep the rest of the dough covered. If you have too much flour on the counter, you’ll end up not being able to roll the dough. It’s a learning as you go lesson. Roll it so that it’s about 3/4″ (2 cm) in diameter.

8. Cut the rope of dough into pieces which are about 3/4″ (2 cm) each. A little longer is okay, but don’t make them shorter than this.

9. Once the length of dough is cut into pieces, start rolling the gnocchi on a

fork or gnocchi board to give them ridges. The ridges will catch the sauce, and I just think gnocchi without ridges are like zebras without stripes!

10. Be sure to use enough flour so that the gnocchi don’t stick, and roll them down the front of the fork tines using your index and middle finger to push on the dough, while holding the fork at a 45 degree angle. Do the same if you are using a gnocchi board. Be sure to flour the board before beginning. Continue to cut off pieces of dough and repeat until all the dough is used.

11. Gently place the rolled gnocchi on a counter or tray that’s lightly dusted with flour, or even better, a fine semolina. Also, try not to let the gnocchi touch each other as this will keep them from sticking together.

You’ll want to boil the gnocchi sooner than later as if left too long, they can get sticky.

12. Boil a large pot of generously salted water. A pasta pot with a strainer insert is great, if not, be sure to have a slotted strainer on hand. When the water is at a rolling boil, put half of the gnocchi into the pot, gently dropping them in as quickly as possible. The bench scraper is a great way to do this without damaging the delicate gnocchi.

13. The gnocchi will cook quickly, and when they float to the top, they are ready. You can taste one to make sure the water is salty enough and that the gnocchi are cooked. Do not let them boil for more than a minute once they float or they’ll get mushy. Remove the gnocchi (drain well) with a strainer

and place in a serving bowl or sauté pan with your choice of heated sauce in it.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Caprese

Ingredients -

6 to 8 ripe heirloom tomatoes, of different colours and size 4 fresh small mozzarella cheese 1 handful basil leaves Extra virgin olive oil Balsamic reduction Sea salt Fresh ground pepper

Preparation 1. Slice the tomatoes and place them on a plate 2. Top with torn mozzarella cheese and basil leaves.

3. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and if desired balsamic reduction 4. Top with sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Tips Serve immediately as it does not save well, tomatoes should not be stored refrigerated .

Ready in 10minutes Serves 1 people

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Sea Bass in Salt

Ingredients ●

300 g of sea bass

●

500 g of salt

●

2 egg whites

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Lemon peel

●

Herbs to taste

Preparation 1. Take the fish and add some salt and herbs inside it.

2. Put some wet parchment paper on a baking tray.

3. Mince the herbs and the lemon peel.

4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff.

5. Add the herbs and the salt to the egg whites.

6. Prepare a “bed” with a 1 cm height on the baking tray for the fish.

7. Put the fish in it and cover it with the remaining mixture.

8. Bake at 180° for around 20 minutes.

Ready in 1 hours

Tips Double the dose if the fish weighs 800g and bake for 40 minutes.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Gnocco fritto Ready in 30 minutes Making 20 gnocchi fritti

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ●

160 ml of water 1 tsp active dry yeast 350 g of plain flour, sifted, plus more for dusting 550 g of lard at room temperature 1 pinch of fine sea salt

Preparation 1. In a small pan, heat the water until just lukewarm. Whisk in the yeast and leave for 10 minutes until foamy 2. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the water (and yeast), 50g of the lard and the salt into the well. Mix well until you have a soft dough. Carry on kneading the dough for about 5 minutes, or until very smooth and springy. Shape it into a ball, place into a bowl and cover with a towel. Leave to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size 3. Next, dust a work surface with flour.

Roll out the dough to about 3mm thick. Cut it into 5–6cm squares with a pasta wheel or a sharp knife 4. In a deep pan, heat the remaining 500g of lard to 180°C. Fry the gnocchi in batches for a few minutes until puffed and deep golden in colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels 5. Serve fresh out of the fryer while still warm, alongside sliced cured meats and creamy local cheese such as Crescenza

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Bacon and Asparagus Flan

Ready in 1 hours

Ingredients ●

1 bunch young asparagus, about 10 spears, trimmed

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5 rashers dry-cure smoked back bacon

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1 tsp olive oil

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1 medium onion, finely sliced

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25g/1oz cornflour

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300ml/½ pint semi-skimmed milk

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3 free-range eggs, beaten

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25g/1oz extra-mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated

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flaked sea salt

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freshly ground black pepper

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For the pastry

●

1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for oiling the tin

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4 sheets filo pastry, each about 32 x 38cm/13 x 15in

Preparation 1. Slice the asparagus into lengths of about 5cm/2in. Half fill a large non-stick frying pan with water and bring to the boil. Add the asparagus, bring back to the boil and cook for a minute until just tender. Drain and rinse under running water until cold, then pat dry.

2. Trim any fat off the bacon and cut into 1cm/½in strips. Return the pan to a low heat, add the oil and gently fry the onion and bacon until lightly browned, stirring regularly.

3. Add the onion and bacon to the bowl with the asparagus, toss lightly and leave to cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat.

5. Lightly oil a 20cm/8in loose-based fluted flan tin that’s about 3.5cm/1½in deep. Pour the rest of the oil into a small bowl.

6. Place a sheet of filo pastry in the flan tin, pressing it firmly against the base and sides. brush the pastry with a little oil then cover with a second pastry sheet at a right angle to the first. Brush with more oil and cover with a third sheet at the same angle to the first. Brush with the oil and cover with a fourth sheet, running in the same direction as the second. Roll

and crumple the overhanging pastry back onto the rim of the tin, lifting slightly above it, and brush lightly with the remaining oil. Place the tin on the baking tray.

7. Put the cornflour in a non-stick saucepan and stir in 50ml/2fl oz of the milk to make thin paste. Pour over 200ml/7fl oz of the milk and stir well.

Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

8. Cook for a minute over a medium heat, 9. remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the milk to cool and loosen the sauce.

10. Stir in the beaten eggs until thoroughly combined.

11. Scatter half the asparagus, bacon and onion mixture over the base of the pastry case and pour the white sauce gently on top. Scatter the remaining asparagus and bacon mixture on top and press down lightly, then sprinkle evenly with the cheese.

12. Bake on the preheated baking tray in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned and crisp and the filling is set.

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Torta Margherita

Ingredients ●

600 g of sugar

●

300 g of starch

●

12 eggs

●

Salt to taste

Preparation

Ready in 1 hours

1. Make the powdered sugar.

2. Add the egg yolks and beat everything for 20/25 minutes.

3. Add the starch and mix carefully.

4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff separately and add a pinch of salt.

5. Mix the egg whites with the previous dough.

6. Bake for 30/35 minutes at 180°.

7. Once it is baked, remove it from the oven and put it in a plastic bag when it is still hot.

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Fried zucchini flowers

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

15 Zucchini flowers 1 cup all purpose flour 11/2 cups seltzer water Sea salt Neutral oil (canola, grape seed, peanut) for frying 15 g brewer’s yeast 6 g sugar 2 eggs

Preparation

Ready in 20 minutes Serving 15 zucchini flowers

1. Clean flowers and dry with a paper towel.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Whisk eggs, milk, and olive oil together in a separate bowl; stir in flour mixture until batter is smooth.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.

4. Dip flowers in the batter and fry in the hot oil until golden and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes, working in batches as needed. Transfer fried flowers to a paper towel-lined plate; sprinkle salt over each.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Carrots Cake

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100g slightly salted butter, softened 300g icing sugar 100g soft cheese

Preparation

Ready in 1 hour Serving 10 person

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

230ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin 100g natural yogurt 4 large eggs 1½ tsp vanilla extract ½ orange, zested 265g self-raising flour 335g light muscovado sugar 2½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ fresh nutmeg, finely grated 265g carrots (about 3), grated 100g sultanas or raisins 100g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional) For the icing

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl.

Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface 2. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.

3. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again.

Leave to cool in the tins.

4. To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting).

Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing.

Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts.

Will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Best eaten at room temperature.

FRANCESCA’S RECIPE

Courgettes Roll

Ingredients ●

5 eggs

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25 g of Parmesan cheese

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500 g of courgettes

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Salt to taste

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200 g of creamy cheese

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120 g of ham (4-5 slices)

Preparation

Ready in 1 hours

1. Grate the courgettes.

2. Whisk the eggs.

3. Add Parmesan cheese to the eggs and then add the courgettes.

4. Salt and mix very well.

5. Lay the mixture on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and level out.

6. Bake at 180° for 20 minutes.

7. Remove from the baking tray and spread the creamy cheese on it and add the ham.

8. Roll it and close it as a salami.

9. Put in the fridge for 1 hour.

Tips A convection oven is better than a static oven.

ISABELLA’S RECIPE

Pinsa Recipe

Ready in 1h and 10 min Serves 8 people

Ingredients ● ● ● ● ●

425g plain flour, plus extra to dust 80g rice flour, plus extra to dust 1 tsp fine sea salt ½ tsp dried yeast 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

2 large baking sheets, dusted with rice flour

Preparation 1. Sift the flours into a bowl, then stir in the salt and yeast. Make a well in the centre and work in 300ml water, then 1 tbsp oil, until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Don’t knead.

Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Mix the dough again, turning it with your hands or a wooden spoon, then rest for 30 minutes again. Repeat this

turning and resting twice more, then cover and chill overnight.

2. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and tip gently onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces and shape into balls. Put 2 on each of the prepped sheets. Dust with a little rice flour, cover with a tea towel and rest for 1 hour.

3. Heat the oven to 230°C/210C° fan/gas 8. Put a risen ball on a lightly floured surface and gently press with your hands into an oval. Drizzle with oil, then press and shape until the oval is about 15cm x 25cm and 5mm thick. Return to the sheet, then repeat. Drizzle the pinsas with a little more oil and bake for 8 minutes until risen and starting to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven (see Make Ahead tip), add your topping/s and bake as per the recipe instructions.

Tips Begin the dough a day ahead. The cooked bases will keep for up to 2 days wrapped and chilled, or in the freezer for up to 1 month – defrost on the worktop for 30-60 minutes.

Top and cook for 10 minutes at 230°C/210°C fan/gas 8.

GIORGIA’S RECIPE

Classic Pasta al Pesto

Ingredients ●

50g pine nuts

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80g basil

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50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative

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150ml olive oil

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2 garlic cloves

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500g of pasta

Preparation 1. Heat a small frying pan over a low heat.

2. Cook the pine nuts until golden, shaking occasionally 3. Put into a food processor with the basil, parmesan, olive oil and garlic cloves.

4. Whizz until smooth, then season to taste 5. Boil the water and put the pasta in the water for about 10 minutes 6. Drain the pasta and mix it with the pesto and serve with Pecorino cheese

Ready in 15 minutes