SECONDI

◁ BIG CAPRESE

Big caprese salad with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil

PER 4 AMICI

• 4 buffalo mozzarellas (125g/4½oz each)
• 150g (generous 5oz) Datterini tomatoes
• 5 big heirloom tomatoes (e.g. Green Zebra, Pineapple, Black Krim, for a wide range of colours)
• 1 pinch brown sugar
• 1 bunch fresh basil (really fresh, not that clump of wilting leaves lurking at the bottom of the fridge)
• Extra-virgin olive oil QB
• Fior di sale QB
• Pepper QB

1This, you’ll see, is as simple as it’s delicious. Chop the Datterini tomatoes in half and season them with olive oil, salt, pepper and brown sugar.

2Place them on a baking tray and put them in an oven at 210°C fan/230°C/450°F/GM 8 for 4–5 minutes maximum. The tomatoes should be charred and blackened. Leave to cool.

3Chop the heirloom tomatoes into quarters and season them with olive oil, basil, fior di sale, pepper and plenty of love. Mix the cooled charred tomatoes with the heirloom tomatoes. Add pieces of torn mozzarella.

4Scatter plenty of basil leaves over the salad. And buon appetito!

◁ BUNNY & CLYDE

Rabbit stew with herbs, olives and toasted pine nuts

This rabbit recipe dates back to ancient times. It originates from Liguria, a crescent-shaped region in northwest Italy that’s somewhat off the beaten track. It’s a wonderfully tasty stew with herbs, olives, pine nuts and sometimes even tomato sauce. NB: this superb dish is likely to take rather more than 30 minutes of your time but, not to worry, as this coniglio alla ligure is truly sublime. Keep this recipe for a rainy Sunday, when you don’t know what to do with yourself but fancy a really delicious meal. Another tip: before you start cooking, put 10 potatoes to roast in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and a sprig of rosemary. This perfect accompaniment to your stew will be ready at the same time as the rabbit. How’s that for planning?

PER 4 AMICI

• 1kg (2¼lb) rabbit (ask your butcher for various cuts, so you get a range of textures)
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 80g (scant ½ cup) Taggiasche olives
• 20g (3 tbsp) pine nuts, toasted
• 1 glass red wine
• ½ bunch thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 300ml (1¼ cups) extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt QB

1Chop the rabbit roughly to obtain 10–12 pieces. Heat the olive oil in a deep cast-iron pan or casserole dish. Add the garlic and onion.

2Add the meat. When all the pieces are browned, add some salt and deglaze in the red wine. Leave to evaporate for 3–4 minutes – meanwhile, pour yourself a drink too, cin cin!

3Add the herbs, cook for a further 3 minutes then add the olives and pine nuts.

4Add 200ml (generous ¾ cup) of lukewarm water (not boiling) and pour it over the rabbit. Partially cover the saucepan and allow its contents to simmer for at least 40 minutes over a very low heat. Do not cover completely as the liquid needs to reduce. Then, tuck in – and allow time afterwards for a brief siesta so you can digest this feast, or at least ruminate on the wonderful meal you prepared with such masterly skill.

9 COOL ITALIAN FACTS

1Italy boasts more varieties of pasta than all the saucepans in your kitchen. There are more than 140 types of pasta, with names that can vary from one region to the next.

2There are over 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites dotted across the Boot – more than any other country. They range from the Castel del Monte in Puglia to the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi and the entire historic centre of Naples.

3Italians never drink cappuccino after 10am. Obviously, they order coffee after the colazione, but it has to be drunk neat, and never as a takeaway. Real Italians drink it standing up, at the counter.

4Family is the most important thing in the world, without question. And our Mamma, in particular, comes before any fling, partner or friend. Mamma knows best!

5Don’t be alarmed if you hear a car horn blasting away once or twice, or even 34 times in a row, when you’re in Naples. You’re not necessarily being alerted to an imminent danger. Far more likely it will be a driver greeting a friend on the other side of the street. It’s a very common practice. Keep your eyes peeled though, as maybe they’re saying hi to you!

6Italy has the oldest university in Europe, in Bologna (1088). Brush up your Latin before your next dinner – it may be a dead language but it also happens to be very cool.

7The 3 most active volcanoes in Europe are all in Italy: Etna, Vesuvius and Stromboli. This explains why all our chefs are so hot-blooded.

8The word ‘mozzarella’ comes from the Neapolitan dialect. It is derived from the verb ‘mozzare’, which means ‘to cut and knead curds’. You can try this fun fact out on your next date, di niente.

9The Romans love cats so much that they are part of the city’s cultural legacy. All felines are protected by law, with them being the only inhabitants of Rome authorized to live in the ancient ruins. How purrfect!

◁ FRITTAVENTURA

A big platter of little fried fish

PER 4 AMICI

1If you’re using whole squid, first pull out the tentacles, remove the beak, then wash the squid under cold water. Roughly slice the body and chop the tentacles into pieces.

2If you are buying a mixture from the fishmonger’s, ask them to clean everything. Don’t bother chopping the smallest fish, as they make a perfect mouthful just as they are.

3Heat a generous amount of sunflower oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Put the semolina flour into a bowl, add the seafood and mix. When the oil in the saucepan is piping hot (around 170°C/340°F), immerse the fish and deep-fry them for 3 minutes until they are crispy and brown. Try to avoid getting splashed by the hot oil.

4Transfer the fish to a sheet of kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat, before serving them in the middle of the table. Squeeze on some lemon juice and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. NB: never cover your little fish and avoid piling them on top of each other, as this will make them go soft. This is unthinkable, especially once they inevitably become the family favourite.

◁ COTOLETTE ALLA BOLOGNESE

Bolognese-breaded veal chops (nothing to do with the sauce from the same city)

PER 4 AMICI

• 4 veal cutlets (around 200g/7oz per slice)
• 300g (11oz) Prosciutto di Parma, sliced
• 200g (7oz) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 3 whole eggs
• 100g (⅔ cup) plain flour
• 300g (2 cups) breadcrumbs
• 250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil

1Put all the ingredients for the stock into a saucepan and cover them completely with cold water. Simmer for around 1 hour, without ever allowing the water to come to the boil. Then, turn off the heat, leave to cool and strain the liquid. Friendly reminder: strain with a ladle and a sieve, to ensure that all the sediment remains at the bottom of the saucepan and does not taint the stock.

2Spread the pieces of meat on the worktop and flatten them with a meat tenderizer (e.g., a rolling pin, or that enormous dictionary that’s been gathering dust ever since you’ve had a smartphone) so that each slice is 1cm thick.

3Dip each slice into the flour, then into the egg and, finally, into the breadcrumbs. Pour plenty of sunflower oil into a frying pan and deep-fry the slices of veal. Then, transfer them to a sauté pan (or another frying pan).

4Add Prosciutto di Parma to the top of each cutlet then liberally sprinkle with Parmigiano. Pour in the stock around the sides of the pan (to avoid disturbing the toppings). Simmer, covered, for 5–6 minutes maximum. Now it’s ready to eat!

We like to serve these cutlets with baked potatoes, but that’s entirely up to you. Life is what you make of it.

◁ NO FIG DEAL

Fig, mozzarella and Prosciutto di Parma salad

PER 4 AMICI

• 300g (11oz) Prosciutto di Parma (preferably cut into thin slices by your salumiere, as a deli worker is known in Italy)
• 4 buffalo mozzarellas (125g/4½oz each)
• 200g (7oz) fresh figs (or substitute with melon)
• Salt QB
• Pepper QB
• Extra-virgin olive oil QB
• Basil QB

1Roughly tear the mozzarellas into pieces and arrange them on a large plate. Add bits of Prosciutto di Parma here and there (we’re relying on you to create something on a par with a Picasso here). Cut the figs into 4 and spread them on top.

2Make it rain with basil leaves, salt and pepper, then drizzle on a healthy glug of plenty of olive oil – now, get to the table, dinner’s ready!

3In Italy, this salad is typically eaten on toasted slices of sourdough bread. A salad that will bring the sunshine right through to October.

◁ SCALOPPINE DELLA MAMMA

Veal escalope with Fontina and ham

PER 4 AMICI

• 60g (2oz) butter
• Plain flour QB
• 1 glass dryish white wine
• Salt QB
• Pepper QB

1Put the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and coat the veal in this mixture.

2Melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the pieces of veal on both sides. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Put a layer of ham on top of each escalope, followed by a layer of Fontina (or Comté). Cover the frying pan so it melts.

3Once the cheese has melted, remove the scaloppine from the pan. Serve these little delights with a silky smooth mashed potato – we hope to hear you raving about it.

10 MUST-TRY ITALIAN WINES

1BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO A great wine from Tuscany produced under the DOCG classification (‘controlled and guaranteed designation of origin’ in English). This high-quality cru dates back centuries! Perfect for red meats and pecorino.

2BAROLO All hail the king! A sublime red from Piedmont made with the Nebbiolo grape. It’s ideal for a royal banquet of steak, slow-cooked meat and game.

3AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA A dry red wine from Verona that boasts a DOCG classification. The name ‘Amarone’ derives from the word amaro, meaning ‘bitter’, as the gifted winemaker behind its creation had initially intended to make a sweet wine, not something so delicious it’ll have you whispering sweet nothings.

4BARBARESCO This has a deep, intense colour, set off by a fruity aroma with a tinge of violet and spicy notes.

5BOLGHERI DOC A wine made with a Bordeaux-blend of grape varieties. Made in vineyards next to the Mediterranean with a beautiful sea breeze.

6MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO One of the first DOC wines in Italy. Once aged, it makes a good match for goat’s cheese.

7AGLIANICO Made from one of the oldest varieties of grapes in Italy. This grape has been living it’s best life in the sun, giving it a great complexity of aromas and flavours

8PRIMITIVO The name, from the Latin primitivus, or ‘first’, alludes to the date of its harvest – in August, before all the other grapes.

9PINOT GRIGIO A greyish-blue colour of grape with a characteristic elegance and flavour profile. Round, with a long finish, with complex woody flavours that can be slightly smoky or flowery.

10PECORINO This grape from Latium, in central Italy, is a very old variety. Its name is derived from the Italian word pecora, meaning ‘sheep’, as it grows in mountains where sheep graze.

◁ POLPO PICASSO

Neapolitan octopus with olives, capers and Datterini tomatoes

PER 4 AMICI

(invite whoever you want – after a good meal, everybody’s a friend)

• 1 whole octopus
• 100g (generous 1 cup) Taggiasche olives
• 100g (¾ cup) capers preserved in salt
• 500g (1lb 1½oz) San Marzano tomatoes, canned
• 300g (11oz) Datterini tomatoes
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 glass red wine (the first half goes in the recipe, the second is for you)
• ½ bunch basil
• Extra-virgin olive oil QB
• Salt QB
• Pepper QB

1Roughly chop the octopus. Heat some oil in a saucepan and add the octopus pieces, along with the shallot. Add the olives, capers and sprigs of basil.

2Pour in half a glass of red wine to deglaze the mixture. Drink the rest of the wine (down the hatch!). Put both tomatoes in a saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for around 35 minutes.

3When the tomatoes have reduced and the octopus looks juicy, transfer both to a nicely warmed serving dish (preferably with a lid, to retain the heat).

4We like to serve steamed potatoes on the side. This octopus will change your life – or at least your dinner.

◁ BIG VEGGIE KEBABS

Edo’s one and only recipe for vegetarian kebabs

A treat dreamed up by Edoardo, our wonderful chef with 1001 vegetarian recipes up his sleeve. We are so thrilled to share this recipe with you, so hopefully you’ll be inspired to give pride of place to vegetables. This dish can be prepared in the oven in winter, or on a barbecue with seasonal vegetables in summer (a refreshing change from burgers no?).

PER 2 AMICI

• 2 smoked mozzarellas (provola or scamorza)
• 2 Jerusalem artichokes
• 1 pak choi
• 1 red onion, peeled
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 tsp cider vinegar

• Milk QB
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 100ml (7 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt QB
• Pepper QB

1Wash all the vegetables and chop them into pieces, roughly equal in size. You now have 2 options.

Option 1

For real pros, there’s a different cooking method for each of your 3 main ingredients. Blanch the Jerusalem artichokes in a saucepan of milk for 5 minutes (reserve the milk afterwards, as it will come in handy for the sauce). Brown the onion in a frying pan with the cider vinegar and the sugar. You want it to take on a nice caramel colour. Meanwhile, blanch the pak choi in a saucepan of salted boiling water. Don’t forget to season everything with salt and pepper!

Option 2

If you’re pushed for time, blanch the Jerusalem artichoke, onion and pak choi together in salted boiling water.

2Whichever option you choose: once the 3 main ingredients are cooked, skewer them in alternating layers, plus a piece of mozzarella after every 3 vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

3For the sauce

Gently brown the 2 heads of garlic in milk (use the milk left over from cooking the Jerusalem artichokes, if you chose option 1) until they are soft. Heat the olive oil with the miso in a saucepan, cook over a high heat and then add the garlic, retaining the milk for later. Turn off the heat, add the cider vinegar and gently combine all the ingredients with a hand blender. Gradually incorporate the milk, while continuing to blend the sauce. Once you have obtained a good consistency, transfer the sauce to a small bowl, place it in the centre of the table and everything is ready for a 100% veg-filled feast. What can beat that?

◁ JULIUS CAESAR

Eric’s famous Caesar salad, the ultimate summer meal

PER 4 AMICI

• 4 fillets of chicken
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 4 hearts of Romaine lettuce
• 200g (7oz) button mushrooms
• 2 anchovy fillets in brine (or in oil, if that is all you have)
• 35g (4 tbsp) capers in brine
• 100g (⅔ cup) plain flour
• 100g (1 cup) panko breadcrumbs (if not, homemade breadcrumbs will do just fine)
• 4 eggs
• 60g (7 tbsp) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 1tsp Worcester sauce
• Espelette pepper QB
• 250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil (or olive oil or grapeseed oil)
• 250ml (1 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine salt QB
• Black pepper QB
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

1Caesar dressing

Separate the whites and yolks of the 3 eggs (put the whites aside to make some great meringues, using the recipe on this page). Put the yolks in a bowl and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in equal amounts of olive oil and sunflower oil (setting aside 20ml/4 tsp of the latter for the frying stage) to create a light, creamy sauce. Combine a third of this mayonnaise with the garlic, half the capers and all the anchovies, then gradually incorporate the rest of the dressing. Add the Worcester sauce. Finally, add Espelette pepper and set aside.

2Breaded chicken

Arrange 3 different bowls containing, respectively, a little flour, the remaining egg whisked and some panko breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken fillets in each bowl, in the above order. Brown the chicken pieces in a frying pan with the reserved sunflower oil, which should be piping hot. Be careful not to burn your fingers. If you’re a stickler for detail, you can brown the fillets in clarified butter in a frying pan and, if necessary, finish off cooking them in the oven. It’s up to you, depending on how much time you have.

3The salad

Lightly brown the remaining breadcrumbs in the oven at 120°C fan/140°C/285°F/GM 1 for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, wash the remaining capers to eliminate the brine. Dry them and then fry in hot oil. Cut the lettuce hearts into chunks 2cm (¾ in) thick. Finely chop the capers, then peel the mushrooms and chop them into 1cm (⅓ in) dice.

4The presentation

Repeat the following 4 times over, using your most beautiful plates. Place a chunk of lettuce in the centre and then coat them in some of the Caesar dressing. Cut the chicken fillets into 5mm-wide (1/6 in) strips and arrange a quarter of them on your bed of lettuce. Add a further layer of lettuce, along with another layer of the dressing. Sprinkle some of the finely chopped lettuce leaves on top and scatter some diced mushroom around the base of the salad. Put any remaining Caesar dressing into a piping bag. Pipe the dressing over each plate with as much pizzazz as you can muster (the secret of this recipe lies partly in the presentation, so give it your all! Go on, we believe in you!). Finish with the capers, the toasted panko breadcrumbs and an avalanche of Parmigiano – and your masterpiece is complete, ready for the table. *chef kiss*