I feel the urge to honestly warn you: this dish is still in experimental phase, so I reserve the right to change ingredients, quantity and procedures at any time! As usual any suggestion will be kindly taken into consideration. The best I personally ever had were in a small, family run 'premise' in Hanoi, Vietnam, […]

I took this recipe from Signora Tavani's entertaining Casalinghe … si diventa! (that loosely translates into 'Everyone can become an housewife'), with the kind permission of Panozzo Editore, Rimini. And actually my grannie too follows a similar recipe (and I have previously in this column praised this holy woman for her culinary abilities!). An alternative […]

You could actually prepare, in the same way, prawns, langoustines, small lobsters, crabs, or any other crustaceans you manage to fish, find at the market, and/or convince your partner to eat! Last week I had some broth left over after preparing some filled peppers, and I used this [I grew up in a family where […]

Easy, quick, tasty, healthy and tempting, they're delicious served with fluffy roasted potatoes. What you need (for two people) 2 chicken breasts 6 stricky bacon rashers 5-6 bay leavessalt, olive oil, beer How you do it: Flatten the chicken breasts and cut them in 4×4 cm pieces. Cut the rashers and tie the slices to […]

April and May are perfect months for wild asparagus [Asparagus acutifolius], the uncultivated type that is hand picked in central and south Italian regions. What you need (for two people) 200 gr. wild asparagus 100 gr. frozen shrimps 1 garlic clove 1 spoon lemon juice180 gr. orecchietteolive oil, salt, black pepper How you do it: […]

Until the contrary is proven and publicised, they tell us to eat 5-6 fruit and veg portion a day. When you get sick of lettuce, apples and other 'boring' produces, here is a deliciously nutrient fruit mix that keeps in the fridge for a day or two or can be easily frozen using one portion […]

Another sumptuous dessert to finish off a dinner party. And it's relatively easy to make. What you need (for two people) 20 juicy strawberries 1 tinned pear 50 gr. chocolate1 spoon cane sugar1 spoon lemon juice How you do it: Chop the strawberries and season them with sugar and lemon juice. Arrange two quarters of […]

This is the 'dietetic' version of Irish handmade chocolate truffles, where the butter is replaced by fresh ricotta cheese and the chocolate is the powder version as opposed to the 'real thing'. Variants include the cheeky addition of Irish whiskey or a cream liqueur. What you need (for around 50): 300 gr. ricotta 30 gr. […]

I do this with minced lamb, but nothing prevents you to use mince beef or chicken or turkey or a mix of the above. You may serve with basmati rice or better still in a pita with all the Middle Eastern trimmings (garlicy yoghurt sauce, chilli pepper, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves, onions slices). What […]