Panzanella tiepida - Tepid Tomato and Bread Salad

Panzanella is a summer salad from Tuscany, made with stale bread mixed with plenty of raw tomatoes, red onions, peppers and cucumber, basil, and dressed with oil and vinegar.

Farro spezzato con pomodori e ricotta - Broken Farro with Tomatoes and Ricotta

Our eating has changed in the last few years. Today we all eat less than we used to and we tend to eat more vegetables, cereal and pulses, mixing them together in many different ways. Vegetable dishes become main courses at home and in the restaurants,  but we often lack of ideas.  

Panzanella

Panzanella is the Tuscan bread and tomato salad. We used to have it for lunch in Forte dei Marmi, in the hottest summer days. Refreshing and light, it is a typical dish from cucina povera that we can find in all the Mediterranean cuisines, with plenty of variations.

Our domestic panzanella was quite versatile too, as it had to satisfy a crowd with different tastes. The grown ups loved spring onions, cucumbers and even yellow peppers in their panzanella, whereas the children preferred the plain one, with just tomatoes, basil and rocket. To please everybody, panzanella was always served in different versions. 

Pomodori ripieni - Stuffed Tomatoes

In London, summer comes and goes. Today it was summer and I made one of my favourite summer dishes: tomatoes stuffed with rice.

Pesce spada alla catanese - Swordfish from Catania

I know that the swordfish season would be on late spring and summer, but yesterday my fishmonger had such a fresh one on display that I couldn't help buying two thick slices, beautifully pink and shining.
Few friend from Catania gave me this recipe, with plenty of variations, as it always happens in the Italian cuisine. Still, everybody agreed that he secret of this Sicilian recipe is baking the swordfish on low temperature (150°C), to keep its delicate flavour and the moist texture of its firm and meaty flesh. The thicker the slices, the better the outcome.

Pizza al cavolfiore - Cauliflower Pizza

Sunday, family lunch, pizza for everybody, as usual. Yet, I suddenly realise that today somebody cannot have it. My niece Bianca, in London for few days, has intolerance to yeast and flour. Do I change the menu? I prefer to change the recipe, as everybody looks forward to the homemade Sunday pizza.

Melanzane Rosse di Rotonda con Pasta - Red Aubergine Pasta Sauce

I discovered the red aubergines from Rotonda - a village in Basilcata - in London. I had never heard of them before. They are so beautiful that I kept them for days in the center of my dining table before deciding to cook them. 

Polpette di Pesce - Fish Boulettes

I like to play with different ways of cooking in order to keep the distinctive tastes and textures of the ingredients I use. Here the baked boulettes are eventually combined with the sautéed tomato sauce. The final result is a light dish full of Mediterranean flavours.
Serve with any boiled grains you like, from rice to barley, or with mashed potatoes.

Insalata Cavolo a Punta e Tonno - Pointed Cabbage and Tuna Salad

 

It has been 15 years since I started shopping at the same vegetable stall in Portobello Market. Here I discovered the pointed cabbage, sweeter and more tender than the round cabbage. It is the perfect ingredient for the winter salads you can invent with whatever you have in the pantry.

Pomodori Ripieni - Stuffed Tomatoes

A summer recipe, which treasures Mediterranean flavours. Choose large and ripe vine tomatoes from the market. 

Bruschetta

Bruschetta comes from the Italian  bruscare, which means “roast over coals”. In Tuscany, thick slices of farmers’ bread were lightly toasted, rubbed with garlic cloves, seasoned with salt and pepper, and then drizzled with the new crop olive oil. 

Sometimes, fresh chopped tomatoes were served as topping. 

Riso al Forno Colorato - Baked Rice

There are different varieties of rices in Italy, suitable for different dishes. The most famous is the rice for risotto (Carnaroli, Arborio, Vialone Nano). However, in this recipe, I suggest using the long rice, which doesn't contain starch and once cooked, the grains remain separated.

Pizza alle Patate - Potato Pizza

No need for using yeast in this pizza, where the potatoes give softness to the dough.

For a gluten-free dish, replace the wheat flour either with rice or chickpea flour.

I like to add cherry tomatoes to the potato pizza,  so fresh and juicy.

Pesce Spada in Padella - Swordfish Chunks

My father-in-law is an inventive and enthusiastic cook, able to inspire the best fish recipes ever. He never stops making new dishes and he always comes up with plenty of delicious ideas. I like to share his cooking experiences with him in endless phone conversations.