Torta di mele in padella - Frying-pan Apple Cake

Softener than a pan cake, quicker than an apple cake, the frying- pan apple cake is easy to make at any time of the day. The children would enjoy both the making and the tasting.

Torta lenticchie e cioccolato - Lentil and Chocolate Cake

Lentils are my favourite pulse. No need to soak, versatile, light to digest, nutritious, with a nutty taste. Here I discover that they well combine with chocolate, becoming a fancy ingredient for desserts.

Clafoutis pere e mandorle - Pear and Almond Clafoutis

Clafoutis is a French pudding of fruits, traditionally black cherries, mixed with a sweet batter and baked in the oven. So simple and versatile, the clafoutis is the perfect last-minute dessert.

Torta polenta e arance - Polenta and Orange Cake

I like the polenta cake crunchy and moist and it took me a while to make the right one. I prepared it yesterday for few friends and nothing was left for today. What a pity, it is so good also on the next day!

Torta zucca e arancia - Pumpkin and Orange Cake

Orange and pumpkin combine very well together, not only in terms of colour. Few days ago, in a restaurant, I tasted a delicious soup made with these two bright and sweet ingredients. I enjoyed it so much that I thought: Why not making a cake?

Torta di riso al caramello - Rice and Caramel Pudding

This recipe is one of Maura's many legacies. Maura was a Tuscan lady who helped my grandmother and my aunt in the kitchen for almost 50 years.

She was a natural chef, who never wrote her recipes on paper, but just cooked them from memory: no measures, no cooking times and temperatures. When Maura died last year, we decided to keep her best dishes alive by writing them down. To do so, we could only rely on our memory, recalling her advices and the tastes and textures of her dishes. 

Crostata ricotta e arance - Orange and Ricotta Tart

I enjoy recipes that speak about friendship: they keep alive the pleasure of sharing.
My friend Carla gave me this recipe long ago. So light, delicate and easy to prepare that it soon became my favourite tart. I often made it at home, I gave the recipes to my friends and taught how to prepare it in the cooking courses I have been running with Carla in Richmond for years. 

Then, I stopped, as I switched into new ideas. 

Pere al vino rosso - Poached Pears in Red Wine

This is a fruit pudding I like to serve after any winter meal. It is a plain but generous dish. Easy to make, it infuses its aroma over the house - better than any scented candle -, it  enchants the eyes with its warm red and delights the palate with its delicate sweetness. The vanilla ice cream would enhance the deep colour and the smooth syrup of the dish. 

Linzertorte

This is a well-known Austrian tart, named after the town of Linz. Similar but softer (yeast is added to the dough) than the Italian crostata with jam, the Linzer torte is a perfect festive recipe, which infuses the home with its cinnamon and ground clove aroma. 

Torta di mele – Apple Cake

It is a family recipe we have been cooking over and over without remembering the author. Was it my aunt, my granny or my mother who made it up? It doesn’t really matter; it is a family legacy, or better a “family signature dish”.

Torta al cioccolato fondente – Chocolate cake

When you feel like having a chocolate cake, go for this one. Simple and quick to be made, it is rewarding. You only need to have good-quality chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) - which I suggest storing in the pantry - on top of the classic ingredients for a cake. If you don’t have ground almonds and don’t need to make a gluten-free pudding, replace the almonds with white flour. It will work as well.

Torta Prugne e Grano Saraceno - Plum and Buckwheat Flour Cake

Fruit puddings are my favourite ones as they inspire my creativity. I can play with different  ingredients and follow the seasonal produce to make a good variety of cakes.

Sorbetto alle Fragole - Strawberry Sorbet

I always add a tablespoon of whisked egg white to my sorbetto, no more than that. It is enough to make it smooth and creamy like an ice cream, without leaving any trace of egg flavour.

Torta Cioccolato e Castagne - Chocolate and Chestnut Cake

This is an alternative to pure chocolate cake. The chestnut puree softens the chocolate, giving a sweet delicate aroma. 
I mainly make it in autumn and winter, when we need more energy to face the cold. It is also a true comfort food. I like to serve it with berries and whipped cream.

Pizza

I made pizza on Saturdays for years since we moved to London in the early 90s. My son loved it as it was a reminder of his roots and gave him the pleasure of conviviality. 

I prepared the dough in the morning and thanks to our double oven, I was able to serve pizza for a crowd of children and grow-ups. We made many new friends around our pizza Margherita. We kept it simple, without olives, anchovies, capers, in order to please everybody.