Uova in Purgatorio - Eggs in Purgatory

The Eggs in Purgatory is a traditional recipe from Naples, where the eggs are poached in a tomato and onion sauce. I like to make the dish a bit more interesting by adding other ingredients, such as olive taggiasche, crumbled goat cheese and plenty of basil. If you make it in summer, you will enjoy the unique sweetness of ripe tomatoes and of fresh red onions.

Calamari in umido con biete - Calamari Stew with Swiss Chard

This is a Tuscan family recipe I make again and again, all the year round. And everybody likes it.  In winter I serve the calamari with polenta, in summer with grains. Always tepid.

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.

Ribollita

Last chance to prepare ribollita, the traditional Tuscan soup, mainly made with cannellini beans and cavolo nero and served with stale bread. The cavolo nero will be shortly out of season.
This is my family recipe, an inspiration for this popular soup. In fact, our ribollita slightly changed every time we cooked it, according to what we had in the pantry.
However, we always stick to two main rules: we always use dried cannellini, soaked overnight. The tinned ones have no taste and no consistency. We combine cavolo nero with Swiss chard, which brings a sweeter taste, curbing the tangy cavolo nero. 

Parmigiana di melanzane a modo mio - My Aubergine Parmigiana

Parmigiana di melanzane is the perfect vegetarian main course to share with family and friends. It's not a last-minute dish but it can be prepared in advance and it is always delicious. Especially in the sunny season, when aubergines and tomatoes are ripe and sweet.

In my Parmigiana, I make few changes to the original recipe from Naples.

Testaroli al pesto

Testaroli are an ancient dish from the Lunigiana region, a valley between Tuscany and Liguria. Simply made of flour and water, they are pancakes that turn into a delicious pasta, dressed with pesto.

Torta di spaghetti – Spaghetti Pie

Here I propose a spaghetti cake to relief the hustle of last minute cooking. 
It's a delicious and beautiful dish, which could be easily prepared few hours in advance and just baked 45 minutes before eating. 
The plain tomato sauce will bring colour and would enhance the Mediterranean flavour.
It is a perfect one-course dish for a family meal or one of main courses for a bigger gathering. 

Orecchiette con cime di rapa

This is one of the most well-known dish from Bari (Apulia). Traditionally prepared with homemade orecchiette, it is a good example of pasta dressed with vegetables, which is so popular in the south of Italy. 

Here I propose  a quicker version of the recipe,  using the dried orecchiette. 
Cime di rapa are similar to the English turnip tops, but softener. Broccoli could work as well but with a slightly different result, both in terms of flavour and texture.

Zuppa di pesce a modo mio – My Fish Soup

On Saturdays, I buy my fish from a stall in the farmers' market, where I enjoy going early in the morning in order to get the best choice. Yesterday the fish looked wonderful so I decided to make a fish soup, a simple and quick one with a mixed of firm-flesh fishes plus few prawns. I picked up a wild sea bream and two mullets the fishmonger cleaned for me and I kept the bones and the heads for the stock. 

Lenticchie e fregola con pomodorini al forno - Lentil and Fregola with cherry tomatoes

Fregola is typical pasta from Sardinia, shaped like giant couscous. Traditionally fregola is cooked in the same way as risotto and served with a vongole and tomato sauce.

Crespelle Funghi e Melanzane - Mushroom and Aubergine Crespelle

I love mushrooms. I love picking them in the wood, I love cooking and combining them with pasta, ravioli, risotto, polenta or simply scramble eggs. Mushrooms, especially the wild ones, bring an earthy flavour to the table. 

Vellutata Ceci e Castagne - Chickpea and Chestnut Veloute

Foto di Giulia Verdinelli

I would put chestnuts everywhere, from soups to desserts,  from meat to fish dishes. 
Here I propose a veloute' recipe I start serving in autumn. It is a delicate and nutritious dish, the perfect comfort food for short and wet days. 

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.

Matuffi

October: time for matuffi.

Spaghetti Tonno e Limone - Tuna and Lemon Spaghetti

This is a quick pasta sauce you can prepare while the pasta is cooking, without planning your shopping. The ingredients for this recipe come from the pantry.

The secret: cook your spaghetti al dente, drain and return them to the pan; dress them at first with their cooking water combined with a little olive oil, which keeps the pasta moist and light. Afterwards add the sauce.

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.

Minestra Farro e Ceci - Farro and Chickpea Soup

Farro and chickpeas are two ingredients already popular in ancient Roman cuisine. Combined with tomato comfit, they turn into a tasty and colorful soup, enjoyable at the end of summer. Serve with plenty of fresh herbs.

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.