Insalata fregola e ceci - Giant Couscous and Chickpea Salad

Our eating has changed in the last decade. Now grains and pulses combined with a variety of vegetables don't have to be 'sides' to meat or fish, but are regarded as a main course. 

Moreover, the range of uncommon ingredients we eat and we creatively combine - dried fruits, seeds and nuts in savoury dishes; pomegranate seeds and molasses in salads, specific varieties of chillies and spices in soups, risotto and pasta - has grown, making food more interesting and inventive.

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.