The Food Diaries

Pugliese pasta with chard, tomatoes and mozzarella

I used the little cavatelli pasta shape in this recipe, but other short pasta shapes will do nicely.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, slice up the leaves of a few stalks of swiss chard (finely chop the stalks). Add a good glug of olive oil to a pan and drop in the leaves and stir fry. Add 3 finely chopped garlic cloves and continue frying till the leaves have wilted nicely.

Meanwhile, drop 300g cavatelli pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package instructions (around 8 minutes). Meanwhile, deseed and chop 3 ripe tomatoes and tear apart a buffalo mozzarella ball into chunks. Set aside.

To assemble, drain the cooked past of most (but not all) of its pasta water and add the swiss chard, tomatoes and mozzarella. Add 2 tbs fresh pesto (optional) and stir till well-combined.

Serve with a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan.

Serve 2-3.

Lessons in Italian Food Courses: Antipasti & Pasti

I love making meals consisting of just appetizers and pasta/risotto dishes as there is so much variety and flavours to choose from. In Italy they would be followed by some meat or fish served with vegetables - but that is pure folly (unless you’ve just run a marathon).

Here’s a nice healthy alternative to the usual pastas or white rice dishes - pearl barley risotto.

In a pot set over medium-high heat fry 1 chopped onion with a little olive oil. Once softened add 1 chopped garlic clove and stir around. Add 1 cup pearl barley and coat with the onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup white wine or vermouth and reduce down. Add a large handful of chopped mushrooms stems (wild or portobello). Now start adding a ladleful of vegetable or mushroom stock. Wait till this has been reduced before adding some more. Continue till around 2 1/2 cups of stock has been absorbed and the pearl barley is done. Cover and let rest. Meanwhile, quickly fry the remaining mushroom tops (sliced) in a little olive oil till golden. Add two chopped garlic cloves and 1/3 cup white wine or vermouth, cover and cook for a further 2 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper and sprinkle with some chopped parsley.

Serve up the risotto in two pasta bowls, add the mushroom garnish and some slivers of fresh parmesan.

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Italian Food Course Lexicon: 1. Apertivo

Italians are renowned for their catwalk of food courses: aperitivo (before you sit down to a meal), antipasti (literally “before the pasta”), primi (pasta or risotto course), secondi (meat/fish course), contorni (side dishes), dolci (desserts). Depending on what you fancy or your appetite levels these can be mixed and matched.

Aperitivo is one of my favourite pastimes and has become increasingly popular in Italy. It is often served in bars for free when you order a drink, with the bar counter laden with everything from cheese & prosciutto to pastas and salads.

Warning: it will be nearly impossible to move onto other courses when you start with an aperitivo.

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Bananas Gelateria in the Florentine valley of San Casciano in Val di Pesa.

Being a massive ice cream fan, it is great to see a growing trend towards more artisanal ice cream parlours (especially in places like London). Sadly however, no one seems to be able to do it with such ease and success as the Italians. Bananas, based in the tiny village of San Pancrazio (in the valley south of Florence) is a small, family-run producer, delivering lovely ice creams across the Florentine region. The small gelateria features around 10 seasonally-inspired flavours (such as strawberry, fig and hazelnut).

Closed Mondays and at lunchtime.

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Risotto with saffron from Casole D’Elsa and liquorice powder @ La Suvera, Tuscany

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At the Bigonge Bar in Prato, Italy (just outside of Florence).

La Costa Restaurant in the heart of the Italian Lombardia region - Agriturismo at its best

Agritourism in Italy tends to focus on farm stays, most often tied to restaurants or reception spaces housed in converted barns. La Costa, a DOC wine producer located in Perego, which sits in the centre of the picturesque and mountainous triangle between Lake Como to the north, Milan to the south-west and Bergamo to the south east is a wonderful example of an “agriturismo”, offering lovely wines, simple yet elegant food, in beautiful surroundings.

I didn’t stay long enough to enjoy one of their rooms for an overnight stay - which is a shame as the views of the surrounding hills and countryside are magnificent, and Como is just a short drive away. Who needs Tuscany?

Camp di Cent Pertigh Restaurant - a rural retreat between Milan and Lake Como

Camp di Cent Pertigh, in Carate Brianze is a great place for a pit-stop on the way to the Lakes from Milan. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the restaurant is spread across a number of elegantly converted barns. The menu changes seasonally and features some wonderful Italian food.