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Mix and match tomato bruschetta
Grill a couple slices of bread from a country loaf. Rub with a cut clove of garlic. Dice a handful of mixed-colour tomatoes (orange, tiger, canary, red, green) and divide between the two slices. Drizzle good-quality olive oil overtop. Season with sea salt and pepper. Garnish with small-leaf basil.
Ricotta fritters
This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver and is the best little recipe for ultra-fresh ricotta cheese.
In a bowl, mix together 450g fresh ricotta cheese, 2 tbs grated parmesan, 2 tbs flour, 1 egg, and some sea salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge for a few minutes.
Warm a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the ricotta cakes in batches of heaping tablespoons and flip over when golden using a spatula. These are very delicate so give yourself some space between the fritters in the pan so it is easier to flip them over.
Serve straight away, either as a savoury dish with a little side salad of cherry tomatoes, basil and olive oil, or serve for breakfast with a drizzle of maple syrup or some granulated sugar.
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An Italian BBQ
A few grilled vegetables on the BBQ (creamy mauve aubergine, sweet red peppers), accompanied by some grilled swordfish and Italian sausage, a plate of super fresh buffalo mozzarella, a few slices of in-season tomatoes, some toasted Italian loaf slices, rubbed with cut garlic and drizzled with olive oil, a plate of fresh figs to end proceedings. Oh, and a Moretti beer or two doesn’t go amiss.
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Lamb’s lettuce and avocado salad
Provence is the garden of France, and even though spring has sprung quite late this year, the markets are already laden with new season vegetables and fruit (white asparagus, artichokes, strawberries).
Spending time in southern France and Italy has taught me that the better the produce, the simpler the recipe should be to match. For instance, throw together a simple salad of soft lamb’s lettuce and avocado, lightly coated with a whole-grain mustard dressing (rub a wooden bowl with some cut garlic, add 1 tsp sherry vinegar, 1 heaping teaspoon grainy mustard, 2 tbs olive oil, some salt and pepper), served with some fresh goat’s cheese, and a chunk of baguette, and a glass of Côtes-du-Rhône. If you are lucky enough to find a sunny terrace and some friends to share your lunch with, lucky you.
