Bringing a taste of Italy to your home, we're bringing your summer holidays to you this season. Tuck into these delicious Italian inspired dishes at home this summer.

Blazing Bruschetta

Ingredients 

4 slices of crusty bread
300g cherry tomatoes quartered
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves (1 minced and 1 whole)
Small handful of basil torn
1 red chilli finely chopped
250g ricotta
Balsamic glaze (optional to drizzle on top)

Method
1. Place tomatoes in a mixing bowl and add olive oil, crushed garlic, basil, chilli and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper and mix.
2. Toast under the grill for a few mins and then rub with the remaining garlic clove.
3. Spread ricotta evenly across each and then top each with the tomato mixture.
4. Add basil to garnish, a crack of black pepper and a drizzle of balsamic glaze and enjoy. With just one bite the flavours will transport you to sunny Italy!

Caprese Ciabatta

Ingredients
2 whole ciabatta
4 garlic cloves miced
150g unsalted butter softened
500g mozzarella (drained)
100g pomegranate seeds
4 salad tomatoes sliced
Rocket (optional to garnish)
Balsamic glaze (optional to drizzle on top)

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Mix the garlic and butter into a paste, season and evenly spread on top of each ciabatta.
2. Spread out the mozzarella and tomatoes across both ciabatta, season and place in the oven for 6-10 mins until the mozzarella has melted.
3. Remove from the oven, season, sprinkle with fresh rocket, pomegranate seeds, a drizzle of balsmic glaze. Enjoy the taste of Italy on a plate!

Spicy Salami Carbonara

Ingredients
350g dried spaghetti
Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
80g salami torn into strips
8 egg yolks
125g Parmesan finely grated (set 20g aside to sprinkle on top)
Rocket
Pepper

Method
1. Drop the spaghetti into boiling, salty water and cook for 10 mins. Meanwhile, mix the egg yolks and parmesan and season with pepper- set aside.
2. Add oil to a pan over a medium-high heat and stir through the garlic for 1 min. Add the salami and cooking until the salami is crispy.
3. Drain the spaghetti (setting some of the pasta water aside) and transfer to the pancetta pan and toss through.
4. Reduce to a low heat and pour in the egg yolk mixture - continuing to stir so that the eggs do not scramble - add a little of the pasta water to loosen. Serve with a sprinkle of rocket and enjoy. A simple twist on a classic!

Mid-Week Meatball Bake

Ingredients
500g beef mince
120g breadcrumbs
2 tbsp mixed Italian herbs
1 egg
125g mozzarella cut into 16 cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 small red onion chopped
800g chopped tomatoes
100g Parmesan grated
 
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Mix the mince, breadcrumbs, herbs and egg and season well.
2. Wrap each mozzarella cube with a couple of tbsp's of meat mixture and shape tightly into a ball. Add 2 tbsp's of oil to a pan over a medium high heat and brown the meatballs in batches - set aside.
3. Add 1 tbsp of oil to an oven-proof pan on a medium-high heat and fry the garlic and onions for a few mins. Add the tomatoes, simmer for 5 mins and season.
4. Add the meatballs to the sauce, scatter with grated Parmesan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The perfect rustic family sharer - dig in and scoop up with some crusty bread.

Italian Style Pesto Pork

Ingredients
1.5kg pork with the rind removed but fat left on and scored at 1cm intervals
6 tbsp olive oil (3 for pork marinade & 3 for veg)
5 garlic cloves (3 minced for pork marinade & 2 whole and crushed for veg)
1 Tbsp mixed Italian herbs
Tbsp fennel seeds
1 large white onion cut into wedges
2 lemons sliced
4 tbsp pesto
400g Mixed Mediterranean vegetables
350g new potatoes

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to gas 9, 240°C, fan 220°C (fan). Pat the pork fat dry with a kitchen towel and rub 1 tbsp of salt into the fat - leave uncovered for 30 mins.
2. Pound 3 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp oil, mixed herbs, fennel and a pinch of salt and pepper into a paste and rub all over the pork.
3. Arrange the lemon and onion in a roasting tray and sit the pork on top (fat side up). Rub 1/2 a tsp of salt into the fat and pop in the oven for 45 mins. Reduce to gas 4, 180°C, 160°C (fan) and roast for 1 hr.
4. Meanwhile mix the veg, pesto, oil and garlic in a roasting tray and place in the oven for 45 mins gas 4, 180°C, 160°C (fan). Enjoy! The perfect Italian twist on your traditional Sunday dinner.
 

Summer Prosecco Fizz

Ingredients
Ice
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 lime juiced (set aside lime peel for decoration)
30ml gin
2 tbsp of elderflower cordial
80ml of Prosecco
Handful of frozen berries (optional garnish)

Method
1. Add a couple of ice cubes to a prosecco glass.
2. Add lemon and lime juice, gin and a splash of elderflower cordial.
3. Top with prosecco, add a small handful of frozen berries and enjoy! The perfect cocktail for a warm summers evening!

Rosé- Aperol Spritz

Ingredients
200ml Aperol
4 large oranges (3 juiced and 1 sliced for garnish)
2 tbsp caster sugar
Ice
300ml sparkling rosé
200ml soda
1 grapefruit sliced (optional garnish)

Method
1. Whisk together the Aperol, orange juice and sugar until fully dissolved.
2. Add a few handfuls of ice to a serving jug and pour over the Aperol mixture.
3. Pour in the sparkling rosé and stir.
4.Top up with soda, add orange and grapefruit disks/wedges and stir. The perfect apéritif for dining alfresco!

Pink Negroni

Ingredients

Ice

Vermouth Rosso

Campari

Gin Rosa

Grapefruit to garnish

Method

1. Fill a short glass with ice. 

2. Add equal measures of Vermouth Rosso, Campari and Gin Rosa.

3. Stir until fully combined.

4. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a grapefruit peel twist.

The Rossini

Ingredients

Crushed Ice
Strawberry Juice
Morrisons The Best Prosecco 
Strawberry and mint to garnish

Method

1. Fill a Prosecco glass two thirds full with ice.

2. Add strawberry juice (just under a third of a glass).

3. Top up with Prosecco.

4. Stir and garnish with a strawberry and a sprig of mint. 

The Godfather

Ingredients

Ice
Amaretto
Scotch Whisky 
Rosemary and cherries to garnish

Method

1. Fill a glass tumbler with ice.

2. Pour in equal measures of Amaretto and Scotch Whisky.

3. Mix well and serve with a fresh cherry and a sprig of rosemary to garnish. 

WhatWillyCook's Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Another delicious dish that'll take your taste buds right to the heart of Italy, check out WhatWillyCook's Spaghetti alla Puttanesca. 

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Ingredients

  • Fresh Tagliatelle
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • Handful plum tomatoes
  • Handful of green and black olives
  • 4-5 anchovies
  • 1 tsp capers
  • Handful of flat leaf parsley and some to garnish
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parmesan to serve

Method

  1. Dice your garlic finely and add it to olive oil in a pan on a low heat to infuse.
  2. Add chilli flakes and stir.
  3. Chop tomatoes in half lengthways and add to your pan. Cook for a while and if the garlic looks like its browning at all add a splash of water to prevent burning.
  4. Chop olives coarsely and get them into the pan as well, then add capers and chopped up anchovies.
  5. Mix together and let cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat.
  6. Put fresh pasta into salty, boiling water for a couple of minutes.
  7. Add black pepper and mix through your pasta.
  8. Chop a handful of your parsley and add this to the pasta mix.
  9. Top with parmesan and a little parsley and enjoy.

Thom's Prosciutto, Artichoke and Gorgonzola Pizza

Tuck into this delicious pizza recipe from Thom Bateman of @bboxfood, complete with 72-hour proved dough for a real Italian-inspired treat. 

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Pizza Dough Ingredients (makes 5 Pizza bases)

  • 800g Double Zero Flour (more for dusting, shaping)
  • 500ml room temp water
  • 5g dried active yeast
  • 10g sea salt

Pizza Sauce Ingredients (enough for 5 pizzas)

  • 1 Tin of peeled plum tomatoes
  • 1 handful of fresh basil
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Toppings

  • Prosciutto (2 slices per pizza)
  • Gorgonzola (5 tsp per pizza)
  • Marinated Artichokes (4 per pieces per pizza)
  • Pizza Mozzarella cut into a small diced pieces (approx. 30g/40g per pizza)
  • Fresh Basil leaves (4 per pizza)

Method

  1. Start by making the dough this does take a couple of days to prove in the fridge so make it well ahead of time you can do a shorter prove but it’s worth the wait.
  2. Add the yeast to the water and stir with your fingertips this keeps the water temp ambient rather than using a cold metal spoon for example.
  3. Mix well and leave to sit for 20 mins
  4. Then add the flour and salt to the mix, bring this into a dough with your hands then knead for 15-20 mins until you have a smooth and slightly sticking dough.
  5. Put the dough ball in a bowl where it has plenty of room to grow and cover with cling film so airtight then leave in the fridge for at least 48 hours, 72 is better.
  6. When the dough has had this time to prove remove from the fridge then on a floured surface tip the dough out divide into 5 equal parts (approx. 220g) then roll into a ball shape dust with flour and cover with cling film or a towel for a further hour then its ready to use.
  7. In the meantime make the pizza sauce by adding the ingredients to blender blitz well then add to a saucepan reduce by ¼ over a medium should take around 20 mins then allow to cool.
  8. At this point it’s important to get your toppings prepared so they are easily accessible to build the pizza.
  9. Also this is the point you need to get your pizza oven lit so it’s up to temp ready to use minimum 300c 
  10. If you don’t have a pizza oven ideally you will have a pizza stone this needs to be in the oven with the oven cranked up as hot as it will go and leave it for at least 45 mins to get raging hot. The key with great pizza is an intense burst of heat.
  11. To shape the dough on a floured surface press your fingertips into the centre of the ball and push the edges out to maintain some air in the crust for a good rise then as confidently as you can stretch and pull the dough to form your pizza shape.
  12. Add a thin layer of sauce (if you over do it the pizza won’t cook as quickly as it should) then add your toppings spreading evenly, again don’t over do it otherwise you will struggle to get that even, fast cook.
  13. A good tip for pizza not sticking in a conventional oven is to use some semolina as barrier between your dough and pizza stone so when shaping the dough dust with a little of this.
  14. All that’s left is to slide the pizza into your pizza oven or onto the stone and watch it come to life. In a conventional oven it may take 10-15 mins depending on your oven, in a pizza oven approx. 2 mins with regular turning.

Classic Pizza, with a sweet treat for afters

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Ingredients

  • 300g strong bread flour
  • 1 sachet of fast acting yeast 
  • 200ml warm water 
  • Passata tomato sauce
  • Mozzarella 
  • Salami
  • Chocolate spread
  • Peanut butter 
  • 150ml Double cream 
  • 150g fresh strawberries
  1. Place the flour and yeast into a bowl and mix together, create a well in the middle of the mix and pour in the water. Using a wooden spoon or other kitchen utensil, combine the mixture until you have a rough looking dough ball.
  2. Take the dough ball and place on a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
  3. Break the now kneaded dough ball into three equal smaller balls and again on a floured surface roll out into a flat base. If you feel confident then try and throw the based and stretch out the middles.
  4. Take a ladle of passata sauce and using the back of the ladle, spread around TWO of the bases leaving around a cm from the edge. 
  5. On top of the passata sprinkle mozzarella, be as sparse or thick as you like. Take some salami slices and evenly spread around the pizza.
  6. Put the pizzas on a pizza tray or baking tray and place in a pre-heated oven set to 220 degrees fan assisted (240 standard) for 10-12 minutes or until you see the cheese browning as well as the edges of the base.
  7. With the last pizza base, place in the oven at the same heat for 7 minutes. Once it’s lightly crisped remove it from the oven.
  8. Take a tablespoon of chocolate spread and a tablespoon of peanut butter and on the hot base spread and mix together. Both will melt and mix easily. 
  9. Slice the strawberries and evenly spread around the pizza.
  10. Cut the pizza into as many slices as desired and then whip the double cream until thick and spoon a dollop onto each slice and serve.

 

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