Sipping an early cup of coffee in bed, I admired the view from my bedroom window of flat marshland, grazing cows and the sea beyond. I was staying with a friend in Norfolk for the weekend, just outside the flinty village of Cley. I was intrigued by a rather incongruous and lonely little blue hut that stood opposite the …
We recently posted a picture of Torta Caprese on our FaceBook page as it’s Giancarlo’s favourite dessert and one he can enjoy as it’s gluten free. Many people have asked for the recipe so here’s the one we use at home:-
Torta Caprese
Chocolate and almond cake from Capri
Little nuggets of almonds pack out this dense cake full …
This rainbow in a bowl is Rome’s celebration of summer. Bright red cherry tomatoes are tossed with capers, olives, basil, mozzarella, chilli and garlic, and finished with ricotta. I like the raw sauce served with hot spaghetti but it is often served cold stirred into cooled penne for a gorgeous salad.
Serves 4 as a main and 6 as …
Ravioli al cacao ripieni di gorgonzola e noci
Cocoa ravioli stuffed with gorgonzola and walnuts
The cocoa gives the pasta a gorgeous nuttiness in flavour and a rich chocolate colour that contrasts brilliantly with the melting gorgonzola and crunchy walnuts inside. Try to find creamy gorgonzola dolce, which has a sweet, mellow flavour instead of the harsher crumbly gorgonzola piccante. …
If you want to start an argument with a bunch of Italians then there’s no better way than to ask them the secrets of the perfect ragu. Each will have plenty to say on the subject and swear blind that their nonna’s is the best. From stirring the ragu clockwise with a wooden (not metal) spoon to hand chopping the …
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” That’s bloody marvellous, that roast pork” was the cry from from the Greek bishops who visited Florence in Tuscany in 1430. In fact what they said was “Aristos” in ancient Greek meaning “best or excellent” when presented with the famous Tuscan roast pork at a banquet held to unite the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. And somehow the name …
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Artichokes are in season and one of my Instagram followers was asking recently what to do with his crop when harvest time arrives. You’ll all be familiar with the jars of artichoke hearts preserved in oil available in the Italian aisle at supermarkets and they’re pretty easy to make at home. If you’re interested in having a go see our …
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What can I make for a family supper or a summer party this weekend?
One of our favourites at this time of the year is our version of “Chicken Shawarma”. As not the most disciplined gardener all my lettuces come at once and I am always looking for ways of using the leaves.
‘Shawarma’ means ‘turning’ in Turkish and really …
As part of our Sunday Sessions at Caffe Caldesi we’ve been running a series of foodie talks and feasts, the most recent of which was an exploration of the benefits of cutting out the carbs.
We were joined by TV’s ‘Low-Carb GP’ Dr David Unwin and his wife and psychologist Dr Jen Unwin for a ‘Low-Down on Low-Carb’ …
When Giancarlo found out that he could no longer have gluten in his diet he made it his quest to create the best tasting gluten free versions of the food he loves. One of his guilty pleasure is ‘Southern Fried Chicken’ which he’ll often cook up on a rare Sunday off and enjoy while watching the Formula 1 racing and …
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