This is a very simple pasta dish which can be whipped up quickly. In the Spring, sweet peas in their plump pods beckon after a long winter. Out of pea season, frozen peas make a good substitute. I always have a bag of peas and a package of pancetta in the freezer. In a pinch,…
Cannelloni- baked pasta tubes filled with ricotta and spinach
Easter is on the horizon and while lasagne features in many Italian holidays, for Easter there are cannelloni. Sadly anyone who has had the frozen or ready-made versions of cannelloni may shudder at its mention but the real deal is exactly that. Fresh ricotta mixed with spinach and stuffed into pasta tubes can only be…
Tuscan hot cross buns
For some families, Easter is all about chocolate bunnies and eggs. While that definitely is part of the joy of Easter, my family loves all the various Easter baked treats. Whether it is the ubiquitous colomba from Lombardia; the pink hued and confetti and meringue-topped ciaramicola from Umbria; the agnello di sfoglia, a millefeuille cake shaped like a…
The perfect excuse to eat Nutella pizza
Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, striking fear or longing into the hearts of millions. This divisive Hallmark holiday, intentioned to better the lives of those of us who may take their loves for granted the rest of the year. On the 14th of February we are meant to take stock of our good fortune…
Pumpkin gnocchi in sage and butter sauce
It feels like many people are lamenting the weather and pining for an early spring. While I definitely sympathise with the sentiment, there is something lovely and relaxing about grim weather. There is less expectation to leave the house and the cozy, “hygge” atmosphere would be ruined by glorious, vitamin D giving sunshine. We would…
Warm creamy, custardy rice tart
This rice custard tart is a delicious combination of a creamy, vanilla-flecked rice pudding with a caramelised top all baked in a crisp shortbread crust. It’s the perfect cure for the winter blues. Rosy-cheeked children returning home from the cold will be overjoyed at the sight of this belly-warming tart. I first spotted this tart…
What to cook when your freezer breaks down
We have four questions we ask our children (and answer ourselves) every night. They are, “what was the best thing that happened today?, what was the worst thing that happened today?, what did you find challenging? and what are you most grateful for?” The most surprising thing about this little dialogue is that every day…
Naked ravioli – skip the pasta and go all filling
Everyone loves ravioli and tortelloni but most don’t enjoy the time it takes to roll the fresh pasta to stuff it. While I do enjoy making pasta, time rarely permits this small luxury. Fortunately there are ravioli gnudi which means “naked ravioli” in English as it is all filling and no pasta. These feather-light balls of…
A sweet beginning to the new year
Firstly, I apologise for disappearing for two whole weeks. I was buried by an avalanche of domestic and holiday admin but now I am back and rejuvenated. These next 6 weeks most people will be going through a metamorphosis from holiday overindulgence to teetotal, green-juice-loving, gym bunnies to guilt-laden cheaters transitioning back to their normal…
Necci: simply delicious Tuscan chestnut crepes (that are vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free)
Chestnuts and hazelnuts abound this season. While chestnuts are often most associated with street side vendors roasting large pans of them and are often used in roast stuffings, the Tuscans grind them into a flour and make them into thin pancakes using only water and salt. Necci are a traditional sweet from the mountain communities…
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