Sweet life, Or the good life, can be experienced through some of the finest ingredients in Italy: pasta, ricotta and all the lemons. And with a plate of pasta, Amalfi is somewhere in between the great pleasures of life while sitting on the beach, you can experience something similar in the comfort of your own kitchen, with ingredients from the Italian pantry. Today’s dishes are inspired by my time spent in Italy over the years, greedily cleaning plates many times as a child, and even now, as an adult.
Grilled courgettes with garlic ricotta, raisin agrodols and crispy capers (pictured top)
“Agro” means sour in Italian and “dolce” means sweet. Agrodolce, after all, is a sweet-sour Italian spice. It’s really easy and quick to make, and fits well in the fridge, so make more, if you like, and use as a spread on meaty sandwiches or casserole on top of grilled meats and roast vegetables.
Preparation 20 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Serves 4-6 as a side
120ml apple cider or red wine vinegar
50 grams of golden raisins
60ml honey
Sea salt and black pepper
Spoon chili flakes
60ml olive oil
40 g capersExhaust and dry pat
250 g ricota
1 garlic clovePeeled and crushed
1 lemon, Grated to get 1 tsp, and juice, to get 2 tbsp
800 g small to medium courgettesCut into ½ cm thick slices at an angle
5 grams Mint leaves (About 2½ tsp), almost chopped
5 grams Basil leaves (About 2 tsp), almost chopped
First, make agrodolce. Place the vinegar, raisins, honey and half a teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until syrup disappears. Remove from heat, stir in chili flakes and leave to cool.
Place the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat and, once heated, add a third of the capers and fry for two to three minutes, until they open like flowers and become crispy. Take out the slotted spoon and drain on the kitchen paper, and repeat the remaining capers in two batches. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to cool.
In a small bowl add the ricotta, garlic, lemon juice and a quarter teaspoon of salt, mix well, then cover and set aside.
Set the griddle pan on high heat. When the smoke is hot, place the courgettes in a large bowl, add a teaspoon of reserved, cold caper oil, half a teaspoon of salt and pepper, then mix well. Working in five or six batches, grill on each side for two to three minutes until the four marks are well stripped, then transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool.
Spoon the ricotta on a large plate, making the bed for the courgettes. Mix the courgettes with the chopped mint and basil, and arrange on top of the ricotta. Spoon in the reserved caper oil and raisin agrodoles, sprinkle the fried capers on top and serve at room temperature.
Linguine crab, saffron and tomato
Making pasta from scratch requires a pasta machine, and if you don’t have one, ask around: You’re sure you’ll find someone who will be happy to lend you their money, at least it’s some real use! If you want to move forward, make pasta the day before and freeze it in an airtight box, and be sure to knead it well before storing. Alternatively, buy some linguine and put saffron in the sauce. You can also swap crabs for other fish or shellfish of your choice.
Preparation 25 minutes
Cook 75 minutes
Rest 1 hourr
Serves 2-4
⅛ Spoon saffron thread
200 grams ’00’ flourPlus extra for dusting
2 large eggsBeating
60ml olive oil
6 garlic clovesPeeled and thinly sliced
Good sea salt and black pepper
1 red chilli (10 g), cut in half lengthwise and cut thinly
2 celery sticks (75 g), cut into diagonal न् cm thick slices
100ml dry white wine
50 grams of brown crab meat
1 large plum tomato (140 g), almost grated and peeling off the skin
100 grams of white crab meat
10 gms (about 2¾ tsp) Parsley leavesAlmost cut
5 grams (About 1½ teaspoon) Taragan leavesAlmost cut
200 grams of cherry tomatoesHalf
2 tsp lemon juice
For pasta, place the saffron in a small bowl or cup, add a teaspoon of freshly boiled water, and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pick up the beaten egg, mix the saffron and its soaking water with your hands into the dough. Place the dough on a clean work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and fluffy. Wrap the dough tightly, then chill for an hour (or overnight, if you want to move forward).
In the middle, start the sauce. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and once hot, stir fry the garlic for one minute, until lightly golden. Pour the mixture into a small sieve set in a small bowl, then let both the fried garlic and the flavored oil cool.
Set up the pasta machine, then lightly knead both the machine and the clean work surface. Divide the dough into two parts and roll out the dough into a 1 cm thick rectangle as wide as a machine using a rolling pin with flour. Working with one piece of flour at a time, roll the pasta through each layer twice through the machine, starting with the wide setting and washing with the flour on the go. Stop at the final setting, when the pasta is about 1mm thick. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
Cut each sheet of pasta in half widthwise, so that now you have four pieces, place them separately on the work surface and wash generously with flour. Place your face on the small side of a sheet, gently roll each piece of flour, then use a sharp knife to cut its length into ½ cm-wide strips. Repeat with the remaining sheets, then open all the strips of noodles and leave to rest in the next generous dust of the dough.
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Leave on all the pasta, cook for three minutes, until al dente, then drain, save 50ml of pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of reserved garlic oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chillies and celery, and simmer for four minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown. Add in the wine, brown crab meat and grated tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes until thickened. In the reserved pasta water add the ladle, drained pasta, white crab meat, herbs, cherry tomatoes, a quarter teaspoon of fine salt and finely ground pepper, and saut for a minute until the sauce melts.
Heat off, stir in the lemon juice and remaining garlic oil, divide into four shallow bowls, sprinkle with roasted garlic and serve.
Grandma’s cake
There are several versions of this Tuscan custard tart nonnas Who makes them. This is my take: a celebration of its two main ingredients, lemon and pine nuts, which does not require blind baking.
Preparation 25 minutes
Cook 3 hours 45 minutes
Cold and chilly 2 hours
Serves 12
For custard
150ml double cream
550ml whole milk
1 lemon – 1½ Side to get the spoon, then squeeze the juice
2 Egg plus 2 egg yolks (Save white for next use)
110 grams of castor sugar
30 grams ’00’ flour
30 grams cornflour
3 tsp lemon curd (Home or store-bought)
For pastries
300g ’00’ flourPlus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
120 grams of castor sugar
150 g fridge-chilled unsalted butterCut into 1 cm cubes, as well as a little extra to grease the tart case
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
30 grams of pine nutsToasted and almost chopped
1 tsp Thyme leavesAlmost cut
1 lemon – Grind the zest well to get 1½ teaspoon, then cut into 12 pieces
For honey syrup
30 grams of flowing honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon thyme leavesCut off
30 grams of pine nutsToasted and almost chopped
1 tsp icing sugarFor dust
To make the custard, place the cream, milk and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cornflour, and stir a few more minutes until the mixture is fluffy. When the cream mix starts to evaporate, gently pour it into the egg bowl, stirring quickly and constantly, then pour heavily into the saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and cook continuously for three or four minutes, until the custard starts to steam and thicken – be careful not to overcook it. Place the custard in a deep tray, leave to cool, then refrigerate.
For pastries, pulse the first four ingredients in a food processor until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the remaining five ingredients to the lemon wedges, pulse three or four times until combined, then pick up on a clean work surface and, using your hands, bring it to a smooth, even flour. Cut one-third of the dough, then roll both pieces and knead to rest for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 210C (190C fan) / 410 F / Gas 6½. Grease the 24cm tart tin with a removable base, lightly wash the inside with flour, then place it on a baking tray. Take the custard out of the fridge, add lemon yogurt and smooth the blitz using a stick or regular blender.
Take a large piece of flour out of the fridge. Wash the work surface with flour, then roll the flour in a circle of 28 cm diameter. Using a flat baking tray or flour scraper, carefully lift the flour, glue it to the tart tin, and press gently on the edges. This pastry is delicate but forgiving, so patch any holes with flour dough. Pour the custard mix into a tart case and whisk on top.
Roll the second piece of flour in a circle of 25 cm diameter, and gently grind it completely with a fork. Place it on top of the tart, so it covers the edges, then gently roll the rolling pin over the edges of the tart tin, to seal. Close any overhangs.
Bake the tart for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown, then remove and place on a rack to cool slightly before unmolding.
In between, make the syrup. Place the honey in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook for three to five minutes until deep golden. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and thyme, then leave to cool. Once the tart is out of its tin, brush the syrup on top, sprinkle with pine nuts and leave to cool completely.
Once cool, wash the tart with icing sugar and serve with lemon wedges.