Panna Cotta

by Matthew Luca

One of my favourite desserts is Panna Cotta and I'm surprised it does not appear so often in Italian restaurants because its actually quite simple to make.

Ingredients

650ml double cream

250ml full milk

150g caster sugar

4 leafs gelatine

1 vanilla pod (or 1 tbsp. vanilla extract)

Method

In a bowl of cold water submerge the gelatine leafs and leave to soften for 5 minutes.

In a large heavy based pan add the cream, milk, sugar and seeds scrapped from the vanilla pod. cook on a high heat stirring occasionally until just before boiling point (do not let it boil). remove from the heat, add the gelatine leafs one at a time into the hot mixture stirring in until dissolved and then let the mixture cool stirring occasionally. When cool transfer mixture to a measuring jug or a water jug (I tend to pass the mixture through a fine sieve into the jug to remove any possible lumps), place in fridge for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (until you see the vanilla seeds are not sinking to the bottom and holding in position) now that the mixture has thickened pour into moulds, I use a plastic ricotta cheese container as its the perfect size and smooth on the inside, you can also pour the mixture into dessert or wine glasses as pictured below (this is less fussy). leave to set in the fridge for around 3 hours before serving.

Serving suggestion: if your planning on serving the panna cotta as pictured above and you want to turn the dessert onto a plate you'll need a separate bowl with hot water where you'll dip your mould 3/4 into hot water for around 10 seconds until the panna cotta frees itself and then place a plate over the top and flip upside down.

Balsamic strawberry sauce

Ingredients

400g strawberry (cut in halves)

1 tbsp cornflour or plain flour

75g caster sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and put on a moderate high heat, stirring gently until combined and strawberries have softened slightly and a sauce is forming, remove from the heat and leave to cool, (Tip) leave in the fridge to chill before serving on the panna cotta.

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Pizza Salami

By Matthew Luca

Not even the Godfather could refuse a slice of a classic Italian Pizza, the traditional thin crispy base topped with tomato, mozzarella and casereccia salami is beautiful. No wonder its one of the worlds favourite foods but this recipe goes back to the true origins of pizza where its not perfectly round, a little crispier than your usual takeaway and that's how I like it. I baked this pizza on a stone but equally you can use a pizza tray.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients (For 2 Pizza bases) what's the point to make only one :-)
300g strong white bread flour or 00 flour
7g Fast acting dried yeast
210ml warm water
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons Peanut Oil or Olive Oil (plus extra for greasing)

Method
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and make a well in the middle. Pour the yeast into a measuring jug along with the warm water, stir and then pour into the centre well of the flour, then then add the oil. Using a fork mix the flour towards the centre of the bowl until crumbly. The using your hands combine together to form a dough.
On a floured surface, knead the dough for around 5 minutes until elastic, cut the dough ball in half and knead each ball for another 1 minute each. using a couple of bowls or deep baking tray, lightly cover the dough balls with some oil and lightly grease the bowls or deep baking tray. Place the dough balls in the tray or bowls and cover with cling film and leave to prove for around 1-2 hours.

Once proved, pre-heat the oven to 200c, lightly flour a work surface and press the dough outwards from the middle of the dough ball turning in a circular motion until thin and a good size for your pizza. Lay the dough on a pizza baking tray or hot stone and bake in the oven for 2-3 minutes just until the base becomes firm and a little crisp to touch (especially the centre of the pizza base). remove from the oven and this is when you put on your desired topping. (You could cook this pizza without part baking the base but this method will bring consistency without the risk of a soggy bottom/base)

Pizza Sauce Passata

Ingredients

1/2 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch of salt & pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

20 red wine or water

Method

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and cook on a moderate high heat stirring continuously for around 3 minutes, use a potato masher to press down any tomato chunks and continue stirring, if the mixture is too thick add a little more wine or water but otherwise thick is good and rustic. Take off the heat ready for spreading on your pizza base

Pizza Salami

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Passata sauce

10 slices of salami

5 cherry tomatoes (halved and seeds squeezed out)

1/2 mozzarella ball

Rocket leafs (garnish)

Grated parmesan (Garnish)

Truffle oil or Olive oil (for drizzling)

Method

Spread some Pizza Passata on your pizza base using the back of a spoon, tear up some mozzarella and spread evenly, add some cherry tomatoes, salami and freshly chopped basil and bake in the oven for a further 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with rocket leafs, parmesan and a light drizzle of truffle oil.

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Bayin Branzino con Mascarpone Tagliatelle

By Matthew Luca

This recipe was inspired by the new Bayin foods Oil range (Now available in SuperValu) where I wanted to incorporate the use of Peanut oil and Sesame oil into this Italian dish. I found that substituting traditional olive oil for sesame oil in the pasta dough introduced a delicate flavour and aroma that would only enhance the natural taste of the tagliatelle while bringing the dish together. Their peanut oil was introduced in the handmade pesto giving a real edge and noticeable difference which was sublime.

Ingredients:

Pasta Dough (Click here for recipe) using The Bayin Sesame oil instead of truffle oil

250g Mascarpone cheese

100g Spinach

100ml White wine

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 heaped tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste (seasoning)

4 fillets of Seabass (Branzino)

1 tablespoon of Bayin sesame oil

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Method:

Roll out a sheet of pasta dough as thinly as possible, then cut into tagliatelle size thin ribbons, bunch up around 8-10 ribbons to form a nest and set aside to dry for around 30 minutes prior to cooking, one nest per person serving.

For the sauce add the Mascarpone, wine, nutmeg and parmesan to a saucepan and heat on a medium temperature until the sauce is silky, taste as season accordingly then add the spinach and stir gently until the spinach wilts, take off heat and set aside ready for the pasta.

Ina large heavy based pan fill 3/4 with water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil, when boiling add the tagliatelle and boil for 6-8 minutes, the texture should be aldente, if you find the pasta still to tough give it an extra couple of minutes on the boil, strain the water when ready then add to the mascarpone sauce and mix together.

Now for the Branzino (seabass) In a frying pan on a high heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, season fish lightly with salt and place skin side down in the pan, cook for 1-2 minutes until skin is crisp and golden and then turn the fish over, reducing the temperature a little and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until cooked trough then serve. Topped off beautifully with some fresh Pesto (see recipe below).

BAYIN PESTO (for fish)

Ingredients

50ml Bayin Peanut Oil

Large Hand full of Basil leafs (chopped)

2 Sage leafs (chopped)

2 dill sprigs (chopped)

1 tablespoon almonds

1 tablespoon pistachio

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon grated parmesan

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

In a dry pan gently heat up the almonds and pistachios until hot and aromatic, finely chop and place in a small mixing bowl or Pestle and mortar. Add the herbs, lemon zest, parmesan, pepper and Bayin peanut oil and mix together well, if the pesto looks to dry add a little more peanut oil.

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Zucchini Mascarpone Spinaci

by Matthew Luca

If your wondering what you can do with a Zucchini (Courgette) then hopefully this recipe will inspire you just as my imagination did with me. It's the perfect start to any meal and while visually striking its simplicity will surprise you.

Ingredients (serves 4)
250g Mascarpone cheese
100g Spinach (chopped)
4 Zucchini / Courgette
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leafs (picked from stems) plus extra sprigs for decoration


Method
Cut the Zucchini (courgettes) into 3 inch high cylinders, carefully remove the core (middle) with a knife. Cut 12 slices from another zucchini and cut out small circles to fit in the base of the cylinders to seal.
In a mixing bowl add the mascarpone, thyme leafs, garlic, salt & pepper, plus chopped spinach and mix thoroughly. Carefully place the cylinders on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and then fill with the mascarpone & spinach pushing down to ensure its packed with the filling and slightly overfilled on the top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes on 200c then serve.

I have plated mine with a base of green pesto and scattering of artichoke, tomatoes, olive and thyme sprigs plus a few deep fried zucchini (courgette) slices that created the circles on top.

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Cannoli recipe

by Matthew Luca

A world without cannoli is like a world without the earth beneath our feet, it would be impossible.
The first Cannoli I tasted was at the world famous Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken New Jersey ( home of THE CAKE BOSS hit TV show). The owner (Buddy Valastro) really works his magic creating these Italian and now American favourites with various fillings. I'm basing my recipe using some traditional Sicilian methods and my own travel influences as well as taste preferences, I hope you like them. You'll also need (Cannoli forms) these are the thin metal tubes that you use to make the shells, I purchased mine from eBay.

Ingredients

For the Dough (Cannoli Shells)
275g Plain Flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 Eggs
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
50g Butter
10ml White wine vinegar
30ml Amaretto Liqueur

(2 litres of Vegetable or Sunflower oil for frying) Peanut oil is preferred but quite expensive for deep frying.

Method
In a mixing bowl add the flour, salt, cinnamon, cocoa and butter then mix together until you have reached a breadcrumb type texture. Put in the eggs and butter then mix together to form a dry dough. Add the white wine vinegar, knead into the dough then add the amaretto liqueur and contine to work into the dough. At this stage the dough will be quite wet so using some extra plain flour 1 tablespoon at a time, add to the dough until it becomes dry enough to knead without it sticking to your hands.
Knead the dough ball on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 mins until elastic and combined well, shape into a ball then wrap tightly in cling film and leave to firm in the fridge for around 1 hour.

Remove dough from the fridge and cut a slice off around 1/2 inch thick and with a rolling pin roll out the dough until paper thin.
Cut out circles (4-5 inches in diameter) and roll each one around a cannoli form (tip: use a little egg white to stick down the fold of the dough around the form) then set aside on a floured surface.

In a large heavy based pan or fat fryer, fill up to around 4 inches (ensuring their is at least another 3 inch gap to the rim of the pot, if not use a larger pan). heat oil to around 180c or until a piece of bread takes 10 seconds to turn golden brown. then carefully add the cannoli forms into the hot oil (only two at a time in the pan) and fry until golden brown, this will take around 1 min. remove from the oil being careful to ensure all the hot oil has drained out of the form tubes and then set aside on some kitchen towl for 5 minutes until cool.

When the form tubes are cool, slightly bang the forms in an upright position on a work surface then gently remove the cannoli shell away from the metal form. repeat this process until complete.

For the Filling
Ingredients
500g Ricotta cheese (Drained)
100g Icing Sugar (plus extra for dusting)
40g chopped glace fruit
1/2 vanilla pod (seeds only)
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp amaretto liqueur

Method
In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, sugar, vanilla seeds, orange zest and amaretto with a whisk until smooth and silky. Add the glace fruit and fold in gently. Place filling into piping bags or sandwich bags ready for piping (if using the sandwich bag just snip a 5 cm hole in the corner and push down.

To make the cannoli, pipe some filling into each side of the shell/tube, you can garnish the ends with candied fruit of you like then sprinkle over some icing sugar for decoration.

Watch the YouTube video for a recipe walk through

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Italian Gelato recipe

By Matthew Luca

Bring the taste of Italian summers to your home with this tantalizing Gelato recipe, its not easy to find good quality Gelato in a supermarket and what's great about making it yourself is that you know it has no additives, oils or preservatives. I will add recipes for two more flavours (Strawberry & Tutti Frutti ) plus an Affogato below, you'll be able to make these using the base Vanilla Gelato and then adding the flavours. It's a good idea to make the gelato at least a day before you plan to use it.

Ingredients: (Vanilla based Gelato)
500ml Double cream
500ml Full fat Milk
300g Caster sugar
8 Egg yolks
1 Vanilla pod

Method
In a large mixing bowl pour in the sugar, egg yolks and then whisk until it appears as a runny liquid, set aside.
In a heavy based pan, add the milk, cream and seeds from the vanilla pod and cook on a high heat until small bubbles begin to form around the inside rim of the pan. (just before it begins to boil) then turn off heat (do not let boil).
Add a very small amount of the hot milk to the eggs and sugar and stir gently until combined then add a bit more in stages slowly increasing the amount of hot milk you whisk into the eggs. When finished pour the mixture back into the pan and cook on a medium to high heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to stick to the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat and transfer into a mixing bowl and leave to cool, when cold cover with cling film and place in the fridge until chilled.
Once chilled thoroughly empty the mixture into one or two sealed sandwich bags and double bag them for extra strength, then place in the freezer, every hour or so give the sandwich bag a gentle squeeze to help churn the Gelato until its firm enough to remove from the bags easily. Empty the gelato into a freezer proof plastic container and now you have your own homemade Gelato for whenever you need it. (Video recipe below).


Tutti Frutti Gelato
Add some candied chopped mix fruit and a couple of drops of orange essence to some Vanilla Gelato, mix gently and allow to re-firm in the freezer.

Strawberry Gelato
Simply add some chopped strawberries to the Vanilla gelato and mix thoroughly and allow to re-firm in the freezer.

Affogato

This is an Italian favourite, simply pour an espresso shot over vanilla gelato and serve with a crisp wafer. Mine is also garnished with crushed pistachio. (please only use fresh filtered coffee ), I used my espresso machine as it adds a good crema to the coffee. (Lavazza) :-)

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Risotto Pisello Menta (Pea & Mint Risotto) Recipe

by Matthew Luca

Risotto can be difficult to get right but if you do it's just amazing, so don't be nervous tackling this recipe, the combination of a few simple flavours really makes this stand out in a fresh and vibrant way.

Ingredients (serves 4)
250g Risotto rice
1 red onion (finely diced)
3 cloves garlic (skin off)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
150ml white wine
100g frozen peas
1 bunch fresh mint (half of bunch chopped)
1 litre chicken stock (plus a kettle full of boiling water on standby)
75g parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for drizzling) (optional: truffle infused oil for drizzling)
Salt & Pepper

Method
It a large heavy base pan on a high heat, add the olive oil, garlic and onions, stir and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and oregano and cook for a further 1 minute.
Add the risotto rice and stir until the liquid in the pan has been absorbed, when the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pan pour in the stock, season with salt & pepper, stir and leave to cook for around 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally, when the stock is three quarters absorbed in to the risotto rice remove from the heat and taste the rice to see if its cooked (at this stage it should be quite grainy, we're looking for aldente ) so put back on the heat and add around 100ml of boiling water at occasional intervals stirring continuously until the rice becomes cooked correctly but the risotto remains loose (not dry) this should take around 3-4 minutes.
When your happy with the texture of the rice add in the peas, chopped mint, stir for around 1 minute. add the parmesan and stir, then your ready to plate. Serve with some fresh mint leafs and a drizzle of oilive oil.

For a walk through watch the recipe video below.

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