Soufflé au Fromage (Cheese Soufflé)

Soufflés can appear daunting when cooking for the first time, but the  principle of making an enriched roux and folding in beaten egg whites is relatively straightforward. For some reason soufflés always turn out better when cooked in glass  rather than ceramic ramekins. They can be made individually in small containers, but a large ramekin

Risotto alle Zucchine (Courgette Risotto)

This is a variation of a classic risotto, in which half of the courgettes are cooked in the rice and the other half are shallow fried until golden and crispy to provide an interesting extra flavour to the final dish. If you can make your own vegetable stock by gently boiling carrots, onions, celery, salt

Spaghettini ai Pomodorini (Spaghetti with Cherry Tomato Sauce)

A classic example of Italian “less is more” cuisine, this is one of the simplest, quickest and most foolproof  pasta recipes, and perfect for anyone in a hurry as it only takes 10 minutes to prepare and cook from scratch. Spaghettini No 3 are extra thin and only need 5 minutes to cook until al

Fiori di Zucca Farciti (Stuffed Courgette Flowers)

If you have never tried them, courgette (zucchine) flowers are delicious, and while my favourite way of eating them is lightly battered and fried tempura style, this method of stuffing and roasting them comes a close second.  It is a very good way of using up stale bread, and when this is enriched with milk,

Pizza Margherita

Pizzas take some time but are not difficult to make from scratch, requiring only plain white flour, water, yeast, salt and a little sugar to make a product far superior to frozen pizza bases.  A classic pizza consists of a very thin and crusty base with a simple topping that takes only a few minutes

Betterave en Croute (Beetroot Wellington)

This is a vegetarian version of Beef Wellington that will please vegetarians and meat eaters alike. It frequently appears on the menu of the acclaimed Two Chaps vegetarian restaurant in Sydney’s Marrickville, which is high recommended if you are in this part of the world, bookings essential.   For something with such simple  ingredients you

Tarte aux Asperges, Petits Pois et Feta (Asparagus, Pea and Feta Tart)

This recipe is more commonly made in the form of a quiche with short crust pastry, eggs and cream, but I prefer this lighter Greek inspired version with puff pastry to better showcase the fresh asparagus and green peas.   While you can by all means make your own puff pastry with flour and butter,

Linguine con Funghi Porcini (Linguine with Ceps Mushrooms)

This dish is usually made with fresh porcini mushrooms, but if you can’t easily get hold of them, the dried version makes an intensely flavoured pasta sauce.  There are multiple variations, many involving cream and parsley, but this version  benefits from the balance of the sweetness of shallots, the salty umami quality of anchovy fillets

Spaghettini al Limone (Spaghetti with Lemon Sauce)

This easy, simple and delicious recipe comes from Italy’s Amalfi coast with its abundant juicy lemons.  It is a classic example of Italy’s “less is more” cuisine, combining a handful of fresh local ingredients into something sublime.   It is important to use unwaxed organic lemons as the grated zest is what gives the dish

Parmigiana di Zucchine (Roast Zucchine, Tomato and Parmigiano)

Zucchine (courgette) parmigiana is a classic Italian dish consisting of layered zucchine, tomatoes, parmigiano and mozzarella, virtually identical to the recipe for Eggplant (aubergine) Parmigiana.     Dredging the thin slices of zucchine in flour before frying prevents the slices from absorbing oil and makes the finished dish far more healthy and tasty, while retaining