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Buon giornio from Italy
Clare Latimer sends a despatch from the land of wine and romance to help the rest of us recreate the peninsula's culinary treasures
The Italian language has to be one of the most romantic in the world and certainly when you are there and this somehow wafts around the stunning architecture, topped with the smell of garlic, tomatoes and perhaps chianti wine and the buzz of mopeds, there is no better place to get you right into that holiday mood.
Oh well, perhaps you are still in London but get cooking these dishes and lay back and think of Venice or Capri. Both these recipes would marry with a chilled bottle of bubbly Prosecco Brut which is a very reasonable price in most off-licences.
Pasta bows with mussels
This makes a speedy supper and is almost foolproof. To get 50g of fresh broad beans podded you will have to buy about 150g of beans; that is the general rule. You could always use frozen mussels and broad beans but at this time of year you have the opportunity to get fresh beans.
I would serve this with a tomato and ricotta salad and perhaps grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the top.
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g fresh mussels, cleaned;
150g broccoli, cut into florets;
50g shelled fresh broad beans;
200g pasta bows;
One clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped;
A small piece hot chilli pepper;
Three tbsp olive oil;
2.5 fl oz white wine;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Freshly chopped parsley
Method
Put a little water into a saucepan, bring to the boil and then put in the mussels, making sure there are no open ones as they would be dangerous to eat. Cover and cook for one to two minutes or until they have all opened. Drain and discard any that have not opened. Remove and throw away the shells.
Cook the broccoli and broad beans in boiling salted water for about five minutes and then add the pasta bows and cook for a further three minutes or as directed on the packet.
Try and time it so that all are cooked at the same time. Drain, run under cold tap for a few seconds and then set aside.
Put the garlic and chilli pepper into a frying pan and add the oil.
Fry for a few minutes and then add the mussels. Stir in the white wine and then finally add the vegetables and pasta. Toss for a couple of minutes and then sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Melon mousse and fruit friends
This is a lovely, cooling and fun pudding and not forgetting that it is very healthy. The colours are quite 1970s but you never know, it could tempt children to eat more fruit. It would also go well after a slightly heavy main course at a dinner party.
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g melon flesh, perhaps cantaloupe;
100g icing sugar;
One heaped teasp gelatine;
15 strawberries, hulled;
Three ripe kiwi fruit, peeled;
Half a small pineapple, topped tailed and peeled;
Fresh mint leaves.
Method
Puree the melon in a blender with the icing sugar. Pour the liquid into a bowl. Put a tablespoon of water into a small saucepan and sprinkle over the gelatine. Leave for a few minutes to expand. Put over a low heat and watch until it has melted and no granules show. Tilt pan rather than stir to get to this result. Stir into the melon mixture and then pour into four small moulds (about 150ml capacity) and chill in the fridge for a few hours.
Reserve four strawberries for decoration and puree the rest in the blender and pour into a jug. Wash out blender and repeat with the kiwis and pineapple.
To serve, turn out the mousses on to four chilled dessert plates and then put a strawberry on top of each mould with two mint leaves. Pour a pool of each fruit puree on each plate around the mousse keeping the three colours separate and then serve. |
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