Fennel & mascarpone risotto with prosciutto

For ➍
50 g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 fennel bulbs, heads finely sliced*
300 g risotto rice, such as carnaroli
30 cl white wine
1.2 litres vegetable stock, hot
1 tbs olive oil
80 g prosciutto, cut into thin strips
3 tbs chopped fresh flatleaf parsley**
4 tbs mascarpone
mace

Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 8 m, until softened. Add the garlic and fennel and cook for a further 5 m*. Add the rice and stir until coated in butter, then add the wine and bubble for 2-3 m. [Add some ground mace during cooking to enhance the taste.
Add the stock, a few ladlefuls at a time, stirring in each addition until absorbed. Keep ladling and stirring until the stock is used up and the rice is al dente but creamy – this will take about 20 minutes at a gentle simmer. Check the seasoning, cover and allow to rest for 2-3 m.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan, then add the prosciutto and fry for 1 minute or until crisp. Remove with tongs and set aside. When the pan is hot, add the white parts of the scallops and season in the pan. Cook for 1 me each side or until lightly golden, then add the corals and cook for 30 s. Remove from the heat. Stir the parsley and mascarpone into the rice.
To serve, divide the risotto between 4 bowls, top with the crispy prosciutto, scallops and their corals, and season with black pepper.

*Steam or microwave the sliced fennel until half-done. Add for 15 m to cooking.
**Or chop the fennel fronds.

Read tip on cooking rissoto.
Read a similar recipe with scallops.

Peas with prosciutto & mint

For ➑
100 g fresh or defrosted frozen shelled peas
1 tbs olive oil
¼ ts freshly ground pepper
¼ ts coarse sea salt
6 mint leaves, sliced very thin in chiffonade
25 g (about 2 thin slices) prosciutto

Prepare an ice bath and get out a strainer. Cook the peas in boiling, salted water for just a few s, then drain, plunge into ice bath and drain again.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, pepper and salt. Toss the peas in the dressing. Add the ribbons of mint.
Tear the prosciutto roughly into little 2 cmh wide squares.
Gently toss prosciutto with peas.
Scoop out ½ cup servings into small cups, ramekins or bowls.

Try another small cup appetizer.

Prosciutto, spinach & basil frittata

For ➋
4 eggs
10 cl whole milk
small handful of grated cheddar*
tiny handful of Parmesan cheese
4 slices of prosciutto, roughly chopped up
5 basil leaves, cut into a thin chiffonade
handful of spinach leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Set oven to 220°C.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add in the cheese, and mix to combine. Season with a good pinch of black pepper.

In your oven safe skillet, cook the prosciutto in a little oil, until crisp. Remove the prosciutto from the pan. Add the spinach to the pan, and keep it moving. When it has just wilted, remove from the pan and coarsely chop.

Into the same pan, pour the egg mixture. Toss in the prosciutto, basil and spinach. Gently mix. Heat over a low/medium heat until areas start to thicken (the egg cooks). When these cooked areas start to form, put the pan into the oven.

Cook in the oven for about 5 m, until the whole thing has just set. To check – reach into the oven (using a towel) shake the pan a little. If the middle of the frittata wobbles, then it is not set yet.

When the frittata has just set, crank your oven onto broil. Put this pan straight under the broiler, and broil to give a slightly browned top.

Cut into slices, and serve with a great tomato salad.

*Omit and raise the quantity of Parmesan.

'Frittata' is the Italian word for omelet, although they are prepared differently, usually started on the stovetop and finished under the broiler. The mixture is cooked over a very low heat, more slowly than an omelet, for at least 5–10 m, even 15, until the underside is set but the top is still runny. The result is an egg dish that is firm, and nicely brown on the top and edges, similar to the Spanish tortilla or the Iranian kookoo. It can contain almost any ingredient, even (left-over) pasta as in an omelet Napolitana.

Shaved asparagus & prosciutto salad

For ➍
10 asparagus spears, trimmed
juice 1 lemon
300 g lemon thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
6 slices prosciutto, torn
50 g Parmigiano cheese, shaved

Cut the tips away from the asparagus stalks, then cook the tips in boiling water for 2 m before plunging into iced water. Cook the stalks for 30 s, then plunge into iced water.

Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon thyme together in a bowl and season with pepper. Using a swivel-blade vegetable peeler, strip ribbons off the stalks, dropping them into the bowl of dressing as you go.

To serve, place a pile of asparagus ribbons in the centre of each plate. Drape the prosciutto around the side, scatter over the asparagus tips and Parmigiano, then drizzle with some dressing from the bowl.

Try another shaved asparagus salad.
Read tip on cooking asparagus.

Pizza e fichi (pizza with figs)

For ➋
It's also a Roman style, to top the pizza bianco with figs, served on a bed of some gorgonzola dolce cheese and decorated with some thinly sliced prosciutto.

Fichi ai prosciutto (figs with prosciutto)

For ➋
10 ripe figs*
5 slices prosciutto*/**

Cut stems off figs and slice in half.
Grill the spliced figs lightly if wanted. Brush them with olive oil first. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary.
Cut prosciutto* slices in half.
Wrap prosciutto* around figs. (Secure with toothpick).
Drizzle some balsamico and oil over the bites if wanted: heat 2 tbs of balsamico until sirupy, beat 1 tbs of olive oil through. Grill the spliced figs lightly if wanted. Brush them with olive oil first. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary.
Serve with several* glasses of cool Moscato d'Asti.

*When not in love, use 2 figs and 1 slice of ham per person. 1 glass of Moscato will do.
**Parma or any good dry-cured ham e.g. Spanish jamon Serrano or Flemish Ganda ham.
Try the similar marinated mozzarella with figs & prosciutto.

Believed to be an aphrodisiac... (Picture from Plein Soleil, René Clément's magnificent, luscious movie of Patricia Highsmith's The talented Mr. Ripley, starring Alain Delon and Marie Laforêt.).

Marinated mozzarella (with figs & prosciutto)

For ➋
4 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
4 black peppercorns
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
a small pinch of salt
a small pinch of red pepper flakes*
100 g fresh buffalo mozzarella (cut into 2 cm cubes or buy small balls)**
4 ripe figs
2 slices of Parma or Ganda ham, at room temperature

Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, salt and red pepper flakes*. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove the rosemary sprig. Pour the oil over the fresh mozzarella. Let stand at room temperature for several hours. If (covered and) refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving.**
Roll each mozzarella part and a bit of fig in a small slice of ham. Secure with a tooth pick if necessary. Or spread the ham over the plate and decorate with halved figs and mozzarella.
The salad variation: Have some mesclun leaves and some fresh mint ready. Wash figs, mint, mesclun. Dry with paper towel. Grill ham until crispy***. Cut marinated mozzarella or bocconcini into thick slices. Place mesclun leaves on plate. Top with wedges of figs, cheese slices and mint leaves. Dress with lemon juice and oil. Top with ham slices and season with cracked black pepper.
Serve with a cool glass of sparkling wine.

*Or paprika powder.
**Instead of marinating the mozzarella, you could use already marinated bocconcini.
***Optional.

Try the related figs with prosciutto.