♥︎Sea bass fillet with tomato & caper salsa

For ➍ 

4 large sea bass fillets with skin

1 fennel bulb,  4 slices of ½ cm, keep the fennel tops aside

2 tomatoes on the vine, peeled, without seeds, cut into cubes

4 tbs capers

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 handful of fresh thyme

6 tbs good olive oil

1 tbs lime zest

1 handful of watercress

pepper and salt

Fry the fennel, garlic and thyme in some olive oil until al dente.

For the salsa, mix the rest of the olive oil, capers, lime zest and tomato together and season with some salt and pepper.

Pat the pieces of sea bass fillet dry with kitchen paper and mark the skin of the fillets lightly with a small knife.

Fry the fish in a hot pan with a non-stick coating until nicely browned on the skin side, for about 3 to 4 m, turn off the heat and leave the fish in the pan for another 1 m.

Serve the fish skin side up together with the fennel, salsa and watercress.

Season everything with some coarse pepper and sea salt and the fennel tops.

Serve with fried potatoes.

Thai fish soup

For ➍
1 tbs cooking oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 ts fresh ginger, grated
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
½ red chilli pepper, sliced (optional)
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom stalk only, bruised (substitute with peel of lemon or lime)*
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (substitute with peel of lemon or lime)*
40 cl can coconut milk
2 dl vegetable broth
juice of ½ lime
1 tbs fish sauce
175 g shrimps, peeled & deveined
220 g salmon, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
assorted vegetables, such as spinach, snow peas, kale, tomatoes, bell pepper, etc.
1 tbs minced cilantro/coriander

In a wok or soup pot over medium high heat, add cooking oil and swirl to coat. When hot, add in the garlic, ginger, red onion, chilli pepper, lemongrass, kaffir and gently cook for about 2 m to release the aromas and flavors.
Pour in the coconut milk and broth and let simmer for 15 m. Remove the lemongrass, kaffir (or the lemon/lime peel if using)* and discard. Season broth with fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
Add shrimp, salmon, vegetables and cilantro. Cook for 3-4 m or until the shrimp and salmon is cooked through.
Add 250 g cooked dried rice noodles to turn the soup into a light dish.

*When substituting with the peel of a lemon or lime, use a vegetable peeler to get thin strips of peel  and give each strip a good bruising or twist to release the oils.
**Eventually, add some fresh tomatoes, cut into wedges.

♥︎Tray bake of giant beans with ratatouille vegetables & pistou

For ➍

2 cans giant white beans (400 g each), rinsed & drained

2 red onions, peeled, cut into 8 wedges each

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 eggplant, in pieces

1 zucchini, in pieces

4 small tomatoes on the vine, each cut in 4 wedges

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tbs rosemary needles, coarsely chopped

1 red chilli pepper, in rings

pinch chilli flakes

salt pepper

4 tbs olive oil

For the pistou*:

80 g pine nuts

40 g basil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

10-12.5 cl olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200 °C.

Put the beans, all the vegetables, the garlic, rosemary, chilli pepper and chilli flakes, four tablespoons of olive oil, a good pinch of coarse salt and a pinch of pepper in a bowl and toss. Divide the mixture over two baking trays lined with parchment paper.

Slide the baking trays into the oven and roast for 45-60m, until the vegetables are tender and the beans are just a little crunchy. Switch the baking plates halfway through, so that they both receive the same amount of top and bottom heat.

For the pistou, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until they are nicely browned. Set aside 12 basil leaves. Place the rest of the basil leaves, garlic and half the pine nuts in the bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times. Then, while the machine is running, pour in as much oil as needed for a runny sauce in a trickle. Taste and season the pistou with salt and pepper.

Transfer the beans and vegetables to a serving platter. Sprinkle over the rest of the pine nuts and the reserved basil leaves. 

Serve the pistou separately.

*Pistou is the Provencal version of Italian pesto. It's basically the same sauce without Parmigiano.

Pomodoro torte di Amalfi (tomato & olive tarts)

For ➍

dough:

120 g Italian '00' flour, plus extra for dusting

55 g polenta/cornmeal

70 g ricotta

70 g cold unsalted butter*

large egg (yolk only)

topping:

250 g plum tomatoes

10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped

125 g goat cheese**

handful of olives, pitted olive oil,

to sprinkle basil leaves, for garnish

sea salt &freshly ground black pepper

For the dough, place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Place the dough on a floured work surface and shape into a large ball. Divide this into separate pieces (1 per person) that you flatten a bit. Wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the can of tomatoes into a sieve and collect the juice for a drink. Chop the tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

When the dough is chilled, roll it out into 3mm thick circles on a floured work surface (the dough should be a little rustic around the edges). Top each circle with some drained tomatoes, chopped cherry tomatoes and season to taste. Add the thyme and oregano and crumble some goat cheese over it. Decorate with olives and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake for 20 m in the preheated oven, garnish with basil.

*Use same amount olive oil instead.

**Use melting light cheese instead.

Moussaka

For ➍ 

600 g potato, sliced 

2 large eggplants, in thin slices of 3 mm. 

2 tbs flour or cornflour oil (for frying) 

handful of fresh parsley (for garnish) 

300 g minced beef or vegetarian minced meat 

1 onion pinch of oregano 

2 cloves of garlic 

1 ts cinnamon 

2 tbs tomato paste 

40 cl tomato cubes 

béchamel:*

30 cl of milk 

30 g butter 

30 g flour 

1 bay leaf 

50 g grated cheese 

pinch of nutmeg 

1 egg 

Heat a grill pan. Brush the eggplants with a little oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Grill them nicely brown and then sprinkle with a little flour. 

Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry in a (wok) pan for a few m. Add the minced meat and fry it.  Add the oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper and the tomato cubes and puree. Let this simmer for 20 m. Taste to see if the sauce is well seasoned. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. 

Heat the butter in a saucepan for the béchamel sauce. Add the flour and fry the roux for 5 m. Then add the milk little by little and keep stirring with a whisk until there are no lumps left. Add the bay leaf and let it simmer for a few m. Melt about 25 g of cheese in the sauce and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Let the sauce cool down a few m, remove the bay leaf and then also beat the egg into the sauce. 

Grease the baking dish with a little oil. Spread about half of the grilled eggplant over the bottom of the baking dish. Divide the potato slices over this. Cover with the layer of minced meat mixture. Divide the rest of the aubergines over this. Pour the béchamel sauce over this. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. 

Place the moussaka in the oven for about 45 m. 

Let cool a few m, garnish with parsley and divide the moussaka into pieces. 

*Replace the béchamel sauce with 20 cl Greek yogurt mixed with 2 eggs to make a gluten-free moussaka.

Couscous sebha godaar (7 vegetables' couscous)

For ➍

500 g couscous

1 kg lamb (preferably with bones)* 

2 big onions 

1 tomato 

½ ts saffron 

a handful of coriander 

olive oil 

1.5 l vegetable broth 

200 g turnips 

200 g young carrots 

100 g peas 

1 zucchini 

¼ cauliflower 

100 g cooked chickpeas 

a dash of butter 

a few mint leaves

 

Heat the oil and brown the meat. Add the ringed onions. Cover.

Peel the tomato, cut into chunks and, as soon as the onions are glazed, add to the mixture.

Add some of the broth, add the coriander and saffron. Bring to a boil and cook the meat*. (For 500 g, this will take 10-15 m for the meat to heat, and another 10 m to cook).

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables in large chunks and add to the mixture, firm vegetables first.

Steam the couscous on top of the meat and vegetables. When ready, remove the couscous and mix some butter through it.

Serve the couscous on a large plate. Put the meat in the middle, and decorate with some of the vegetables, some sauce and a few leaves of mint of fresh coriander. Serve the vegetables and sauce separately.

*You might prefer to roast the meat separately, with some onions, until done and add it to the vegetables and sauce a few m before serving. While not authentic, it preserves the taste and the structure of the meat very well. Nevertheless, there should be onions to start the vegetables' and sauce preparation.

'Couscous' got its name from the Berber 'k'seksu'. It became the dish we know today in North Africa, with some regional differences in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The latter was adopted by French colonialists and introduced in France as staple food. This recipe can claim to be authentically Moroccan, and refers to the magic power of the number 7. It can be made with 7 other vegetables that taste well together. Couscous can be served with other Moroccan food like Moroccan chicken and Moroccan spiced fish, or even with wokked tilapia. Read more couscous recipes. Read a tip on cooking dried chickpeas.

Seared tuna on spicy risotto

For ➋

1  garlic clove, peeled & crushed

2 tbs olive oil

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

2 tbs olive oil

300 g risotto rice

5 spring onions, chopped

6 chestnut mushrooms, chopped

2 pinches chilli flakes

2 pinches  curry powder

20 cl white wine

80 cl fish fumet or chicken stock

sea salt & pepper, freshly ground

10  cherry tomatoes

2 tbs olive oil

1 lime, quartered

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

For the risotto heat the oil in a wok until it is smoking, add the risotto rice, spring onions and mushrooms and fry for 4-5 m. Add the chilli flakes, curry powder and wine and bring to the boil, when the wine has been absorbed slowly add the stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and gradually add the fumet or stock continuously stirring for 18-20 m until the rice is creamy and tender.

In the meantime, place the tomatoes into a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil and season. Roast in the oven for 6-8 m.

Sear the marinated tuna in a hot chargrill pan for 1 m on each side or until browned all over and pink in the middle. Remove from the pan to rest.

To serve, spoon the spicy risotto into a shallow bowl and place the tuna steak on top. Arrange the roasted tomatoes over the tuna and garnish with half a lime.

Eggplant with feta, mint rice & tomato sauce

For ➍ 

3 garlic cloves

5 tbs mild olive oil

10 cl balsamico

4 eggplants

1 tbs dried oregano

300 g three-color rice or nut rice

1 shallot

400 g polpa with basilic

½ tbs brown sugar

16 caper apples

200 g feta 43+ or vegan alternative

40 g fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Squeeze ⅔ of the garlic into a small bowl and mix with ⅘ of the oil and balsamic vinegar. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, leaving the stem on. Cut the eggplants on the cut side crosswise every centimeter and place them cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with half of the balsamic mixture and sprinkle with the oregano. Season with pepper and possibly salt. Bake for 35 m until soft and cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.

Chop the shallot and finely chop the rest of the garlic. Heat the rest of the oil in a small pan and fry the shallot and garlic for 2 m over medium heat. Add the finely chopped canned tomatoes, season with pepper and the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 m.

Cut the capers in half. Crumble the feta. Remove the leaves from the mint sprigs and roughly chop. Set aside 1 tbs mint (per 4 people) and mix the rest of the mint with the rice. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Sprinkle with the rest of the balsamic mixture and the caper apple halves. 

Serve with the mint rice and the tomato sauce and garnish with the feta, the reserved mint and some pepper.

Veal piccata

For ➍

600 g veal steaks

½ cup flour

50 g butter

3 dl olive oil

1.5 dl dry white wine

3 dl chicken stock

2 lemons*

30 g capers

flat leaf parsley

fresh pasta

parmigiano

arugula salad

sun dried tomatoes

white wine vinegar

Ask your butcher to flatten your veal steaks. Or place the pieces between plastic wrap that you have slightly moistened, and then gently flatten the meat with a large flat object such as a pan. .

Season the veal steaks to taste with salt and pepper and then roll them in the flour. Gently knock off the excess flour. 

Heat some butter and olive oil in a pan and fry the veal steaks for about one and a half to two minutes on both sides over a medium heat. Do not bake all the veal steaks at the same time, because then they will not have enough space and you will cook them rather than bake them. Remove the steaks when they are baked, cover them with aluminum foil, add butter and olive oil and fry the rest of the veal steaks.

Once the veal steaks are cooked, add the white wine and gently stir all the browning bits off. Let the wine reduce for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock. Cut 1 of the lemons into thin slices, them  and let everything reduce by 7-8 m.*

Add 20 g of soft butter, some lemon juice, the finely chopped parsley and the capers and season with salt and pepper. Allow the butter to completely dissolve into the sauce over a low heat. 

Place the veal steaks in the sauce, make sure they are nicely covered, and let them warm up a bit over a low heat.

Serve with fresh pasta, with some olive oil and Parmigiano. Delicious with a rucola salad with some semi-sun-dried tomatoes with pepper, salt, some olive oil and a dash of white wine vinegar. Sprinkle some Parmigiano flakes on the salad.

*or replace lemon slices with lemon zest and add at the end

Ossobuco di agnello (Italian lamb shanks)

For ➋* 

2 (about 800 g total) lamb shanks 

extra-virgin olive oil 

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper** 

1 large sweet onion, sliced 

10 cl red wine 

1 head (10 to 12 whole cloves) garlic, separated & peeled 

1 (700 g) can chopped tomatoes 

10 cl water (or more) chopped parsley for garnish

 

Pat meat dry. Rub lamb shanks with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.** Heat a heavy casserole. When hot, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil to coat the bottom. Sear the lamb shanks until browned and remove from the pot. To the same pot, add 1 ts of olive oil and the sliced sweet onions. Toss to coat with the pan drippings. Reduce heat and cover. Sweat the onions until limp but not browned, stirring often. When they are limp, add the wine and cook for 2 m, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add garlic cloves, tomatoes, and 10 cl of water. Stir to combine, then return the lamb shanks to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, turning lamb shanks occasionally, for 1-1½ h or until tender. Add additional water if the sauce becomes too thick. Serve braised lamb shanks with cooked pasta, rice, mashed potatoes or polenta. Sprinkle with parsley.

*double quantities for ➍ 

** to give it a more authentic Italian flavour, add ½ bunch fresh thyme, ½ bunch fresh rosemary picked clean and chopped; flour to lightly coat the shanks

Seared tuna on risotto with samphire & tomatoes

For ➋

tuna:

1 lime (juice only) 

1 garlic clove (peeled & crushed)  

2 tbs olive oil      

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

risotto:  

2 tbs olive oil 

200 g risotto rice

50 g leek, chopped  

20 cl white wine  

80 c fish fumet    

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

10 cherry tomatoes  

150 g samphire 

1 tbs Parmigiano

1 lime (quartered)

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

Heat the fish fumet.

Heat some olive oil. Add the leek. Cover and cook mildly on moderate heat for 10-15 m. 

Add the rice until coated in the oil.

Slowly add the wine, and stir it through the rice.

Add most of the fumet. Cover and cook on moderate heat for 10-15 m, depending on the rice. Add some more fumet if needed.

Meanwhile, half the cherry tomatoes, and bake them in some oil.

Bring some of the fumet to boil and cook the samphire for 2-3 m.

When the risotto is soft and creamy, add 1 tbs Parmigiano. Add the tomatoes and samphire. Cover and let stand for 1 m. Spoon the risotto on plates

Bake or grill the tuna for 1 m on each side. Cut the tuna in nice slices and add to the plates. Serve immediately with quartered lime.

Cod & chorizo

For ➍

1 fennel bulb, halved & thinly sliced, fronds reserved (about 200-250 g)

140 g Spanish chorizo, cut into 1 cm slices 

4 skinless cod fillets (each 120 g) 

salt & freshly ground pepper 

85 g cherry tomatoes, halved, or quartered if large

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tbs unsalted butter 

10 cl dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

1 small orange 

extra-virgin olive oil & toasted sliced baguette, for serving

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Fold 4 30x40 cm pieces of parchment (or aluminum) in half; unfold and place one-quarter of fennel and chorizo along each crease. 

Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper; place one fillet on each package. 

Top with tomatoes, garlic, butter, and wine. 

Remove zest from orange with a vegetable peeler. Thinly slice into strips to yield 1 tbs. Scatter evenly among packages. Squeeze 1 ts juice over each package. 

Fold parchment over to enclose, making small overlapping folds along edges to seal. 

Transfer to 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast until parchment puffs and fish is cooked through, for 20 m. 

Place each package in a shallow bowl and open carefully, allowing steam to escape. 

Serve with fennel fronds, a drizzle of oil, and toasts.

Mushroom lasagne

For ➏

750 g chestnut mushrooms, halved 

500 g oyster mushrooms 

13 cl olive oil, plus extra for greasing 

60 g dried porcini 

30 g dried wild mushrooms 

2 dried red chillies, roughly chopped, (remove the seeds for a less spicy result) 

50 cl hot vegetable stock 

1 onion, peeled, quartered 

5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 

1 carrot, scraped, quartered, 90 g 

2-3 roma tomatoes, quartered, 200 g 

75 g tomato paste 

13 cl whipped cream* 

60 g pecorino romano, finely grated* 

60 g Parmigiano, finely grated* 

5 g basil leaves, finely chopped 

10 g parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus 1 ts extra for dressing 

250 g dried lasagne sheets (approx. 14 sheets)** 

salt & black pepper

Heat the oven to 230 °C. 

Place the chestnut and oyster mushrooms in three or four batches in the large bowl of a food processor and chop finely using the pulse button (or chop by hand). In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped mushrooms with 3 tbs oil and 1 ts salt and spread on a large, parchment-lined baking tray with a raised edge measuring 40 x 35 cm. Bake them in the top of the oven for 30 m, turning them three times in between until the mushrooms are golden brown; the volume will have shrunk considerably. Set them aside. Lower the oven temperature to 200 °C.

Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl, mix the dried mushrooms with chilies and hot stock and soak for 30 m. Strain the liquid into a third bowl and press as much moisture as possible out of the mushrooms, you will need about 34 cl in total; top up the soaking water with fresh water if necessary. Chop the soaked mushrooms very coarsely (so that there are also large pieces) and chop the chilies. Set aside the stock and mushrooms separately. 

Chop the onion, garlic and carrot in the food processor with the pulse button (or by hand). Heat 6 cl oil in a large sauté pan over medium to high heat. When hot, add the onion mixture and cook for 8 m, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown. 

Chop the tomatoes in the food processor with the pulse button (or chop them by hand), add them with the tomato paste, 1½  ts salt and 1¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper. Let everything simmer for 7 m, stirring occasionally. Add the soaked mushrooms, chilies and toasted mushrooms and let everything cook gently for 9 m, resist the urge to stir: the mushrooms should be slightly crispy and brown on the underside. 

Stir in the reserved stock and 80 cl water, turn the heat to medium-high when everything is simmering gently and let the sauce simmer for about 25 m, stirring occasionally until it has the consistency of ragout. Stir 10 cl of whipped cream into the sauce and let it simmer for 2 m more then take the pan off the heat. 

Mix the pecorino and Parmigino with basil and parsley in a small bowl. When assembling the lasagna, spread one-fifth of the sauce over the bottom of a round baking dish of 28 cm in diameter (or a rectangular dish of 30 x 20 cm), spread one-fifth of the cheese mixture on top, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets, broken where necessary to make them fit. Repeat these layers three times in the same order, finishing with a layer of sauce and cheese: a total of five layers of sauce and cheese, and four layers of pasta. 

Drizzle the top with 1 tbs of cream and 1 tbs of oil, cover the dish with aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 15 m. Remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 220 ° C and bake the lasagna for another 12 m, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. Switch the oven to the grill setting and grill the lasagna for 2 m until the edge is brown and crispy. 

Put the bowl aside, let the lasagna cool for about 5 m, then drizzle the top with the remaining whipped cream and oil. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley, finally grind a generous twist of pepper and serve. 

*Discard for vegan version.

**Make it ahead of time and refrigerate it to serve it with pasta or polenta and save yourself the trouble of putting together a lasagna if you don't have much time. You can prepare the lasagna in advance, put it in the refrigerator and bake it the next day (after it has reached room temperature). 

This special ragout pays tribute to the penne all'Aconese,  served at Restaurante Pizzeria Acone, a community-run restaurant in the Tuscan town of Acone. The recipe is a carefully kept secret, but the complex, earthy and full umami flavor of dried porcini is not to be missed. This is Ottolenghi's meatless take on that mythical sauce.

Burrata with warm peppers & tomato salad

For ➍
3 mixed peppers
4 tbs olive oil
360 g mixed tomatoes
2 tbs green pesto
½ jar (90 g) sun-ripened olives Taggia
1 ciabatta
1 burrata

Halve the peppers, remove the stalk and seeds and cut into strips 1 cm wide. Heat 2 tbs oil in a frying pan or wok and fry the peppers over high heat for 8 m. Stir frequently.
Meanwhile, halve the tomatoes and cook for 1 m with the pepper mix. Remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the pesto with the remaining oil and stir in the olives. Spoon into a bowl and let stand for 5 m.
Meanwhile, tear the bread into pieces. Put the burrata on the pepper-tomato salad and serve with the bread. Drizzle cheese with some oil.

Pollo e funghi al aceto balsamico (balsamic & mushroom chicken)

For ➍
2 tbs vegetable oil
125 g butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 200 g each
200 g sliced white button mushrooms
½ large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
150 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 tbs balsamico
20 cl red wine
1 ts salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Flatten the breasts by pounding them.
Combine the vegetable oil and 2 tbs of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Once the butter and oil are bubbling, add the chicken breasts to the skillet. Sear on each side until the chicken is golden, about 2–3 m per side, then transfer them to a large baking dish.
Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, 15 to 20 m. Add the mushrooms, stir, and raise the heat to high. Allow the mushrooms to cook until most of their liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 m. Add the tomatoes and cook, shaking the pan, for 10 m, or until the tomatoes begin to break down. Add the balsamico, wine, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 m.*
Pour the mushroom mixture over the chicken and place the pan in the top half of the oven for 20 to 35 m, or until the chicken has just cooked through.**
Remove from the oven and serve each piece of chicken topped with mushroom mixture. Serve with pasta or small rösti.

*The mushroom mixture can be made the day before.
**Cook on stove-top for 25-30 m, after browning the chicken. Transfer oil/butter to another skillet and keep the chicken cooking on medium fire with a lid on the skillet. Add the extra butter to the second skillet. Add te mushrooms and prepare them for 10 m, with lid on. Add the tomatoes for 5 m. Add the balsamic and wine and cook for 5 m. Add the mixture to the chicken and cook until chicken is cooked. (Probably 30 m in total, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Tearing the chicken into pieces will reduce the cooking time.)

'Aceto balsamico' (balsamico vinegar) is not a wine vinegar: it is made from grape pressings that never fermented into wine. 900 years ago, vintners in the Modena, Italy region were drinking balsamic vinegar as a tonic.
Sweet white Trebbiano grape pressings are boiled down to a dark syrup and then aged under rigid restrictions in oaken kegs, along with a vinegar mother. Over the years it graduates to smaller kegs made of different wood, taking the perfume of the wood and, as moisture evaporates out, the vinegar further thickens.
Balsamico also comes in a white variation. Balsamico will turn sweet when heated, do not use it in aluminum containers.

Fregola & sausage with harissa

For ➋

2 tbs olive oil 

6 large sausages, herby rather than spicy* 

400 g assorted tomatoes** 

150 g fregola*** 

1-2 tbs harissa paste

olive oil 

Warm the oil in a large, shallow-sided pan and fry the sausages over a low to moderate heat until nicely browned. Remove the sausages, slice them thickly then return them to the pan. 

Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the sausages, letting them soften and collapse into a rough sauce over a moderate heat. ut a large pan of water on to boil and add a little salt. Tip in the fregola and leave to boil for 10 m. Check its progress regularly, draining it as soon as it is tender. Stir the harissa paste into the tomatoes and season with a little salt. Cook until you have a rich, thick sauce then stir in the drained fregola. 

Check the seasoning and serve. 

*Use eggplant chunks for a vegetarian version. Use more oil. 

**Add a little sugar for a stronger taste.

***Fregola (or fregula) is a Sardinian couscous-like toasted pasta from durum wheat. 

Baccalà alla Livornese (Livornese cod)

For ➍

800 g cod (with skin) *

1 can of fresh tomatoes (better pulp) **

2 cloves garlic

1 chopped onion

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

20 black pitted olives *

 parsley

120 g flour

Cut the cod into pieces of 2 by 3 cm without removing the skin, rub them in the flour and then fry them in the cooking oil. When the cod has taken color, take them out of the pan and dry with kitchen paper.

In a pan, fry the onion and garlic until golden brown, then mix in the tomatoes and fry for 15 m over medium heat. 

Add the parsley, olives and cod and cook for another 7-8 m, season with salt and pepper.

Serve with pasta e.g. linguini.

* if you buy salted cod, leave in the fridge for at least 2 nights but replace the water every 12 h so that most of the salt goes out

** or use good fresh San Marzano tomatoes, peeled & pitted, with the tomato juice saved

*** bake the olives bake in the oven to obtain a stronger flavor

Quiche with fennel & smoked salmon

For ➍

150 g smoked Atlantic salmon strips 

1 fennel 

200 g snack tomatoes 

1 roll puff pastry 

100 grated Emmenthal cheese 

1 dl milk 

4 eggs 

1 tbs butter 

1 ts dill black pepper & salt 

140 g arugula, lamb's lettuce, beetroot 

2 tbs olive oil 

1 tbs white wine vinegar

Cut the fennel in 2. Remove the hard core and cut into strips.

Cut the snack tomatoes into 2.

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.

Melt the butter in a pan and stew the fennel for 5 m. Season with salt and pepper.

Break the eggs and mix in the milk. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the puff pastry with baking paper in a cake tin. Press the edges well and remove the excess dough. Prick the pastry base several times with a fork.

Divide the fennel over the puff pastry and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Divide the salmon strips over it and cover with the egg mixture. Place the halved tomatoes on top, cut side up. Sprinkle with the dill and place 45 m in the preheated oven.

Mix the olive oil with the white wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Mix into the salad mix.

Cut the quiche into wedges and serve with the salad.

Spaghetti alle cozze (spaghetti with mussels)

For ➍

2 kg fresh mussels 

3 cloves garlic 

15 g fresh flat parsley 

300 g spaghetti 

3 tbs traditional olive oil

15 cl white wine

425 g canned diced tomatoes

1 ts chilli flakes

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Remove the mussels that are broken or left open when you tap them. Drain. Cut the garlic into slices. Remove the parsley leaves from the sprigs. Finely chop the leaves and sprigs, but keep them separate from each other. 

Cook the spaghetti al dente according to the instructions on the package. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the garlic 1 m. Add the chopped parsley sprigs and fry 1 m. 

Turn up the heat and add the mussels. Add the white wine and let it steam for a while. Add the polpa and chilli flakes and toss well with a large spoon. Put the lid on the pan and let the mussels stew for 3 m, until all the shells are open. 

Drain the pasta and toss through the mussels. Add half of the chopped parsley leaves. Let it cook for another 2 m on low heat, until the pasta has absorbed the sauce. 

Remove any empty shells. Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley.

Caponata

For ➍
2 eggplants
½ celery
2 medium onions
2 tbs pine nuts
6 tbs traditional olive oil
400 g canned tomatoes
200 g green olives stuffed with lemon
5 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs raisins
2 tbs capers
15 g fresh basil

Cut the aubergine into 1½ cm pieces and sprinkle with salt. Leave standing for 5 m. Pat dry with kitchen paper. 
Meanwhile, cut the green celery and chop finely. Cut the stems into thin arcs. Slice the onion in thin rings. Heat a frying pan without oil or butter and roast the pine nuts 3 m golden brown. Let cool on a plate. 
Heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry half of the eggplant golden brown . Remove from pan and repeat with rest of oil and eggplant. Put all the eggplant together in the pan, mix with the onion and celery and bake for4 m. Add the diced tomatoes, olives, vinegar and sugar. 
Stew with the lid diagonally on the pan over low heat for 30 m until done. 
After 15 m, add the pine nuts, raisins and capers. 
To prevent sticking, toss from time to time. Season with pepper and salt if desired.
Remove from heat and toss in the basil leaves and celery greens.

* Delicious with grilled fish, or / and couscous or ciabatta.
** You can also eat this dish as a starter.
*** You can eat the salad warm, lukewarm or cold.
**** You can make this dish two days in advance, but don't add the basil until just before serving. Keep covered in the refrigerator.