Italian Cooking

On this page:

Buonissimo!

Tasting Italy – A Culinary Journey

Gennaro’s Italian Year of Passione!

Buonissimo!

This is the second book by Gino D’Acampo. His first, Fantastico, won the Gourmand Cookbook Award for the Best Italian Cookbook in the World. It’s safe to say that the lad described as the Italian Stallion by UKTV Food’s irreplaceable Jeni Barnett has a good idea about what makes a popular cookbook.

Buonissimo is the latest offering from this young man. He has, I must admit, a certain sexy charm. He has that tee-shirted, designer-stubbled, southern look which some women find so attractive... OK, OK, so he decorates his books very well, but I’ll drag myself away and focus on the food.

This is a stylish volume with photography by Kate Whitaker who does a lovely job as usual. It presents recipes for just one person, a romantic couple, everyday suppers, easy but impressive recipes, and party food. Gino introduces some personal notes that add a little insight into the character of this man – a family man who appreciates the need for comforting meals for kids as well as classy dishes for formal evenings.

The recipes reflect modern tastes as you would expect from a young chef, but he is mindful of time constraints. There are plenty that are Italian in concept but others that are more international, like Curried Beans and Hot and Spicy Chick Peas. The book is no worse for those inclusions. This is, after all, the fashion of British eating.

It’s difficult to choose just a couple of recipes to illustrate the style of Buonissimo. The dishes are diverse but delicious with an unfussy, non-chefy look. Roasted Onions in Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar are a traditional antipasti or a smart side dish for roast meats.

I enjoy both cooking and eating risotto of any kind, and Gino has a great example here: Risotto with Parma Ham and Vin Santo. You can substitute the Vin Santo with another medium white wine. This dish is not difficult to make but I think it’s good enough as a meal for friends at the weekend.

Limoncello and Lime Granita is a stunner! Any make-ahead recipe gets lots of points from me. Gino suggests this as a palate-cleanser between savoury courses. I’d be happy with this at the end of a rich or heavy meal or even just as a refreshing interlude on a hot (it could happen) summer afternoon.

Perhaps I should end by mentioning Gino’s Playboy Eggs! It’s got your imagination working but I’ll tell you that it’s just a cheeky name for a trendy breakfast of eggs, bacon, mushrooms and cheese. Served in a cup as Gino recommends, this would make a very special late morning snack. Perhaps that should have been included in the Romantico Chapter!

Buonissimo is bound to be as successful as Fantastico. Both the food and the author look great!

Buonissimo!
Author: Gino D’Acampo
Published by: Kyle Cathie
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-85626-807-3

Tasting Italy – A Culinary Journey

This is another of those smart chunky books from Haus Publishing who only present top-notch works, and Tasting Italy by Alice Vollenweider is amongst them.

Italy has a reputation as a food paradise. Not only because there is an abundance of quality fresh produce but because the Italian housewife sets high standards in both market and restaurant. It has been argued that Italy has the highest general standard for restaurant food in Europe. It might be mostly Italians that argue, though, and they are indeed very good at it!

This is a marvellously well-written travelogue with a good selection of classic Italian recipes. All the main regions of Italy are included so you have a comprehensive guide to all things culinary, and quite a bit on Italian literature, history and culture. Alice walks us through city streets and even suggests favourite eateries.

The author’s words paint pictures of Italian food in a truly charming and mouthwatering fashion. She writes this of a stay with friends in Florence: “I still clearly remember climbing up beautiful narrow stone steps all the way to the seventh floor with my suitcase before entering the enormous bare living room, with a fire burning in the grate and a spit turning. This friend welcomed me with a meal I shall never forget. It consisted of just grilled meat, unsalted country bread and pure, good Chianti.”

Tasting Italy has recipes that are authentic and tempting. They are conveniently indexed at the back of the book for easy retrieval when you decide that, yes, a real Italian meal is tonight’s plan. There are around eighty recipes so there will be something for every taste. They honestly are not technically challenging but are very flavourful, with the expected Italian flair for the elegant rustic.

There are quite a few familiar dishes here: Minestrone, Panna Cotta, Risotto alla Milanese but there are so many others that might be new delights: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca or Whores’ Spaghetti is robust and full bodied... just like many of its namesakes! Cassata alla Siciliana or Sicilian Ricotta Cake is so simple but a real stunner for the end of your Italian dinner party.

This is an enjoyable insight into the Italian attitude to food and eating. It’s a book to take with you on your next trip.

Tasting Italy – A Culinary Journey
Author: Alice Vollenweider
Published by: Haus Publishing
Price: £7.99
ISBN 978-1-905791-44-6

Gennaro’s Italian Year of Passione!

Now that’s got your attention! Gennaro’s Italian Year and Passione are the titles of Gennaro Contaldo’s first two books. But this is an article about a lovely man and his food.

Born on the Amalfi coast in the small village of Minori, Gennaro developed a love of food while hunting with his dad and granddad and collecting herbs with his mum. At only ten years old he began helping out in local restaurants. By the time he left Italy he had worked for more than 20 chefs!

I asked Gennaro if his mum was a good cook and which meal was his childhood favourite?

“Although the chief cook in the house was my father, my mother was also a good cook and I always associate her with comfort cooking. She somehow always knew what to make me when I was feeling sad, or the weather had turned cold or hot or if I was unwell. One of my favourite dishes was steamed meatballs, which she usually cooked when I was recovering from a childhood ailment. She would make sure the beef or pork was finely minced and mixed with a little garlic and parsley, form them into ball shapes and steam them. She said they would make me feel strong again and at the same time they were delicate to digest as they had been steamed.”

The young Contaldo moved to London in 1969, and after dipping a toe into the Italian antiques business, he returned to his first love of cooking. Most Londoners in those days had no idea about real Italian food. Most of us had spaghetti from a tin. The only olive oil around was in those small bottles you found in the chemists, the oil being used for skin complaints and for softening ear wax. But England did have fantastic ingredients to encourage the young man to stay.

Gennaro agrees that things have changed on the food front in the UK since he arrived.

“I love to try all sorts of foods and London is paradise for eating foods from around the world, not only for its excellent restaurants but also the variety of shops and markets which sell exotic produce which you can bring home and try out! My favourite non-Italian meal is good old-fashioned English food, which unfortunately you don't see much of in this country! England has excellent quality meat, game, poultry, vegetables and I love the traditional dishes. My favourite is Lancashire Hot Pot!”

Gennaro worked as a chef in various restaurants including Antonio Carluccio's Neal Street Restaurant. (This is where he met Jamie Oliver. A bit of luck for both of them! Did Gennaro teach the boy to swear?)

In 1999, the restaurant Passione opened to high acclaim. Gennaro is the co-owner and executive chef. Passione, the book, is devoted to the Italian cooking of the Amalfi coast and won Gourmand World Cookbook - Best Italian Cuisine Book 2003. The restaurant was voted Best Italian Restaurant 2005 by the Tio Pepe Restaurant Awards.

Gennaro is renowned for his association with Jamie, who was his protégé. Such is his regard for the young chap that perhaps Jamie should be called Gennaro’s Essex son rather than he being described as Jamie’s London dad. He has featured in many of Jamie's shows as well as in numerous other TV food shows.

Does Gennaro have time to cook at home?

“I usually cook at the weekend or for special occasions such as Christmas or when friends come home. The last time I cooked for friends was a couple of weeks ago. It was rather impromptu, so I made pizza in our wood-fired oven in the garden. With the leftover dough I made a few loaves of bread, which I shared with the neighbours!” Wish I lived next door!

I think that the charm of this man is his obvious passion for Italian food. He almost drifts off in a dream when describing a slow-cooked cut of meat, simmered for 2 hours. Traditionally the resulting sauce would be served with pasta (“Now, not too much sauce and the pasta should be al dente.”), and the meat with any vegetables, after the pasta.

Don’t offer Gennaro out-of-season fruit and veg. He uses fresh produce with low air miles and enjoys the change of ingredients that the seasons bring. I guess that’s what we should all be doing and it’s good to find a restaurateur who takes a pride in the quality of seasonal produce.

How about the next generation? Will they continue in the restaurant business?

“My twin daughters, Chloe and Olivia, age four and a half, love to cook, much to Liz's (my partner) annoyance as she is trying to prepare the evening meal! So, they cook when I do - from an early age they loved to make gnocchi and get their fingers into the bread dough! If they want to get into the restaurant business when they grow up, my advice to them would be to be careful as it is long hours on your feet, but if that is what they are happy to do, then I will be happy too!”

You can’t help but notice the wicked glint in the eye. He has a natural playfulness that is endearing to the viewer. He stole the scene on a Jamie Oliver episode when he set light to the tea towel! He takes his cooking seriously but why shouldn’t we all have some fun with it?

Here’s a recipe from Passione. Well, that’s tonight’s meal sorted!

Pepperoni Ripieni: Stuffed Baby Peppers