Fiori di Zucca

Valentina Harris

First published in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2013 by Duncan Baird Publishers, an imprint of Watkins Publishing Limited

Sixth Floor

75 Wells Street

London W1T 3QH

A member of Osprey Group

The right of Valentina Harris to be identified as the Author of this text has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Managing Editor: Grace Cheetham

Editors: Nicola Graimes, Wanda Whitely and Jo Murray

Managing Designer: Manisha Patel

Design and photography art direction: Gabriella Le Grazie

Production: Uzma Taj

Commissioned photography: William Lingwood

Food Stylists: Lucy McKelvie and Valentina Harris

Prop Stylist: Lucy Harvey

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-84899-069-2

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Typeset in ITC Berkeley Old Style

Colour reproduction by Colourscan

Printed in Thailand

This book is for all the story tellers around my table over the years, and to all those amazing people who taught me to cook, respect and understand food – I will never forget you and what you gave me.

Author’s acknowledgements

I would like to thank Heather, Grace, Wanda, Nicky, Jo and everyone else who helped me bring my stories and recipes to life.

Just in case you were wondering, Fiori di Zucca means courgette or pumpkin flowers, but the word zucca is also used affectionately to mean one’s own head. In this case perhaps, the alternative ‘Flowers from my Head’ translation has an appropriately personal feel.

Publisher’s note: While every care has been taken in compiling the recipes for this book, Watkins Publishing Limited, or any other persons who have been involved in working on this publication, cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, inadvertent or not, that may be found in the recipes or text, nor for any problems that may arise as a result of preparing one of these recipes. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have any special dietary requirements or medical conditions, it is advisable to consult a medical professional before following any of the recipes contained in this book.

Notes on the Recipes

Unless otherwise stated:

Use medium eggs, fruit and vegetables

Use fresh ingredients, including herbs and chillies

Do not mix metric and imperial measurements

1 tsp = 5ml 1 tbsp = 15ml 1 cup = 250ml