1 slender baguette
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 red and yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
a pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, peeled
4–6 basil leaves, plus extra to garnish
freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling
Makes about 12
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6. Slice the baguette into 1-cm/½-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a baking sheet and lightly brush with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until pale gold and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, mix together the cherry tomatoes with the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and whole garlic clove in a large bowl. Shred the basil leaves and mix in. Set aside to let the flavours infuse while the baguette slices bake and cool.
Discard the garlic clove from the tomato mixture, then spoon onto each slice of bread. Garnish with basil leaves and sprinkle with pepper. Serve at once.
500 g/3¾ cups strong white/bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon fast-action dried/rapid-rise dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
250–275 ml/1–scant 1¼ cups warm water
50 ml/3½ tablespoons olive oil
500 g/1 lb. 2 oz. white mushrooms, sliced 5-mm/¼-inch thick
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 balls mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
4 slices Parma ham/prosciutto, roughly torn
chopped parsley, to garnish
2 tablespoons truffle oil (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
pizza stones (optional)
Makes 4
For the dough, place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix together. Gradually mix in the warm water to form a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until supple. Place the dough in a floured bowl and cover with a clean tea/kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour to rise and double in size.
Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F) Gas 9. Place the pizza stones, if using, or baking sheets in the oven to preheat.
Heat a large, heavy frying pan/skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, heat, then fry the mushrooms for 8 minutes until they are lightly browned. Add an additional ½ tablespoon olive oil, heat and fry the garlic for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Divide the risen dough into four equal portions. Roll out each on a lightly floured work surface to form an oval pizza base/crust. Brush each base/crust evenly with ½ tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each equally with the fried mushrooms. Dot with the mozzarella.
Transfer to the hot pizza stones or hot baking sheets, then bake the pizzas, in batches if necessary, in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the dough is golden brown. Top the pizzas with the Parma ham/prosciutto and sprinkle with parsley. Drizzle ½ tablespoon truffle oil over each pizza, if using. Slice and serve at once.
PIZZA DOUGH
15 g/½ oz. fresh yeast or 7 g/¼ oz. dried active/active dry yeast
4 tablespoons warm water
225 g/1⅔ cups strong white/bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
65 g/4½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 UK large/US extra-large egg, beaten
olive oil, for oiling
PIZZA TOPPING
5 tablespoons olive oil
750 g/1 lb. 10 oz. onions, finely sliced
500 g/1 lb. 2 oz. ripe tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
55 g/2 oz. anchovy fillets
a handful of black olives, halved and pitted
a handful of oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
chilli/chili oil, to serve
two 20–23-cm/8–9-inch round shallow baking pans
Serves 8
To make the pizza dough, blend the yeast with the water. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the seasoned flour with your fingertips, then make a well in the centre. Add the egg and the yeast mixture and mix to a firm but pliable dough. Add more water if necessary. When the dough has come away cleanly from the sides of the bowl, turn out onto a floured work surface and knead thoroughly for 10 minutes. Gather into a ball, place in a clean oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, divide into two and knead each piece lightly. Oil the pans well, then place the dough in the pans and press out with floured knuckles. Cover the pans with clingfilm/plastic wrap and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6 while you prepare the topping.
To make the topping, heat the olive oil in a frying pan/skillet and sauté the onions gently, covered, stirring now and then, until soft, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, until the sauce is thick. Let cool.
When cold, divide the topping between the pizzas, spreading it evenly. Criss-cross the surface with strips of anchovy and put the olive halves in the spaces. Sprinkle with the oregano and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Drizzle with chilli/chili oil to serve.
500 g/3¾ cups strong white/bread flour, plus extra for dusting
7-g sachet/package or 2¼ level teaspoons fast-action dried/rapid-rise dry yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for oiling
300 ml/1¼ cups hand-hot water
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
2 generous teaspoons sea salt flakes
1 garlic clove, peeled
GARLIC MUSHROOM TOPPING
1 tablespoon olive oil
15 g/1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
250 g/½ lb. mixed wild mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
MEDITERRANEAN TOMATOES TOPPING
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 roasted red (bell) pepper, from a jar, chopped
1 tablespoon basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon mixed pitted olives, chopped
100 g/3½ oz. buffalo mozzarella, torn
BEANS & MINT TOPPING
175 g/1¼ cups broad/fava beans and/or peas
1 tablespoon chopped mint
grated zest of ½ lemon
100 g/3½ oz. feta cheese, crumbled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
a 20 x 30-cm/8 x 12-inch baking pan,
Serves 4–6
Mix the flour, yeast and fine salt in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the water and mix to a dough. Dust a work surface with flour and knead the dough on it for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a neat, smooth ball, return to the bowl and cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until double in size. Lightly oil the baking pan. Dust the work surface with flour, tip the dough out and knead for 30 seconds. Roll into a rectangle to fit in the baking pan. Lay the dough inside the pan. Cover with oiled clingfilm/plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) Gas 7. Dimple the top of the dough with your fingertips, drizzle over the remaining olive oil and scatter the with rosemary and salt flakes. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden and risen. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cut the focaccia into finger-width slices, toast both sides on a ridged stove-top griddle/grill pan, rub the garlic clove over the toasted bread and top with one of the following:
Garlic Mushrooms: Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan/skillet, add the shallot and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add the mushrooms, season, cook until tender and stir through the parsley. Pile on top of the toasted bread. Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm.
Mediterranean Tomatoes: Add the tomatoes, (bell) pepper, basil and olives to a bowl and gently stir through the mozzarella. Pile on top of the toasted bread. Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm.
Beans & Mint: Cook the beans and/or peas in lightly salted boiling water until tender. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain well, then whizz in a food processor to a coarse purée. Stir in the mint, zest and feta and season. Pile on top of the toasted bread. Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm.
Greeting people with an enthusiastic kiss on each cheek… Nipping around town on a Vespa moped… Making a simple T-shirt and pair of jeans look effortlessly chic… The Italians have many wonderful customs and habits. But none more wonderful than the love of an aperitivo. Serve one (or all three!) of these bellissimo bubbly beverages as a pre-dinner warm-up to whet your guests’ appetites and tease their taste buds. Saluti!
ice cubes
200 ml/¾ cup Campari (or Aperol)
600 ml/2½ cups Prosecco (or white wine)
300–400 ml/1¼–1¾ cups sparkling water
Makes 4
Put lots of cubed (never crushed) ice into four large, chilled wine glasses.
Divide the Campari (or Aperol) and Prosecco (or white wine) among the glasses, then top up with the sparkling water. Serve immediately.
crushed ice
180 ml/¾ cup Campari
180 ml/¾ cup gin
60 ml/¼ cup Cinzano Rosso
orange slices, to serve
Makes 4
Fill four tall glasses with crushed ice. Divide the Campari among the glasses, then the gin. Add the Cinzano Rosso and stir.
Drop a slice of orange into each glass and serve.
140 ml/½ cup pomegranate juice
600 ml/2½ cups Prosecco
Makes 4
Pour the pomegranate juice into four chilled Champagne flutes, then top up with the Prosecco. Serve at once.
