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Recipes
Passata di ceci con scampi
A rich chickpea soup laced with scampi (serves 4)
For the chickpeas:
300g dried weight chickpeas soaked for 24 hours rinsed well and strained (change the water two or three times during the soaking time)
400g whole raw scampi or giant prawns
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra for serving
1 clove garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley finely chopped
90ml dry white wine Chickpeas and their cooking liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the soaked chickpeas in a large pan with enough water to cover. Cook over low heat for 11/2-2 hours or until tender. Cooking time will depend on the freshness of the chickpeas.
Fry the scampi in the olive oil with the garlic and parsley until almost cooked. Add the wine and cook for another minute or so or until the scampi becomes opaque. Remove the scampi and peel them, then return them to the pan. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Puree the chickpeas in a blender with some of their cooking liquid and strain. The resulting passata should be quite dense and smooth. Season with salt. Reheat the passata and pour into bowls. Add the scampi with their cooking liquid. Serve with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.
Crostini di funghi trifolati
Warm crostini topped with finely chopped mushrooms, garlic and herbs
INGREDIENTS
1 large baguette in bias cut slices 1cm thick700g mushrooms
60g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
75ml dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 heaped tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon chopped thyme
nutmeg
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic until golden. Add the mushrooms and fry. Pour in the wine and season with salt and pepper and simmer until tender. Drain off the liquor from the mushrooms and reduce to a thick syrupy texture. Pass the mushrooms through a food processor until chopped finely, like grains then return the mushrooms to the liquor. Add the parsley, thyme and nutmeg. Check the seasoning. This mixture should be firm, not sloppy.
Brush the slices of bread with olive oil and toast in a medium oven until pale gold. Spoon the mushroom mixture on the cooked crostini and serve.
NB: If making large quantities for a drinks party or buffet, butter the bread, top with the mushroom mixture and lay out on trays, cover and keep until required. When required, drizzle with oil and place in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes or until crisp.
Amaretti
200C gas mark 6 for 10-15 minutes (makes about 30)
INGREDIENTS
300g icing sugar
200g ground almonds
1 tablespoon almond essence
2 egg whites
icing sugar for dusting
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Mix 1 egg into the almonds in a food mixer. Add half the sugar, mixing slowly, followed by the second white of egg and the essence, add the remaining sugar.
You should have a well-mixed paste with a consistency, which can be rolled into a sausage shape. Cut into 30 odd pieces and with dampened hands roll each piece into a ball the size of a walnut. Flatten the balls down until they are a centimetre thick. Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking sheet.
Bake in a hot oven until golden pre-set at 200C gas mark 6 for 10-15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on the baking trays.
Abbacchio alla romana
Roman style lamb (serves 6)
INGREDIENTS
2 kilos of shoulder of lamb, cut into large chunky pieces
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 sprig sage
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2dl white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 anchovy preserved in salt well washed and de boned/ or 4 anchovy fillets preserved in oil
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Remove the leaves and needles of the herbs, wash thoroughly and dry. Chop finely.
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large non stick frying pan. Fry the pieces of lamb until golden. Dry on kitchen paper.
In a large shallow casserole, heat the remaining oil and fry the herbs and garlic briefly. Add the lamb. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the flour, mix and add the vinegar and 1dl of hot water. Cover the casserole and leave to cook over a low heat for 1 hour.
Chop the anchovy finely and add it to the lamb 5 minutes before the end of cooking. Serve at once.
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