Once you try homemade pesto, you’ll never eat the stuff in a jar again.
Most people have tried pesto with pasta, and it’s a classic for a reason plus it takes only 5-10 minutes to make. I use a food processer, but you can use a pestle and mortar if you want to go old school.
I love it in Italian sandwiches made with focaccia and filled prosciutto and buratta (you can use any combo and it will still taste amazing with the pesto).
Ingredients
100 Grams Pine nuts (or you can use blanched almonds if you can’t find them)
1 Large bunch of basil
50 Grams Parmasan or Granna (finely grated)
1-2 Cloves of garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
100mil Olive oil (you may want to use more or less depending on how lose you want the pesto)
Method
In a dry pan, heat the pine nuts until the start to brown, remove from the pan and allow to cool
Add the pine nuts to a food processer and blitz a couple of times until the nuts have broken up
Add the rest of the ingredients (hold back half the oil) and blitz for a couple of seconds.
Check the consistency of the pesto, and continue to add the olive oil until you have reached the thickness you want (I like it quite thick and chunky but some people prefer a smoother pesto)
Use as a spread in sandwiches or as a pasta sauce. It will keep well in fridge for 2-3 days
About 30 minutes by train from Florence you’ll find Bologna (arguably the food capital of northern Italy).
Most of us have eaten spaghetti bolognese, and the locals are slightly aghast at our version. Firstly they use tagliatelle (never spaghetti), the sauce is more meat heavy, sometimes using a mix of pork and beef and only a small bit of tomato is used to make the sauce a more appealing colour.
What the locals are really obsessed with is tortolini in broth (compulsory at Christmas, with people putting their orders in to local pasta shops months in advance) and the larger tortoloni served with butter and sage and usually filled with the region’s famous cured meats like mortadella or salami.
The city offers various food tours and if you’re a foodie I’d highly recommend going on one. You’ll be able to taste some outstanding food and wine, visit great places and meet cool and interesting people. I’d recommend going hungry, as the samples are generous and I needed to go lie down after mine and was in a food coma for several hours.
The city’s history dates back to before the Romans, with the oldest university in Europe, in existence since the 11th century. It still has a huge student population and there’s no shortage of good affordable places to eat catering to them.
The city is definitely a bit rougher around the edges than other Italian cities I’ve visited but is probably more authentic and less touristy. Bologna’s nickname amongst Italians is il Rosso (the red one). Due to the colour of the buildings and the city’s history of left wing politics. In reality the city’s buildings are various shades of red, orange and deep yellow making it especially pretty in the evenings as the light begins to fall.
You’ll also find covered portico walkways all over the old city (40 km worth). These were built from the medieval age onwards as a way of resolving the issue of accommodating all the students in the city. The streets were already small and narrow and the town council didn’t want to use up any more valuable space. So building owners could build up from the first floor and the street level was unaffected, as people could still pass below. (Quick traveller tip, if visiting, research where you are staying. I stayed on a street with 3 bars close by, all of which had outdoor seating. The bars here close at 3am, and the street scene afterwards can be “lively”. My host left me a set of ear plugs which should have been my first clue).
There are plenty of different tours if you want to find out more about city’s history but if you’re a petrol head you can also book visits to the Ducatti and Lamborgini factories close by. I got talking to a Dutch biker who had visited the Ducatti factory and he was quite misty eyed and super impressed by it. There is even a police car Lamborgini donated by the factory.
Bologna is well worth a visit and has something for everyone.
I’m lucky enough to have a friend who’s husband culls local deer. She recently turned with a big of venison including a shoulder of venison (thank you Dermot and Bronagh). Apologies that the photos don’t do this justice, but we fell on this like a pack of animals and were too interested in feeding our faces with delicious roast meat to take decent photos.
This was a bit of an experiment (I’ve never cooked with this cut before, but as its from a really muscular part of the animal so I knew to cook it long and slow, at least 4 hours, plus resting time). Because venison is so lean I wanted to keep it from drying out. I did this by slathering it in miso butter (which tasted yummy but didn’t overwhelm the taste of the meat).
I served this as part of an Easter dinner with roast potatoes and vegetables, but you’ll have plenty of meat left over and it’s great in sandwiches, wraps etc.
Ingredients
2.5 Kg Shoulder of venison (including the bone
125 Grams Butter (softened)
1.5 Tbsp Miso paste
Carrots/celery/parsnips
1 Glass White wine (optional)
Method
Remove the venison from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (Celsius)
In a large roasting pan, cover the base with celery stalks, halved carrots or parsnips (this will act as a bed for meat to stop it sticking to bottom and will help flavour the meat juices. I use old wonky vegetables that have hanging around the fridge, these won’t be eaten but are just to add flavour)
Mix the butter and miso paste together and rub all over the venison, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
Set the venison on top of the bed of vegetables and add a class of white and a glass of water to the pan (or 2 glasses of water if you’re not using wine)
Cover the roasting dish tightly with aluminium foil and place in the oven
Cook at 200 degrees (Celsius) for 30 minutes before turning the heat down to 150 degrees for at 3.5 hours
After 2 hours remove the pan from the oven. Turn the meat over and baste with juices in the pan. Cover again with foil and return to the oven
After 4 hours check on the meat, if it still feels a little tough, cook for another 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep covered while the meat rests for at least 30-45 minutes (it’s important not to rush this part as it will help the meat stay tender). Drain of the meat juices and use to make really delicious gravy, or spoon over any left over meat to help keep it moist
If you’re staying in Florence it’s easy to arrange day trips to neighbouring cities like Sienna and Pisa, with stop offs to visit local wineries (do your research as these can vary in quality depending on what you’re looking for).
I opted for that visited Montereggianni, Sienna and San Giammano.
The medieval hill town of Montereggiani with its 14 towers was called the crown of Tuscany by Dante. The town is tiny with currently only 40 inhabitants, but is worth a quick visit for its stunning views.
Sienna was Florence’s sworn enemy from the medieval period and like Florence has an abundance of history and beautiful architecture. More hilly than Florence, the historic main square (site every summer of a super violent horse race dating back to the middle ages, jockies are still allowed to punch, whip and kick each other during the race).
The gothic cathedral is also well worth a visit (entrance fee is €5) and is beautiful with its black and white striped columns, sumptuous paintings and library, displaying illuminated texts that are hundreds of years old, in a richly painted gothic hall.
(Quick Traveller Tip) Public bathrooms aren’t really a thing in Italy, so make sure to use the facilities if you stop in for a coffee or a meal. If you do find a public bathroom you’ll probably have to pay to use, so always keep a couple of euro coins handy)
We moved on to visit San Giammano, a gorgeous hill fort that once boasted of having 77 towers (now there are only 12), built for defense but also to show off the wealth and status of prominent families. The city boasts the world’s best gelateria, with saffron and pine nuts being their signature flavour (it was yummy).
I also visited the Poggio ai Lachi winery, and learnt more about Italian wines (Chianti classico like champagne has to be from a specific region and can be recognised by a black rooster on the bottle).
I tasted several of their fabulous wines along with local specialities like balsamic vinegar and olive oils. The hosts were also great fun. Like many of these places you’ll be encouraged to buy the products you try, but there wasn’t a hard sell which was cool.
It’s hard not to fall in love with the romance of the Tuscan countryside. My new life plan is to win the Euro millions lottery and retire to the region having bought a beautiful farm with an olive grove, vineyard and dog who’ll hunt truffles for me (just putting it out to the universe, (please and thank you).
I love when seasons change and new foods become available.
Asparagus is great at the minute, so I decided to make this yummy creamy quiche with it as the centre piece.
I used marscapone to add creaminess the the egg mix, because it’s what I had in the fridge. You could also use creme fraiche or recotta if this is what have.
I used ready made pastry which made this even easier (it looks quite impressive for not a huge amount of effort if you’re cooking for people and can be serve hot or cold).
Ingredients
1 Sheet of ready made short crust pastry
6 Eggs
1 Leek (finely sliced)
1 Bunch of asparagus
1 Tbsp Oil
100 Grams Marscapone cheese
25 Grams of Parmasan (or other strongly flavoured cheese like mature cheddar)
Salt and pepper
Butter/oil for greasing a loose bottom flan/pie dish
Method
Grease the flan dish, and line with the ready made pastry, making sure the it’s pushed well into the edges. Pierce the base of the pastry with a fork and then chill the flan dish for 30 minutes
In a frying pan heat the oil over a medium heat and gently fry the Leek until it softens but do not allow to brown (set to one side and allow to cool)
To prepare the asparagus, snap off the ends and the blanch the asparagus on boiling water for 30-90 seconds depending on the thickness of the spears). Remove the boiling water and submerge in ice water (this will help keep their bright green colour)
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cover the base of the pastry with greaseproof paper and poor baking beans or old dried rice or beans on top). Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and carefully remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans
In a large bowl, add the marscapone, parmasan and eggs and whisk until smooth (add salt and pepper)
Cover the pastry base evenly with the cooked leeks, then arrange the asparagus spears wth tops pointing to the outside of the tin
Pour the egg mix on top of the vegetables and carefully place the tin back in the oven ad bake for another 20 minutes or until the centre of the quiche is just starting to set
I want you to keep an open mind. When I first heard of this stale bread soup I thought hell no!
However, I had it when I visited Italy and I’m now a total convert, it was one of the best dishes I tried. Like most popular Italian dishes, this is peasant food, and came about when servants would be given scraps that they would reboil into a soup. Ribollita is actually more like a stew and is extremely satisfying and the perfect comfort food. Each family has their own version, but the basic ingredients are a sofritto (this is a base of finely chopped carrots, celery and onion, I whizz mine in a food precessor when I can’t be bothered standing chopping). For the bread part, I used some stale ciabatta I had, other types of bread like French baguette would also work (not sure how ideal sliced white supermarket bread would be).
Italian Grannies save the rind of parmasan to flavour this, but I just added some of the grated cheese. If you want to make this a vegan dish you can swap this out for pine nuts. The beauty of this is that it is the original zero waste recipe. Basically you use what ever you have and it’s perfect for using up those left over bits in your fridge. You can also season with the flavours you like. The original version I tried had fennel seeds, for the version I made at home I used oregano because it’s what I had. Rosemary or basil would also work well, so feel free to experiment.
Serves 3-4
400 Mil Can Chopped tomatoes or pasatta
400 Mil Can Cannalini beans (set aside half the tin and mash with a fork, this will help mske the ribollita creamy, as with the other ingredients feel free to use whatever type of brand you have)
1/2 Tsp Chilli flakes
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Tomato puree
100 Grams Stale bread (broken into 3-4cm chunks)
2 Handfuls shredded cabbage (I used savoy cabbage because this is what I had, but kale or cavelo nero also work well in this dish
This might be the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited and has been on my bucket list since I was a teenager.
The city is full of breathtaking architecture and history, with a total of 77 museums (all of which you’ll need to pay to visit) . The best and most well known is theq Uffizzi. (tickets will cost €29 to book in advance, and you can get a combination ticket that will also allow you to visit the Pritti Palace and Bomboli gardens a short walk over the Ponte Vecchio).
A quick word of warning, even if you book your ticket online in advance you’ll need to queue to collect your physical ticket (no scanning QR codes) and then join another queue for entry. Also don’t bring a heavy coat (the gallery gets really warm even on a cool Spring day) the cloakroom ironically doesn’t accept coats or jackets but you can stash backpacks there.
The Birth of Venus
Once you get inside you’ll see arguably the best collection of Renaissance art in the world from Botticelli, Michael Angelo and Leonardo da Vinci among others. If you need a break from all this fabulousness the museum has a cafe that serves drinks, snacks and lunch and if you take a table on the terrace you get an amazing view of the Palazzo Vecchio while enjoying your Aperol Spritz, with prices that are compatible with the surrounding bars and restaurants.
When you’ve finished with the Uffizi you can walk a short distance to the famous Ponte Vecchio lined with super expensive jewellers. On the other side of the river you’ll find the Pritti palace (home of Elanora Di Medici who believed the air was better in that side of the river).
Enjoy Negronis with the locals.
If you cross the river Arno at the bridge before the Ponte Vecchio you’ll find yourself in the Santo Spirito district which is still inhabited by locals (virtually everyone has been priced out of the historic areas). You’ll find authentic food, shops selling delicious mortadella, salami with fennel and great cheeses. As this is still a local neighbourhood it’s less touristy and prices in restaurants are about 25-30% cheaper than in the main tourist drags. You can try authentic dishes like gnudi (potato and ricotta dumplings) and ribolleta (a thick hearty soup, cooked to use up left over bread and vegetables which is incredibley tasty).
Food in Florence as you can imagine is amazing. The city is a meat lovers paradise with the most famous dish being steak, the traditional cut is split between 2 people and officially needs to weigh at least a kilo and according to locals should be least 4 fingers wide and is served rare (you might be asked to leave the restaurant if you ask for a well done steak). I had tried a regular steak served with a black truffle sauce (it was so good I think I may have left my body at one point) Wild boar stew cooked long and slow with red wine and lots of black pepper is also popular. You’ll find great pasta everywhere and one of my favourite things we’re the huge schiaccatia (flat Tuscan bread) sandwiches filled with the local cold cuts and cheese (don’t worry vegetarians won’t starve, you’ll find lots of tasty food, vegans may struggle a little).
You’ll find gelato (Italian ice cream) everywhere, it was invented in Florence. Local foodies say to avoid brightly coloured gelato (articial colouring is a no no) and you should also try to avoid shops where the gelato is not covered.
If you feel like treating yourself to something luxurious Florence is famous for its gorgeous perfumeries where you can pre book an appointment and they will help you make your bespoke fragrance in beautiful shops full of original polished wood and apothecary cabinets . Leather goods are also really popular and the San Lorenzo market close to the Duomo is a good place to haggle with the stall holders for nice leather bags. There are also some super fancy cafes and restaurants if you feel like pushing the boat out (the fancy little cake below was €8 but was indescribably delicious).
One of my favourite things in Florence were the walking tours. Lots of companies offer “free” walking tours and simply ask that you tip the guide (usually a minimum of at least €10) and last between 2-3 hours . These guys are great and you’ll learn so much. Florence was founded by the Etruscans (pre Roman empire), but became famous mainly, due to the Medici family 5-6 hundred years ago.
Medici Palace
If you’ve never heard of them try watching the series on Netflix. They were a ruthless banking dynasty that invented the mortgages and cheques. More interestingly they were probably the most important patrons of the arts in Italy, which kicked of the Renaissance along with other wealthy families. It was probably the equivalent of the rivalry between today’s billionaires sponsoring space travel (basically guys with too much money getting into d1ck measuring contests with each other and being afraid of being forgotten after they die like the rest of us). The Medici history is fascinating, full of betrayal, vandettas, intrigue and double crossing. But hey we got lots of stunning art and architecture out of it so it wasn’t all bad.
I’m sad to be leaving Florence and will definitely come back. It’s an incredible city but very busy, so if possible avoid visiting during the Summer when the crowds and heat are meant be unbearable. (Quick traveller tip, if you’re staying in the historic part of the city many of the hotels aren’t based on street level which can make them hard to spot. You’ll also pay a premium for modern luxuries like elavators, air conditioning and en suite bathrooms. But it’s worth foregoing these if you want to stay in a great central location at an affordable price). I stayed in the Hotel Bavaria, which still had beautiful frescoes on the the outside of the building and a now defunct wine window (if you’ve watched Stanley Tucci’s Italian food adventure you’ll see more about these, they were used during times of epidemics to avoid contamination (if they’re good enough for the Tooch, they’re good enough for me).
I was lucky enough to have a short stop over in Milan. Unfortunately due to the weather and a scheduling snafu, my original plan of taking a day trip Lake Como didn’t happen. But when things don’t work out as planned go to plan B.
It turned out to be a great plan B. While I’m a bit of a history nerd, I’m also a confirmed caffeine fiend, so when I saw a tour combining both I was sold. Maria our guide not only took us around the interesting historical areas of the city like the cathedral, royal palace, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll, La Scala opera house and the trendy Brera district, she interspersed these with stop offs for coffee in interesting coffee spots serving different styles of coffee (coffee is a big thing in Milan).
(Quick traveller tip, museums in Milan are free on the first Sunday of the month, but expect long lines). Leonardo Da Vini also moved to Milan when he was 30 and you can visit different museums to see his work. You can also try to book to view his Last Supper but this can be booked up months in advance so be prepared. If you feel like even more culture you can don your glad rags and visit the world famous La Scala opera house. Performances can book out months in advance as well but you can try your luck and visit the box office at 1.30pm to see if any tickets are available. You might be able to get a seat (with obstructed view) for €10. It was a great way to get a feel for the vibe of the city and not just haul around historic buildings.
Remember to pace yourself, I went all in and was pretty wired afterwards as I wasn’t used to having so many espressos in one morning (totally worth it though). I would definitely recommend doing this tour and you can find out more by visiting @cliotales on Instagram.
Milan is kind of like a European version of New York but with more history and better architecture. It’s famous not only as business and financial hub but as the fashion capital of Italy. The super elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll is right beside the Duomo and has gorgeous high end designer shops like Prada and Dior (many of these you have to visit by appointment, to keep the tourist riff-raff like myself out). If you feel the need for some refreshment you can visit the Camparinella bar just inside the Galleria.
Milan is the birthplace of Campari, so when in Milan! A Campiri and soda will set you back about €8 if you stand at the beautiful art deco bar being served by well appointed barmen in crisp white jackets. You’ll pay a little more if you want to sit at a table. (Quick traveller tip, you may incur a small surcharge if you take a table in a cafe or bar in Italy) . Instead many Italians prefer to eat and drink at a counter. This is really common if you’re going out for breakfast, don’t expect bacon and eggs, as a common Italian version of breakfast is a quick coffee/cappuccino and pastry eaten standing at a counter.)
The are any number of great places to eat ranging from super filling sandwiches to grab and go, to very posh fine dining restaurants. Milan is famous for its risotto (risotto Milanese). This is bright yellow, and coloured with saffron (although apparently less scrupulous restaurants will use turmeric or yellow food colouring because it’s cheaper). I had it for lunch one day and to be honest, while I enjoyed it, I wasn’t blown away (maybe I didn’t get a great version) . Milan also has some amazing bakeries and I tried pistachio coffee for the first time (Italians love pistachios so much so, you can even them on pizzas), and that for me was my favourite taste of Milan.
Milan is pretty cheap to fly to, as a couple of different low cost airlines fly there. I flew into Milan Bergemo airport and the bus transfer to the city centre dropping off at the central station was €10. The city also has great public transport links with buses, trams and metro service. €2.20 will get you to most parts of the city and is valid for 90 minutes. Day cards and multiple day passes are also very reasonably priced. If you’re not staying Milan for a long time I’d suggest staying by the central station. It also has metro stops and it’s a good base for seeing the city and the next leg of your trip. It also has an amazing food court (go to the mercato side of the station). You can get coffee and a pastry or select from pizza, sandwiches, aranccini, sushi or steak all while having a beer while waiting your train.
If you haven’t tried one before, these are super fresh and tasty Vietnamese sandwiches. They started of as simple street food, using the baguettes made popular by the French who invaded and colonised the country.
I make no claims that this is 100% authentic. But I think I have done justice to the tangy crunchy lightly pickled vegetables, and the freshness of the herbs and some heat from the chillies hold true to the original thing.
You can use left over chicken or ham in these, but the first version I ever tried had little chicken meatballs that were packed with flavour. You could also use pork mince to make these.
My main tip is don’t scrimp on the herbs, they are what makes it. The pickled veggies can live in your fridge for 4-5 days are great served with other dishes.
Serves 4
For the pickled vegetables
100 ml Cider vinegar
100 ml Water
1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 Large carrot (cut into into matchsticks)
1/2 Onion (thinly sliced)
7-8 Radishes (thinly sliced)
For the meatballs
500 Grams Turkey or chicken mince
1 Egg (beaten)
1 Tsp Fish sauce
Handful of breadcrumbs
2 Cloves of garlic (grated or finely chopped)
1 Tbsp Grated ginger
1 Small chilli pepper or more if you like a lot of heat (finely chopped
4 x Demi (small) baguettes
4 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1/2 Cucumber (cut into batons or what ever shape you like)
Coriander and mint
Chilli peppers (finely chopped)
Lime wedges to sere (optional)
Method
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients for the meatballs and combine well. Take around a tablespoon of the mix and roll it into a ball. Continue until you have used all the mix. Set the meatballs onto a tray and chill for 30 minutes
For the pickled vegetables, add the chopped vegetables to a large jar. Combine the water, vinegar and sugar and pour over the vegetables. Seal the jar and shake before letting stand for 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (Celsius), and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, or you can fry them if you prefer. I usually pop the baguettes in to the oven for a couple of minutes to let them crisp up
Cut the baguettes length ways and scoop some of the soft white bread from the centre (this will make it easier to load up your sandwich)
Spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise on each baguette (you can add more if you like), then add the pickled vegetables and meatballs before adding the sliced cucumber, mint, coriander and chilli. Give each sandwich a quick squeeze of lime before getting stuck into sandwich perfection.
I don’t do sweet breakfasts that often, but since it’s nearly pancake Tuesday I went all in try these out.
These are light and fluffy and the recipe makes 4 enormous American style pancakes that freeze well, if you’re organised enough to cook a double batch.
I griddled some apple slices to go with this, along side some Greek yoghurt (you can use different fruit and squirty cream if you’re feeling decadent). These also taste great along side bacon if you want to go savory.
Ingredients
250 Grams Plain flour
225 mil Milk
1 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Apple (roughly grated)
1 Egg (separated into yolk and white)
A little oil for frying
Method
Add flour, baking powder, and sugar to a large bowl
Make a well in the centre of the bowl and add the egg yolk, mik and vanilla extract, whisk until smooth
Grate an apple roughly on the large side of box grater and stir into the pancake batter
Whisk the egg white until it becomes light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the pancake batter until well combined
Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan and spoon in a quarter of the batter on to pan. When small even holes begin to appear on the pancake flip it and cook for a further couple of minutes checking to make sure it doesn’t burn
Continue doing this until you have used all the batter and sprinkle with icing sugar and some cinnamon if you’re feeling fancy
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 