Italian Food
Of all world cuisines, the raw simplicity of Italian food has always spoken to me the most. I think it's the focus on the quality of ingredients that resonates with me. Food has always been a big part of my life – my mum taught me to cook from a young age, and most of our meals were comprised of produce from the farm and the garden. This kind of upbringing teaches one respect for ingredients, and Italian cuisine has quality ingredients at its heart.
I'm a confessed pasta addict, and have devised an excellent fresh pasta recipe that is perfect for short pasta, long pasta or stuffed/filled pasta. I could not live without pasta, which finds its way into a large proportion of our weeknight meals! Spaghetti carbonara is my favourite of all time, and I've got it as damn near close to perfection as possible. Risotto and gnocchi dishes are also regular occurrences in my household.
Besides the more obvious cornerstones from Italian cuisine, you'll find some 'hidden gems' here too. Panzanella, a breathtakingly tasty salad made from ripe tomatoes and stale bread, is not to be missed, and my winter minestrone is a soup to warm the cockles of the coldest of hearts.
