​Sometimes you get asked if you could eat one last thing ever, what would it be. I always struggled with this question until I made this. This is my favourite dish of all time, this is the last thing I would ever eat on earth.

And some would say, really, a salad, and I would say yes. I absolutely love this flavour combination. And it is exactly this that I discovered on our Eating Around the World Adventure in Italy, it is that Italians have mastered making simple fresh ingredients shine. They know what flavours work with each other, and keep it simple, and it just works.

Sometimes I make this salad with just rocket, other times with mixed salad leaves, with rocket included.

If your figs are fresh, ripe and sweet, serve them as is. If your figs are not fresh, ripe and sweet then grill them before adding them to the salad. Grilling them causes the natural sugars in the fruit to caramelise a little, and it is this sweetness that works with the saltiness of the prosciutto.

This is simple and fresh and brings joy to my day every time I eat it.

Recipe adapted from Tobie Puttock's cookbook 'Cook Like An Italian'

Serves 4

4 large purple figs
Extra virgin olive oil
4 large slices (1cm thick) bread, whatever Italian style bread you love
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 handfuls rocket or mixed salad leaves, washed and dried
Balsamic vinegar
8 very thin slices prosciutto
​
If your figs are fresh, ripe and sweet, serve them as is. If your figs are not fresh, ripe and sweet, preheat a char grill pan until hot, but not smoking. Tear the figs in half down the middle and smear a little oil over the flesh. Pop them onto the grill for about 1 minute, then transfer to a plate.
​
Toast or grill your bread: I toast it if my figs are fresh, because I don't want to use a grill pan just for bread. But if I grilled my figs, then put the bread on the grill pan, turning it when you see grill marks appearing. When both sides have been grilled or toasted, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on the bread and sprinkle over a small amount of salt.
​
In a bowl, dress the rocket or mixed salad leaves with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then use your hands to toss the leaves.

To serve, Place a handful of salad leaves in the centre of each plate. Put a slice of grilled or toasted bread on each plate to one side. Cut the fig into quarters, place them over the salad leaves. Now drape 2 slices of prosciutto in and around the figs like flowing ribbons. Finish with extra virgin olive and a dash of balsamic vinegar, serve immediately.

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​Growing up, my mum would cook broccoli until slightly overcooked, where it would break up easily. She would then stir it through cooked pasta, season it with salt and pepper and dress it with extra virgin olive oil. This was one of my favourite things to eat. 

So when on our Eating Around the World Adventure in Italy I saw this recipe, I knew I was going to try it.

I loved this, my husband and kids didn't love it, I mean they did eat it, but it wasn't a love. Quite often I cook what my family love, but every now and then there is a dish that I choose, that I love. And this is that dish.

So if you are like me and you love broccoli and pasta, this really is a lovely, simple dish to try.

​Recipe adapted from Tobie Puttock's cookbook 'Cook Like an Italian'

Serves 4 
2 heads broccoli, approx 300g
60ml extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-2 small red chillies, finely chopped
250g dried orecchiette
4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
about 3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino
Freshly ground black pepper
​ 

Bring a large pan or water to the boil. Add a good pinch of salt to the water. 

While the water is heating up, use a small knife to separate the florets from the broccoli stalks and then roughly chop the stalks into 1cm cubes. Plunge the cubes and florets into the boiling water.

Meanwhile, put the oil, garlic, chilli and anchovies in a large frying pan over low-medium heat. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

By now the broccoli should be almost cooked. Remove it from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and add to the pan with the garlic. Using a fork or potato masher, break the broccoli up with out turning it into a mash.

Once the broccoli cooking water has come back to the boil, add the orecchiette to the boiling water.

Pop the pan with the broccoli back on a very gentle heat. Once the pasta is al dente, drain it. Transfer it to the pan with the broccoli and add pecorino, some pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

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​When life gives you oranges, you make orangecello.

Every year I am gifted a very large quantity of oranges from my family. My uncle, who has since passed away, had been giving me oranges from his orange tree, they are small oranges, but the juiciest oranges I have ever had. My kids get so excited for orange season. Luckily my cousins have continued with this gifting.

Now with the abundance of oranges I always like to think of new things I can make with them, and as I love limoncello, I figured it was time to try orangecello.

We really enjoyed this, so much so I made a few bottles of it, so I can sip on it all year long. It has got a lovely orange flavour. I will never throw away orange peels away again, especially when I know the oranges have no wax on them.

If using store bought oranges, before you begin you'll want to scrub the oranges to remove any wax on the skin. Place the oranges in a bowl of boiling water, leave for a couple of minutes and then scrub with a brush to remove any wax before rinsing under cold water. Dry the oranges before proceeding with the recipe.​

This is something new to my household, but I know I'll be making this for many years to come.

Recipe adapted from www.foodnetwork.com/

Makes 1.5 litres

7 medium navel oranges, preferably organic
1 x 750ml bottle vodka
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar


Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the oranges in long strips (reserve the oranges for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the orange peels; discard the pith. Put the orange peels in a 1.9 litre jug or large glass bowl. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the orange peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Pour the syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the orangecello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the orangecello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and keeps up to 1 month. I place mine in the freezer, then it lasts longer, unless we drink it, that is.

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​When life gives you oranges, you make orangecello.

Every year I am gifted a very large quantity of oranges from my family. My uncle, who has since passed away, had been giving me oranges from his orange tree, they are small oranges, but the juiciest oranges I have ever had. My kids get so excited for orange season. Luckily my cousins have continued with this gifting.

Now with the abundance of oranges I always like to think of new things I can make with them, and as I love limoncello, I tried orangecello and then I came across this version that uses the whole orange, zest and juice.

We really enjoyed this, so much so I made a few bottles of it, so I can sip on it on my deck in the afternoon sun. It has got a lovely orange flavour.

If you use 'normal' oranges you will get an orange colour to your cocktail, as pictured. If using blood oranges, you get a beautiful red coloured cocktail.

This is something new to my household, but I know I'll be making this for many years to come.

Recipe adapted from www.deliciouseveryday.com/

Serves 8

2 cups vodka
5 large navel or blood oranges
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water


If using store bought oranges, before you begin you'll want to scrub the oranges to remove any wax on the skin. Place the oranges in a bowl of boiling water, leave for a couple of minutes and then scrub with a brush to remove any wax before rinsing under cold water. Dry the oranges and carefully remove the skin, using a vegetable peeler, removing most of the pith. Add the orange peels to a large jar along with the vodka and cover and place in a cool dark place for 48 hours.
​
Juice the oranges and place in a medium sized saucepan along with the sugar and water. Stir to dissolve and then place over a high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly and set aside to cool.

Strain the vodka to remove the peel and discard the peel. Combine the vodka and syrup and pour into sterilised bottles. Refrigerate until cold.

Serve as is or mixed with soda water.

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​I love asparagus and eggs. I have been married for nearly 20 years and it was soon after meeting my husband that he introduced me to scrambled eggs with asparagus. It is something we eat whenever asparagus is in season.

Now on our Eating Around the World Adventure in Italy, I saw this recipe for fried egg with asparagus, and I just had to try it. This is delicious, and I love a fried egg and adding the asparagus makes for one delicious breakfast, or brunch or lunch or even a light dinner.

You can use oil instead of butter, I prefer butter.

You can poach the egg instead of frying, I prefer fried.

The truffle is an optional, it is nice without it.

This is simple, this is delicious, this needs to be tried.

Recipe adapted from Tobie Puttock's cookbook 'Cook Like An Italian'

​Serves 2

10 asparagus spears, white or green, tough ends removed
2 eggs, chicken or duck
20g butter
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
parmigiano reggiano, for grating
fresh truffle shavings (optional)
​
Bring a wide frying pan of water, large enough to hold all of the asparagus, to the boil and add a good pinch of salt.

Plunge the asparagus into the boiling water for approximately 1 minute, or until al dente. Remove immediately. Place on paper towels to dry out.
​
Wipe out the pan, then melt half the butter over a medium-high heat. When the butter starts to sizzle, add the asparagus and gently saute for about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and grate over about 1 tablespoon parmigiano reggiano. Jiggle the pan so the asparagus spears are well coated and then divide them evenly between two plates.
​
Wipe out the pan, then place it back on a medium heat with the remainder of the butter. When the butter starts to sizzle, reduce the heat to low and crack the eggs one at a time, being careful not to break the yolks. As soon as the whites of the eggs are set, use a spatula to transfer them to top the asparagus.

Drizzle over any remaining butter from the pan and finish with grated parmigiano reggiano, pepper and truffle (if using). Serve immediately.

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​I love my fast and quick spaghetti puttanesca recipe that I already have on my site here, it is great on those nights when you need a quick and easy dinner. But here I have a different pasta sauce, one that is like a puttanesca, but with the addition of lots of vegetables and one that cooks long and slow.

I found this one while on our Eating Around the World Adventure in Italy. I am starting to appreciate more and more the simplicity of Italian cooking, and I am learning to truly enjoy meat free meals. Now I am not planning on becoming vegetarian, as I do enjoy eating meat, however, a few meat free days a month is actually something I am beginning to enjoy.

So here is another meat free pasta sauce that is full of flavour that I hope you will love as much as we do.

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' cookbook Everyday Pasta

Serves 4-6

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
800g tin diced tomatoes
1 dried bay leaf
8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes
450g penne pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
​
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrot and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes longer.

Add the tomatoes and bay leaf, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add 1 cup water if the sauce gets too thick. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
​
Place the finely chopped anchovies and some of their oil in a medium frying pan. Stir over medium heat until the anchovies melt, about 2 minutes. Add the olives, capers, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the red chilli flakes. Saute until the olives are heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir the olive mixture into the tomato sauce and simmer over medium heat until the flavours blend, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
​
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the penne and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 10 minutes, follow packet instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Add the penne to the sauce and toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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​During our Eating Around the world adventure in Italy, I had to include a risotto.

Now I love mushrooms, so a mushroom risotto was always going to happen. This was delicious, it was creamy and it definitely had enough mushroom flavour.

As I quite enjoy having a meat free dinner at least once a week, this risotto was perfect for it.

I love it with chicken or vegetable stock, both are delicious. Boil water in a kettle, just in case you need to add a little extra liquid to your risotto. 

If you can't find dried chanterelle mushroom, just add more dried porcini mushrooms as they are more readily available.  

This is simple, yet delicious, something my family loves, hope you do to.

Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook 'World Table Recipes from around the world'

Serves 4

​15g dried chanterelle mushroom
15g dried porcini mushrooms
1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups (500ml) water
45g butter
125g chestnut mushrooms, trimmed
125g button mushrooms, sliced thickly
2 flat mushrooms (160g), halved, sliced thickly
4 shallots (100g), chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
1/2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
​
Combine chanterelle and porcini mushrooms, stock and the water in a medium saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer covered.
​
Meanwhile, melt 30g of the butter in a large saucepan; add remaining mushrooms to pan. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates; remove from pan.
​
Melt remaining butter in the same pan; cook shallots and garlic, stirring, until shallots soften. Add rice; stir to coat rice in butter mixture. Return mushrooms cooked in butter to the pan with the wine; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until liquid has almost evaporated.

Add 1 cup of simmering stock mixture; cook, stirring, over low heat, until stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock mixture, in 1 cup batches, stirring, until absorbed between additions. Total cooking time should be about 25 minutes or until rice is tender. You may need to add a little extra boiled water from the kettle if rice needs a little more cooking.

​Stir in cheese and chives. Serve immediately.

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​My mother in law makes these when we go on holidays to visit them, they are like dumplings. Now this is an old recipe from Croatia and although my mother in law calls them trgance, they do actually go by the name žličnjaci or some they are flour gnocchi.

My husband and kids love them. So when my sister in law came to visit us once, she showed me how to make them. She doesn't measure anything when she makes them, it is all done by feel, I however, weigh everything every time, for me it ensures they turn out right every time. 

This is great when you don't have pasta in the house, it's quick to make and feeds many.

I use a fork, but you can use a spoon.

So if you are looking to try something new, give these a try, my family love them, hope yours will to.

​Drop the dough into the boiling water by putting the dough and fork prongs into the boiling water, the dough will slide off and this way the fork stays hot, repeat until all the dough is used up, cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Strain in a colander and place in a serving dish. ​

Strain in a colander and place in a serving dish. ​

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​These are delicious. Now I love plain polenta chips, but when I saw this version with mushrooms in it, I had to try it, and I am so glad I did, they are delicious.

My mother has always cooked polenta, it is truly a food from my childhood, and any left over polenta she would always cut up the next day and fry for us. I loved it. Now she didn't make chip shapes, but it was the same. But many times she would cook polenta on a Sunday for lunch and she would stir bacon and a homemade tomato sauce through it. We would eat that for lunch, but any leftovers she would spread out and then fry in squares for us to enjoy the next day.

When making the polenta, have a kettle full of boiled water ready, if your polenta while cooking feels too thick, you can add a little boiling water to it,  to loosen it up, if needed.

The reason I say to taste when adding parsley, is because although I love parsley, I don't like when there is too much of it. The original recipe stated to use one bunch of parsley, I would use maybe 2-3 tablespoons of chopped parsley, at most.

So if you love polenta, like I do, I'm sure these will become a favourite in your house, like it is mine.

Recipe adapted from Manuela Darling-Gansser's cookbook 'Winter in the Alps'

Makes about 30 pieces

Polenta:
1.5 litres water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
​300g coarse polenta

Mushrooms:
25g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 anchovies, finely chopped
​Italian flat leaf parsley, to taste, finely chopped
200g mixed mushrooms, finely chopped
15g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in a little boiling water for 15 minutes, then drained and finely sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste

150g unsalted butter, for frying
15 fresh sage leaves
​

Make the polenta: Put the water and salt in a large pot and bring to the boil. Add polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Turn the heat down to low and cook the polenta for 30-45 minutes, stirring from time to time. When the polenta comes away from the sides of the pot, it is cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms. Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until it begins to soften, then add the garlic, anchovies and parsley and cook for a further few minutes. Add all the mushrooms and continue cooking until soft. Taste for salt (remembering that the anchovies will have added some already) and add pepper, to taste.

Stir the mixture into the cooked polenta, combining well. 

Pour the polenta onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, spread the polenta to about 1 1/2cm thick. Leave to cool.
​
​Preheat the oven to 120C/100C fan forced. 

Cut the cooled polenta into 5cm x 2.5cm pieces.

Working in batches. Heat some butter in a frying pan and add a few sage leaves. Fry the polenta pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the polenta chips to paper towels and drain. Place the polenta chips on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches, using more of the butter and sage as you go.

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​These are delicious. I'm going to say they are better than potato chips.

My mother has always cooked polenta, it is truly a food from my childhood, and any left over polenta she would always cut up the next day and fry for us. I loved it. Now she didn't make chip shapes, but it was the same.

Recently during our Eating Around the World Adventure in Italy, I came across polenta chips and it took me back to my childhood. I had to make it.

Now making polenta is labour intensive, you get an arm workout like no other. My mum, in her 70's now, still mixes the polenta from start to finish on her own, I however enlist the help of my son who's 18. and we take turns stirring the polenta for the 30-45 minutes needed to cook it properly.  So I will suggest making the polenta chips with left over polenta as you then get two meals with the work from one. So the first night I would serve it with a stew, as soon as you are done eating and while the polenta is still hot and spreadable, pour it into a baking tray lined with baking paper, ready for polenta chips tomorrow. My mother would never use instant polenta, she says it's no where near the same.

Also have a kettle full of boiled water ready, if your polenta while cooking feels too thick, you can add a little boiling water to it,  to loosen it up, if needed.

Pictured above, to the left the polenta chips have semolina on them, the right side is without semolina. If you don't normally cook with semolina, don't buy it just for this recipe, but if you do use it, then use the semolina here, both ways are delicious.

The tomato sauce I love is my go to pizza sauce, it takes about 10 minutes to make and we love it.

So if you love polenta, like I do, I'm sure these will become a favourite in your house, like it is mine.

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' cookbook 'Everyday Italian'

Makes about 30 pieces

Polenta:
1.5 litres water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
​300g coarse polenta

1/2 cup light olive oil, for frying
Fine Semolina, for dusting, optional
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling optional
1 cup Homemade ​Tomato Sauce, for serving, optional


Make the polenta: Put the water and salt in a large pot and bring to the boil. Add polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Turn the heat down to low and cook the polenta for 30-45 minutes, stirring from time to time. When the polenta comes away from the sides of the pot, it is cooked.

Pour the polenta onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, spread the polenta to about 1 1/2cm thick. Leave to cool.

​Preheat the oven to 120C. 

Cut the cooled polenta into 5 x 2.5cm pieces. If you are using the semolina, dust each polenta chip with the semolina.

In a large frying pan, heat the light olive oil over a medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the polenta pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the polenta chips to paper towels and drain. Place the polenta chips on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches.

​Place the polenta chips on a serving platter with the Tomato Sauce, if using.
​
Season with salt flakes and parmesan cheese, if using.

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