Some of our favourite Italian food and drink

· Pizza – now a global dish, the humble pizza has its roots in the hustle and bustle of Naples.The classic Margherita with olive oil, tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil remains the staple but Naples also conceived the pizza Marinara with just olive oil, tomato sauce and garlic as well as the filled calzone.

Limoncello – perhaps the drink most associated with Sorrento holidays. Made from the zest of lemons, grain alcohol and sugar, it’s usually served ice-cold as a popular after-dinner digestif but you’ll also find it used with fruit salad, mousses and in ice-creams.

Wine – Italy is the world’s largest wine producer but Italians also lead the world in wine consumption. Who can blame them with the rich variety with some 20 regions and more than 850 grape varieties. Take Tuscany for example, there’s plenty to choose from with Chianti, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. Further north you’ll find some of Italy’s most famous wines including Pinot Grigio and Prosecco.

Pasta – the classic Italian dish, such is the importance of pasta in the country that almost every region has its own signature dish. For example, Bologna’s ragu alla Bolognese involves slow cooking a variety of ingredients and combine with tagliatelle. Pasta alla Norma originates from Sicily and is made with tomatoes, fried eggplant, grated ricotta cheese and basil. Linguine al pesto is a speciality of Liguria and Paccheri con vongole is a popular dish on the Amalfi Coast.

Coffee – coffee remains a staple in Italy, whether it’s a cappuccino drunk with breakfast or a quick espresso or doppio (double espresso). Bear in mind when ordering a coffee that there can be a difference in price determined whether you’re sitting or stand

My Favorite Recipe:

Pasta with tuna and tomato sauce:

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes with herbs

½ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp sugar

500g pkt pasta bows

100g can tuna, drained

handful of basil leaves, optional

Method

· Heat the oil in a pan, throw in the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, chilli and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Give it a good stir, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

· Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions. Flake the tuna into the sauce and heat through. Drain the pasta, return to the pan and stir in the sauce and basil leaves if you have any. Serve with a generous grinding of pepper.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-13