Zucchini & carrots light and simple spaghetti

Happy new year everyone! How quiet is January compared to feasting December. I had a great Christmas break and my new year’s celebrations were particularly good: I spent it at home with friends celebrating in a long and slow gourmet dinner which lasted just before midnight..when we opened our Champagne! We all cooked something therefore…

Simple light leek soup with king prawns

I recently had a fabulous soup at a restaurant in Italy: a leek and potato cream with prawns on top. I loved it so much that I wanted to try making it myself at home. Leeks are winter vegetables which will never miss in my fridge anyway. Every week I  always buy a bunch to…

Potato and green beans salad with black olives

Green beans are one of the delights of summer. As a child I used to pick whole buckets of them from the field. My mum would cook them and then freeze them for the winter.. we just had so many of them! Green beans or “fagiolini” were one of the delights of summer…after ice cream…

Italian tomato salad – Insalata di pomodori

My sister went to Italy on holiday and came back with a bag of fresh homegrown tomatoes. The first ones of the season that my dad has grown. He has a large field where he grows organic vegetables. Now that he is retired this is a full time job for him as he grows so…

Rigatoni with olives, peppers and ricotta – easy mid-week meal

Pasta always comes to the rescue when you need a quick and easy dinner. It is March and in this part of the world we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.. yes it will be spring soon.. more sunshine, more time outdoors and lots delicious fresh vegetables like peas…

Creamy pea and basil risotto – light and easy

love basil, it is in fact my favourite herb for cooking. A few leaves added to pasta or risotto can lift the dish so much. I always keep a little pot of basil on my window sill and not just for cooking, it has a very delicate scent, just like a perfume. Today I am…

Upside down yogurt pineapple cake with olive oil

The word diet to me is foreign. So many people are going on diets in January and of course, eating less can only be a good thing after the never ending eating sessions at Christmas time. Often it can be quite challenging though: dieting successfully isn’t that straightforward as too many things can get in…

How to make octopus carpaccio

Homemade octopus carpaccio? It’s easier than you think! All you need is an octopus and a plastic empty bottle. You can buy a frozen octopus which actually works better than a fresh one. One of the best ways of ensuring that your octopus will be tender and delicious is to use one that was previously…

Light eggplant fritters… baked not fried and with a crunchy bite!

Beetroot carpaccio marinated with orange

Fresh delicate and super delicious! Let me introduce you to beetroot carpaccio, a dish that could not be any easier to prepare. This side dish is great during those hot summer evenings when you want something to accompany your fish or meat dishes and it is different to salad. If you marinate it with freshly…