Stroll along any street in Italy and without reaching for your phrasebook, the lilting cadences of the language alone are enough to convince you that the natives know how to live well.
And even if you know little about this brilliant boot-shaped nation nestled between the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, the chances are that your taste buds have been tingled by its indigenous cuisine on several sumptuous occasions throughout your life.
And while eating at an authentic Italian restaurant in Italy or even in a luxe hotel in your home town can be fabulous, there’s also something satisfying about preparing a home-cooked meal for your better half.
With that in mind, here are three beautiful Italian meals to create in your casa.
- Spaghetti Bolognese
This perennial classic might be slightly messy to consume, but which other dish allows you to recreate the kissing scene from Lady and the Tramp?
And since a pleasure shared is a delight doubled, you can have fun preparing this dish with your partner in order to make the final creation feel even more special.
You’ll need onions, carrots, celery and garlic, as well as around 500g of ground beef mince and plum tomatoes, with red chili to give the sauce the requisite kick.
Don’t overcook the spaghetti – ensure it’s al dente or you’ll spoil the whole dish.
Tip: the moderate tannins and full flavours of a Cecchi Chianti will enrich your ragu superbly.
- Lasagna
Whoever first thought of balancing bombastic beef, pork and tomatoes between sensuous sheets of cheesy pasta, there’s one thing for sure – they were a culinary genius of the highest order.
This outstanding dish is brilliant as a family winter warmer, and there’s something spectacularly life-affirming in baking up a huge batch of spag bol, setting it on your table and allowing your tribe to help themselves to its meaty goodness.
Throw in a spot of salad and some tear and share garlic bread and you’ve set the scene for a simple yet superbly effective home feast.
Tip: alter the traditional recipe slightly by adding bacon, pimento and Leffe Blond Ale instead of red wine.
- Mushroom Risotto
When you want an Italian meal that’s light, delicious, low in calories and ideal for those who prefer plant-based meals to meat feasts, look no further than a classic mushroom risotto.
As far as the fungi go, you’ll need plenty of flavourful porcini mushrooms and some sliced chestnut mushrooms, a chopped onion, diced garlic, white wine, butter, black pepper, vegetable stock and of course, your rice of choice.
Serve with some delicious grated parmesan and a glass of chilled white and you’re in Italian foodie heaven – plus, you won’t be too stuffed for a romantic postprandial stroll along the beach.
Tip: Check out the website of rice specialist Riso Gallo for some amazing risotto recipes.
Any one of our amazing Italian meals is sure to satisfy the most discerning palate – you can thank us later.
That’s the list! Share your own Italian recipes in the comments section below!
