Insala Ta Di Mozzarellae Po Modoro
INGREDIENTS
- 4 x 150g (5 ½ oz) buffalo mozzarella cheese, drained
- 600g (1lb 5oz) tomatoes (any mixture you like)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for drizzling
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Large handful of fresh basil leaves, to serve
When I was a child, I always spent the summer with my nonna in Italy. We would visit the local buffalo mozzarella shop every day, and I can clearly remember walking into the chilled room through the beaded curtains across the door. The mozzarella would be placed in a clear plastic bag filled with salted water, and I couldn’t wait to get home and eat it. The cheese had many layers to it, and I would sit and peel them off until I reached the delectable creamy centre. Fresh mozzarella, combined with sweet red tomatoes and fresh basil, makes a simple and beautiful salad. -Anna
1.Tear your mozzarella into pieces – there’s something very satisfying about this and it gives the salad a lovely rustic look, but you can use a knife if you prefer. Place on a large serving plate.
2.Chop the tomatoes into chunks and scatter them over the mozzarella. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Tear the basil into pieces and scatter over the salad. Yes, it’s really that easy!
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
INGREDIENTS
- 500g (1lb 2oz) spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 50g (1¾oz) smoked meat cubes
3 eggs - 100g (3½oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper.
Some countries have taken to adding cream to this dish, but that is never done in Italy. -Anna
1. Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente, 10–12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the meat cubes until they are crisp and browned.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, season with pepper and mix again.
3. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan containing the meat. Give it a good stir to coat it in the oil, then set aside to cool for 5 minutes. This is necessary so that the egg doesn’t scramble when it is added.
4. Once the pasta has cooled slightly, stir in the egg and cheese mixture until the spaghetti is well coated. Serve straight away. Enjoy!
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