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This moist and sweet cake is a Chiavarini family favourite. It is perfect for a Sunday afternoon treat or to enjoy over a coffee with a friend (remember when friends could pop over?!)The recipe I use is not gluten free however you can swap the flour for ground almonds and use gluten free baking powder and it should come out just as tasty!The syrup that we add at the end gives this Italian classica a little bit of an English feel, a little nod to the lemon drizzle cake! It … [Read more...] about Italian Lemon And Polenta Cake

The classic focaccia is most similar to the one we make in our pizza oven at Pizzicotto, deliciously light yet quite flat and with a chewy bite. When making it at home in a non-commercial oven (as in this recipe), we go for a deeper looking focaccia which is more doughy and a bit fluffier. We love both types and it really depends on your preference and equipment.The recipe we like best relies on a well-proofed poolish, made at least 8 hours before the main dough. I made the … [Read more...] about Classic Focaccia with Rosemary

Ribollita is one of those classic Tuscan dishes which nobody seems to agree on how to make.  What they all do concur on is how deliciously warming and comforting it is. A real winter warmer dish to sustain you through the start of the year.  Whilst the original is always made with stale bread, I find it as good without it and with the added bonus of freezing better. Crostini or hard bread can always be added before serving to render it more substantial if … [Read more...] about Tuscan Ribollita

Venison is a great alternative to beef for this classic dish. Not only is it a truly wild and organic source of protein, but it trumps beef in almost every nutritional metric. It is far leaner, with higher levels of vitamins and minerals per serving. It also has advantages in iron, vitamin B6, niacin, and riboflavin, all important factors when choosing a healthy grass fed red meat for your diet.For the Wellington, use the loins off a larger deer such as a fallow or a red … [Read more...] about Venison Wellington