Tobie Puttock has always been passionate about Italian food and has worked as a chef in Italian restaurants all over the world, collecting recipes as he's travelled. He was launch head chef at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen in London and is now executive head chef of Fifteen in Melbourne, Australia. Here are a selection of tasty dishes from his new book, that are perfect for sharing this summer.
Fairly easy
Frittata
A frittata is a sort of posh Italian omelette, which you can make using almost any combination of ingredients you like. As long as you have eggs, you have a frittata. I like to make a very thin frittata as I think you get a lighter dish. This herby version uses prosciutto and goat's cheese.
Serves 2 as a starter
4 free-range eggs
2 tbs cream or milk
1 tbs freshly grated parmesan
6 basil leaves, torn
6 mint leaves, torn
a small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs butter
4 thin slices prosciutto
2 tbs goat's cheese
extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Preheat the oven or grill to a low temperature. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, and add the cream or milk, parmesan, basil, mint and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, then tease the mixture lightly with a fork - just enough to break the yolks.
Melt the butter in a low-sided frying pan over a medium heat. Once the butter has started to brown a little, add the egg mixture and allow it to cook, adjusting heat as necessary. To brown the top of the frittata, put the pan in the oven for a few minutes, or pop it under the grill.
Lay the prosciutto on the frittata, followed by dollops of goat's cheese. Finish with pepper and, if you like, a drizzle of your best olive oil. Slice into portions or serve whole on a platter as part of a selection of dishes.
Easy
Salads
Warm spinach salad with pine nuts and balsamic vinegar
I first prepared a version of this spinach salad when I was training in Melbourne. It relies on the sharp, sweet tang of balsamic vinegar for its flavour.
Serves 2
1 large bunch spinach
2 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbs pine nuts
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Remove and discard the lower half of the spinach stalks. Rinse the spinach thoroughly in cold water, then drain and set aside.
Choose a large frying pan or wok and heat the oil over a low heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and chilli until the mixture is soft and translucent.
Raise the heat to medium. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden. Turn the heat to high, and add the spinach. Cook very briefly, just until the leaves begin to wilt, then add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to ensure the leaves are well coated with the vinegar.
Transfer the spinach to a bowl and serve warm.
Rocket, fennel and blood orange salad
This is a classic salad. The pairing of citrus with the sharp aniseed flavour of fennel is a real love match. If you can't find blood oranges, substitute with any other kind of orange or mandarin.
Serves 2
1 blood orange
1/2 large fennel bulb
2 handfuls of rocket
10 mint leaves
10 flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Grate the orange using a zester or fine grater. Squeeze the orange just enough to collect a couple of teaspoons of juice, and add the juice to the grated zest. Peel the pith from the orange and cut the flesh into segments.
Remove the core and tough outer layer of the fennel. Slice the bulb as finely as possible then soak the slices in iced water. Trim the rocket of any roots and excess stalks and rinse with the mint and parsley. To make the dressing, place the olive oil, orange zest and juice, and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl, and stir lightly to combine.
Place the rocket and herb leaves and the orange segments in a salad bowl. Drain the fennel slices and shake them a little to get rid of excess water. Add the fennel to the salad bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the leaves; toss and serve.
Foolproof
Sardines
Baked sardines are absolutely delicious with marjoram and chilli
Serves 4
400g cleaned and butterflied sardines
olive oil for greasing
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs marjoram leaves, plus extra to garnish
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
olive oil for flavour
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
finely sliced fresh red chilli, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.
Rinse the sardines in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Choose a baking dish large enough to hold the sardines comfortably, and grease with a little oil.
Lay the sardines flat, skin side down, in the baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with marjoram.
Place the garlic in a bowl with a good splash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, then pour over the sardines. Bake for 5-8 minutes.
When the sardines are cooked - their flesh should be nice and pale - remove from the oven and arrange on a plate. Finish with a scatter of lemon zest, marjoram leaves and chilli.
Fairly easy
Light bites
Broccolini with mozzarella, cured lemon and anchovies
This recipe uses a quick-curing method for the lemons, which gives you that delicious Middle Eastern preserved-lemon taste after just 20 minutes. Use only fresh mozzarella - the rubbery yellow variety used on pizzas won't cut the mustard here.
Serves 4
1 lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
200g tenderstem broccoli
300g fresh mozzarella cheese
8 anchovy fillets
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
10 mint leaves
10 flat-leaf parsley leaves
10 pale celery leaves (from centre of bunch)
freshly ground black pepper
fresh red chilli, finely sliced, to garnish
Wash the lemon, then slice it as thinly as possible - aim for 3mm. The thinner the slices, the better the lemon will taste. Lay the sliced lemons, side by side, on a big plate and scatter with salt and sugar. Leave for 20 minutes.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Soak the broccoli in cold water for about 10 minutes, then place it in the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, then refresh under cold running water to prevent further cooking.
Arrange the broccoli on a big plate, along with small chunks of torn mozzarella.
Place the anchovy fillets in a bowl with the olive oil; use a fork to mash well. Add the lemons to the anchovies, along with the mint, parsley and celery leaves.
Use your fingers to carefully mix the ingredients, then scatter the mixture over the broccoli and mozzarella; drizzle with the remaining oil from the mixing bowl. Finish with a generous grind of black pepper and a scatter of chilli.
Fried mushrooms with basil and anchovy mayonnaise
This is a delicious way of cooking mushrooms. The egg-white batter seals the mushrooms as they cook, locking in that wonderful earthy flavour. You'll need medium-to- large mushrooms; check with your greengrocer as to what's in season.
Serves 4
10 basil leaves
5 anchovy fillets
roughly 200ml good-quality mayonnaise
500g large mushrooms
1 quantity egg-white batter (see below)
750ml vegetable oil
sea salt
For the egg-white batter:
150g plain flour
a pinch of salt
2 free-range egg whites
roughly 240mls warm water
To make the batter, place the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the water gradually and whisk to form a smooth, thick batter, then pour through a fine strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic film and place in the fridge. Remove after an hour or so. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Very gently, fold the egg whites into the batter.
Use a mortar and pestle or processor to grind the basil and anchovies until they form a smooth paste. Add the paste to the mayonnaise; mix well and set aside.
Have to hand the mushrooms and the egg-white batter. Heat the vegetable oil in a largish saucepan. Test the oil by dropping in a pinch of flour. If the flour starts to sizzle, the oil is ready to fry. Don't heat the oil much beyond this or the batter will burn before the mushrooms have cooked through. Dip the mushrooms in the batter, then drop carefully into the oil; fry in small batches.
When the mushrooms are golden on all sides, remove from the oil using tongs, and drain on kitchen paper.
Sprinkle with salt, and serve on a platter with a dollop of the anchovy and basil mayonnaise.
Fried mozzarella with saffron
Fresh mozzarella is sold in trays of brine at the deli counter of most supermarkets. You'll need the small balls, known as bocconcini, which are about 4cm in diameter. Again, you won't be able to get away with using anything other than fresh mozzarella.
Serves 4
a pinch of saffron threads
100g plain flour
100g breadcrumbs, preferably made from an Italian bread
10 small balls fresh mozzarella
500ml vegetable oil
fresh red and green chilli, finely sliced, to garnish
Place the saffron in a bowl and cover with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Allow the saffron to soak for a couple of minutes, then fold in the flour; use a fork to work the mixture to a nice smooth batter.
Lay out a plate of breadcrumbs next to the batter. Roll the mozzarella balls in the batter, then in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the oil by dropping in a pinch of flour. If the flour starts to sizzle, the oil is ready. Fry the crumbed mozzarella balls, in batches, until they are golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately, garnished with the fresh chilli.
· Taken from Daily Italian by Tobie Puttock, with photographs by Mark Chew (Mitchell Beazley, £20). To order a copy for £18 with free UK p&p go to theguardian.com/bookshop or call 0870 836 0875
