Autumn Edition 2011 by Katie Caldesi

Il Giornale di Caldesi ‘Rice is born in water and must die in wine.’ ~ Italian Proverb

Autumn Edition 2011

Preserving Summer for Winter

If you ever get a peek into an Italian mamma’s kitchen you are bound to find jars of preserved fruit and vegetables. In our friend Livia’s cantina her store of jars of apricots in syrup stand next to plum and quince jam ready to be spread onto sourdough for breakfast or slathered onto a crostata for tea. In her freezer there are bags of her own frozen peas, whole courgettes and tomatoes – the best of her crop from her orto or allotment picked at a time of plenty to be enjoyed in the depths of the Tuscan winter. In the pantry pristine jars stand neatly in a row packed with colourful peppers, aubergines adorned with aromi in this case herbs and chilli to give them more flavour. A leg of ham matures in the cantina air and tomatoes hang to a semi-dried state. We love Livia and her husband Nello’s house, not only because it is owned by our friends but because we aspire to live like this, growing, foraging, eating and preserving our

own food. Preserving may seem like something resigned to times past but with today’s general concern for knowing what we are eating compounded by the need to save money and generally being encouraged not to waste, it is back in fashion. Even the Government are acting on food waste by radically changing how food is labelled and in some case getting rid of ‘best before’ dates altogether. So far at casa Caldesi we have managed to make damson gin, blackberry and plum chutney, plum jam, a Romtopf filled with rum and fruit for a Christmas tipple as well as apple leather for the children’s return to school. Why not drop into Caldesi in Campagna and sample so of our Damson gin at Christmas time? Or learn how to make berry compote on one of Katie’s courses at La Cucina? Here’s our recipe for Plum Crostata a great Tuscan tart using plum jam, preferably homemade or the best you can buy.

Plum Crostata Serves 8 • 350g (12oz) plain flour, plus extra for dredging • 2 eggs • 100g (4oz) caster sugar • 100g (4oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest • 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder • Seeds from a vanilla pod or a teaspoon of vanilla extract • 300g (11oz) plum jam, preferably home-made and full- flavoured, plus more if needed • Egg white, or milk, to glaze • 8 plums, halved (optional) Thoroughly mix the flour, eggs, sugar, butter, orange and lemon zest, baking powder and vanilla to

form a firm dough. This can be done in a food processor, or by hand if you prefer – simply squelch the ingredients through your fingers until well blended. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4. Grease a 25cm (12 in) loosebottomed tart tin. Roll out the pastry on a well floured surface to approximately 5mm (¼ in) thick. Place the pastry in a tart tin, press it gently around the sides and trim. Set aside all the trimmings. Spread with the jam to a depth 2cm (¾ in). Roll out the trimmings and cut into strips 1cm (½ in) wide and long enough to cross the tart. Lay these over the tart in a lattice pattern. Brush with a little egg white or milk to glaze. If you’re using fresh fruit, lay the halved and stoned plums neatly on top of the jam. Bake the tart for 20–25 minutes or until the pastry is light golden in colour. Serve at room temperature.

Welcome from the family Caldesi

Welcome to our Autumn Edition of Il Giornale. It’s time to bring back the celebration of the harvest and all things autumnal! Now is the season to enjoy foods such as pumpkins, hazelnuts and porcini mushrooms. Look out for our special dishes at Caffè Caldesi and Caldesi in Campagna using British apples and fruits and help our small UK producers and farmers. Of course there’s treats from Italy to enjoy too such as White Truffle which will make its appearance at our restaurants from mid October.

Buon Appetito!

Gifts of Great Taste We’ve got some great gifts for the Italian food lover in your life. • Cookery School Vouchers – The gift of Learning • Cookery Books – Our favourite recipes to enjoy at home • Great Italian Food and Cookery Products – The real deal

See www.caldesi.com

The Only Way is … Pizza! Katie & Giancarlo love to get out there and share their passion for great Italian food and they had a busy summer of live performances where they did just that. From the Foodies festivals in Battersea and Oxford to Masterchef Live at the Westfield Shopping Centre it was great to meet so many fans of authentic seasonal Italian Cuisine.

You may have also caught up with Giancarlo on the Birra Moretti – Birra & Pizza Roadshow where he found himself feeding the office workers of London with his truly authentic pizza recipes. One of the slightly bizarre experiences of the summer was an afternoon Giancarlo spent with Nanny Pat and Jess from ‘The Only Way is Essex’ while film-

Caffè Caldesi, Italian Restaurant, Café and Bar 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0753/4

ing the latest series of the TV show ‘Monster Munchies’, a show where two teams of London based pizza chefs competed to make the World’s biggest pizzas. Giancarlo was one of the judges along with the ladies from Essex and you can see the finished programme in November on The Good Food Channel – It’s a pizza TV you just can’t miss!

La Cucina Caldesi The Italian Cookery School 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0750/6/8

Caldesi in Campagna Fine Dining Old Mill Lane, Bray Berkshire SL6 2BG Tel: 01628 788 500

www.caldesi.com

All Praise the Pumpkin Pumpkin Souffle with Sage and Butter Sauce For the souffle • 240g pumpkin or butternut squash (roughly half a squash) • 30g salted butter • 30g 00 or plain flour • 100ml milk • Salt and pepper • Half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg • 1 bay leaf • 50g Parmesan, finely grated • 2 tablespoons of plain greek yoghurt (we like Tim's Dairy) • 3 eggs, separated

Caffè Caldesi Italian Restaurant Café and Bar 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0753/4

A Tuscan Autumn

For the sage butter • 25g salted butter • 16 sage leaves

Our main encounter with the pumpkin may well be during Halloween when faces are carved in them and they are lit with candles – apparently the finished objects are called ‘Jack O’lanterns’ but no-one seems to know why? Long before ‘Halloween’ became a tradition the pumpkin was a symbol of the harvest and was always used as a centrepiece of huge displays of the seasons bounty during the Harvest Festival church service. Deriving it’s name from the greek ‘pepon’ which means large melon the pumpkin is thought to

have originated from North America and pumpkin seeds dating as far back as 7000BC have been found in settlements in Mexico. Botanically very similar to squash but with thicker skin and a brittle stem, they grow much larger of course . Here’s a great recipe from Katie that really makes the most of the sweet flesh of the pumpkin and adds a uniquely Italian twist. The Italians have many uses for pumpkins from simply roasting in olive oil, using as a filling in ravoli or as the key ingredient in a creamy pumpkin risotto.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Either roast of cubes of pumpkin or cut the squash into two pieces and wrap each one in foil. Bake for up to an hour or until the pumpkin or squash is soft. Remove from the oven and remove the flesh discarding the seeds and skin. Set aside. To make the soufflé, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the flour, stirring to blend. Let the mixture bubble gently for a few minutes. Meanwhile heat the milk with the salt and pepper, nutmeg and bay leaf until boiling point. Pour this into the butter and flour mixture in the saucepan and stir until you have a thick but smooth paste. Remove from the heat. Add the Parmesan

followed by the pumpkin and stir through. Leave to cool for a few minutes while you generously grease four medium or six small ramekin dishes with butter. Now add the yoghurt and egg yolks to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Whip the egg whites until you have stiff peaks. Mix two heaped tablespoons of egg white into the pumpkin first to loosen the mixture, this is called the sacrifice. Then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until all the ingredients are combined. Spoon this into the ramekins and bake for 15 minutes. They should be well risen and browned. While the soufflés are cooking, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a pan and adding the sage leaves. Cook for a couple of minutes and then pour into a warmed jug. Remove the soufflés from the oven and serve straight away. At the table make a small hole in the top of each and pour in the sage butter allowing a little to splash over the top.

Christmas party menu

New Year menu

 PRIMI 

Calamari in umido Slow-cooked calamari, tomatoes and chilli Carpaccio con rucola e scaglie di parmigiano Thinly sliced raw beef, rocket, parmesan shavings Tagliatelle con funghi selvatici (starter or main) Tagliatelle with wild mushrooms Parmigiana di melanzane (starter or main) Baked layers of aubergine, tomato and Mozzarella

Pollo Senese con radicchio arrosto Chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham, stuffed with truffled cheese, roast radicchio

 DOLCI  Tiramisu Budino di Panettone Panettone with roasted spiced plums Selezione di formaggio Selection of Italian cheeses with honey and celery Torta al cioccolato Chocolate cake (flourless)

 SECONDI 

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Tagliolini al tartufo (starter or main) Tagliatelle with fresh black truffle Parmigiana di melanzane (starter or main) Baked layers of aubergine, tomato, mozzarella

£ 34.00 per person for three courses. Extra vegetables not included. An optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill. VAT is included.

Carré d’agnello, patate al rosmarino e riduzione di aceto balsamico Rack of lamb, rosemary potatoes, balsamic and honey reduction Baccala in pastella con salsa alpomodoro e cipolle fritte Salt cod in batter, tomato sauce, crispy onions

 DOLCI 

 SECONDI 

Tiramisu

Medaglioni di filetto al pepe verde con pure di cannellini Fillet steak, green peppercorns and brandy, cannellini bean mash

Budino di Panettone Panettone with roasted spiced plums

Saltimbocca di vitello con spinaci e tortino di patate Veal escalope pressed with sage leaf and Parma ham, sautéed spinach, potato cake

Saltimbocca di vitello con spinaci e tortino di patate Veal escalope pressed with sage leaves and Parma ham, sautéed spinach, potato cake Peposo di manzo con polenta Slow-cooked beef, tomatoes, black peppercorns, soft polenta

Antipasto misto di salumi e formaggi A platter of Italian cured meats, cheeses and roasted vegetables

Pollo Senese con radicchio arrosto Chicken breast wrapped in speck ham, stuffed with truffled cheese, roast radicchio

Selezione di formaggio Selection of Italian cheeses with honey and celery Torta al cioccolato Chocolate cake (flourless)

£48.00 per person for three courses. Extra vegetables not included. An optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill. VAT is included.

For full course descriptions see www.caldesi.com

Orata all’acqua pazza con crostone al rosmarino e pure di patate Black bream in crazy water, rosemary toasted bread, potato mash

Capesante al vino bianco con puree di piselli e pancetta croccante Seared scallops, white wine, pea puree, crispy pancetta

A Truly Italian Wedding

Katie shares her memories of a truly wonderful day in Southern Italy Let’s face it the Italian’s know how to enjoy a good party and there’s no better reason to celebrate than two lovely people becoming husband and wife. So it was in early September that Giancarlo and I found ourselves at the nuptials of Caldesi Managing Director Roberto and his lovely wife Antonella. Roberto hails from near Genova in Northern Italy and Antonella from the South, so as is the tradition the wedding was held in her home town of Muro Lucano in the Basilicata region about a 120kms south of Naples. This is quite a mountainous region of the country and quite rugged with lots of small hillside villages and fortified towns that seem to be hanging off the mountainsides. The church in Muro Lucano was in a small square where old men sat on park benches and chatted as

the world went by. On the Saturday morning in question it was a hectic world as cars filled the square and the wedding guests arrived. The Italians as you know love to dress well and on this particular day they didn’t disappoint – the women looked like they’d just stepped off the catwalk, the men straight out of an Armani advert. Of course the bride stole the show however in a stunning bridal gown designed by local atelier "Cristin Sposa" based in Baraggiano. Our day had started at the hotel ,where most of the ‘Northern and Foreign’ guests were staying , with a glass of prosecco (Giancarlo had an expresso he was driving) and ‘confetti’ which is not the paper stuff we throw at the couple but a selection of bite sized cakes and sweets all brightly coloured and all very moreish. Then it was into the cars and off to the church for a traditional Catholic wedding service which seemed

to involve much talking on the part of the priest and no singing by the congregation. After the formalities of the marriage ceremony the bride and groom emerged onto the steps of the church to be pelted with rice by their friends and guests. Then it was into the cars for the race back to the reception – the motorcade streaming down small mountain roads with horns blaring in a chaotic, joyful and noisy procession. On arrival back at the hotel which was also the reception venue we were met with more fizz and tasty bite sized canapés and it was at this point that one of our Italian friends warned us not to eat too many – not because they were in short supply but he knew what was about to follow. After negotiating the greeting line (a time where envelopes full of cash are gifted to the bride) we entered the hall that would be our home for the next four hours – decorated beautifully of course. We took

seats at round tables as is the norm for wedding receptions and then picking up our menus stared in stunned awe at the lavishness of the wedding feast about to be served – Ten courses! Each dish was served with much ceremony with guests applauding the announcement of the dish and then brigades of waiters serving the food with speed and professionalism. There were too many dishes to describe them all but two that stood out were layers of aubergine, smoked cheese and swordfish and sunflower shaped pasta filled with the local ricotta in a truffle sauce. The wine flowed freely and a live singer performed throughout the meal as bride and groom circulated the tables and talked to each and every of the 300 guests. Following this gargantuan feast we were relieved that there was a natural break of a couple of hours before we all returned for the evening’s entertainment. Of course we were met by more food! A buffet that stretched over at least 20 metres of tables with every sort of torte, tart, pastry, cake and dessert delight you can imagine. All served as we enjoyed more live music and some very decent local wines. About 10pm in a break from tradition a series of chinese lanterns were set free… and there were fireworks too. At least I think they were by that time Giancarlo and I were bushed. We left the revelers to get on with it and retired to our room. Missing out on the midnight buffet of various pizze and penne all’arrabbiata!.. Just in case any of the guests were still hungry. It was a very memorable day, not least because we saw two very dear friends become joined in marriage and the hospitality shown us was beyond bountiful.

Katie’s Favourite Winter Vegetables Roast at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 in small wedges with plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper. After 15 minutes add some wedges of red onion, rosemary or thyme and toss well with the oil in the tray. Toast some pinenuts, shave some Parmesan and when all is cooked lay the pumpkin and onion onto a platter. Drizzle over the oil from the pan, scatter over the nuts and cheese and serve.

I was challenged once by a journalist to find a way to get her teenage children to not only eat sprouts and other vegetables at Christmas but also to help prepare them. Since then I have amassed a variety of winter vegetable recipes and thought I would pass them on here. Spicy sautéed cabbage – Almost any winter greens will do for this recipe but the stronger flavoured ones such as kale benefit from being boiled first

rather than steamed, it seems to take the bitterness away. Wash, trim and roughly chop the leaves and boil for 5 – 7 minutes until softened. Drain well. Heat a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and fry 2 peeled and lightly squashed garlic cloves with a little sliced chilli for one minute. Toss in the drained leaves and fry for two minutes. Season to taste, remove the garlic and serve straight away. Roast Pumpkins – peel the thinner skins varieties with a potato peeler and leave the skin intact on the thicker ones.

Spiced Sprouts – remove any old outside leaves or tough stems and chop them quickly in a food processor to shreds. Fry in a large non-stick pan with finely sliced chilli, 2 crushed garlic cloves, salt, pepper and plenty of olive oil. Add a few tablespoons of hot water to stop it sticking. Fry until just soft but still bright green and serve. Easy Italian Roasties – don’t peel the potatoes, chop them into 2cm cubes and toss with similar cubes of red onion and chopped smoked pancetta or streaky bacon, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic cloves

Caffè Caldesi, Italian Restaurant, Café and Bar 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0753/4

We’re constantly adding new courses see www.caldesi.com

that have been left in their skins but squashed. Cook until crispy at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 tossing half way through – around 25 minutes. Cannellini beans with garlic and sage – heat a couple of squashed and peeled garlic cloves in extravirgin olive oil in a saucepan for a couple of minutes. Add six large sage leaves and then a tin of drained cannellini beans and heat through. Parsnip mash – instead of the same old potato mash with bangers try mashing boiled parsnips with butter and milk, salt and pepper. This also works well with panfried salmon. Sweetcorn mash – boil peeled potatoes until soft in salted water and drain, put into food processor or use stick blender and whizz until smooth adding a small can of sweetcorn and its juice. Season to taste and serve with a knob of butter.

La Cucina Caldesi The Italian Cookery School 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0750/6/8

A Glass Worth Waiting For…

The 2006 vintage Brunello di Montacino DOCG from the Banfi vineyards in Tuscany is being hailed as one of the best ever. In fact those wine buffs in the know are saying it equals the monumental 1997 vintage! But what does a 'monumental vintage' actually mean? Well, for one thing it means it’s going to taste pretty lovely and the tasting notes don’t disappoint… “complex aromas or plum jam, tobacco and a note of licorice give way to a powerful yet soft structure on the palate, it is full and harmonious, with a very persistent finish’… sounds pretty impressive and having tasted it we can assure you it’s actually a right royal ‘bobbydazzler’. We’re told the reason 2006 was a very good year for the Sangiovesse Brunello grapes from which the wine is made is because it rained lots in the spring. Then it didn’t rain much at all in the summer and with high temperatures in July and an ideal range between nighttime and daytime temperatures in August the conditions for ripening where perfect. Then a warm September allowed for an excellent harvest. This by the way is all the information you’re going to need to wax lyrical about the 2006 and make your friends and family think you’ve swallowed an Oz Clarke book. You should also know that it’s aged 24 months in French and Slavonian oak casks and it’s ideal for drinking now at 5 years or laying down for the future. The winemaker (who you could pretend you know or something) also told us that ‘the gradual ripening of the grapes favoured an excellent evolution of tannins, which resulted in a smooth, harmonious wine’… if you remember all this you’re gonna impress a lot of people… though probably the most important thing to remember is that it will be available at Caffè Caldesi soon and it’ll sell very well.. so make sure you don’t miss it!

Caldesi in Campagna Fine Dining Old Mill Lane, Bray Berkshire SL6 2BG Tel: 01628 788 500

www.caldesi.com 3

A Day in the life of La Cucina Caldesi

La Cucina Caldesi The Italian Cookery School 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0750/6/8

Team building with taste There are few things as satisfactory than sitting down with a great team of people and enjoying a fantastic meal... one you've all cooked together!  Learning how to create a dish, working with others to perfect it, challenging each other to see who can master the knack, timing everything to a deadline and then sitting down to a meal, with a drink in hand, enjoying the fruits of everyone's labour – it all makes for great learning, great fun and certainly brings people together.  It's why the corporate & team building courses on offer at La Cucina Caldesi are so popular and why we've added some great new 'off the peg' corporate courses for Autumn. Offering you a host of challenges and learning opportunities across a range of budgets – all centered around great tasting food.  From 'Yes Chef' featuring designing a dish from a list of ingredients, cooking it and then presenting it to our rigorous judges, to 'Hells Cucina' which replicates the real life stresses of working as a brigade in a professional kitchen, our new courses can be adapted easily to meet your own entertaining or training requirements.

Running up to two courses a day as well as a host of corporate events, team building and even location hire for launches, photoshoots, filming etc means that Jo and her team at La Cucina are always pretty busy. We decided to follow a typical day in the school.

10.00am: The course begins and the days recipes are scrutinized by the students..

12.00pm: Making great pasta is simple you just need a great teacher.

9.00am: Jo’s on the phone arranging a corporate team building day then it’s time to check the ingredients for the two courses on todays schedule.

9.40am: Matteo is ensuring the recipe packs are ready to give to the days students.

11.00am: An hour in and Katie has got the group making

9.45am: Then he’s off down stairs to give Lucia, one of our school assistants, the student packs. Some early birds have arrived and are enjoying coffee and biscotti as they wait for the start.

sauces and preparing vegetables for roasting.

11.30am: As it's ours 'Italian take away' course there's dishes to take away.

13.15pm: Time to sit down and enjoy the mornings work with a glass of wine.

14.30pm: Just a couple of hours to get the school ready for the next course!

13.16pm: What better way to enjoy a debrief and ask any questions?

Keep out the Winter Cold Basic Soffritto recipe Also known as battuto, this is the essential base for Italian stews and soups, some sauces and ragù. The recipe varies by region, but most versions contain the ‘holy trinity’ of Italian vegetables: celery, onion and carrot. In summer, make batches to freeze for winter, including some without garlic.

Zuppa di Farro

4 www.caldesi.com

mesan to give extra flavour. Farro is available at good delis and health shops as well as on-line.

Zuppa di Farro Farro Soup •1 quantity of soffritto made with 2 garlic cloves and a sprig of rosemary • 400g Farro (or spelt) • 200g Parma ham, salame or unsmoked pancetta • 2 bay leaves • 600g tinned plum tomatoes, squeezed through your hands to break them up • 1.2–1.5 litres warm chicken or vegetable stock • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling Fry the soffritto and add the farro, Parma ham, if using, and the bay leaves. Add the farro grains and

toast them. They will start to stick and look as if they are about to burn; keep stirring with a wooden spoon and be brave for about 3–4 minutes. The grains will start to break down a little at this stage and they will absorb the flavours and oil from the soffritto. Next add the tomatoes and a litre of stock, bring to the boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Season to taste. Cook for 1 hour, stirring frequently, and adding more stock if the soup looks too thick. Taste the grains to check if they are soft; when they are, your soup is done. If you are making it in advance the grains will continue to swell so when you reheat, simply add more hot stock as necessary to achieve a thick soup consistency. To serve, drizzle a swirl of good extra-virgin oil on top. Variation: Brown some Italian sausages or homemade meatballs in a large frying pan and add these to the soup to finish cooking and you have a Sausage and Farro Casserole.

Finely chop the ingredients by hand or in a food processor. It is best to cut them separately if you are using a machine as the carrots need longer than the celery and onion. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-hot heat. Add the garlic, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Fry for 1 minute before adding the remaining ingredients. Keep frying, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. The colours will have changed from bright and sharp to soft and golden. Use straight away or freeze Freezing soffritto Divide the standard quantity of soffritto into four and freeze in suitable containers. I use leftover yoghurt or ricotta pots. Once frozen turn out the blocks and put them in a plastic bag in the freezer.

For full course descriptions see www.caldesi.com

It is said that the Romans achieved their empire because of the nutrition of the mighty farro grain. Apparently, feeding their soldiers a puls or mush of this grain kept them fighting for longer than the other soldiers – all that slowly released carbohydrate must have given them energy. In fact Farro is nutrient dense, rich in fibre, protein and complex carbohydrates, a combination that helps balance blood sugar levels, giving sustained energy and keeping you fuller for longer. Farro is also rich in vitamin B3, magnesium and zinc which are great for your immune system. So keep warm and healthy in winter with this Tuscan soup drizzled with a good olive oil and served with plenty of focaccia. It is typical in Tuscany to add the end piece of a cut of salumi or Parma ham that wouldn’t go through the slicer. Instead you can use a piece of unsmoked pancetta or bacon. Vegetarians can of course omit this, in which case you could replace the meat with a rind of Par-

Soffritto

• 150g carrot (about 2–3) • 150g celery (2–3 sticks) • 150g onions (red or white) • 150ml olive oil • 2 garlic cloves (optional) • Salt and pepper • 2 large sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme • 2 bay leaves

Autumn Programme Cookery Courses Here is a list of our autumn and winter courses. Many more details are available on our website so do visit www.caldesi.com to see course descriptions and to book.

Southern Italy – light, spicy and different

Caldesi & Friends – a night of Italian cookery

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £110 Date: 3rd Feb, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £130 for 1 cooking and 1 dinner guest, £95 for cooking only Dates: (All 6.30pm – 9.30pm) Fri 14th Oct, Fri 11th Nov, Fri 13th Jan, Fri 10th Feb

Katie’s Christmas

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £110 Date: Fri 2nd Dec, 10.00am – 3.00pm The art of fresh pasta

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £120 Dates: Tue 18th Oct, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Tue 15th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm Tue 24th Jan, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Weds 8th Feb, 10.00am – 2.00pm Tuscan Cooking

Courses at La Cucina Caldesi

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £120 Dates: Sun 20th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm Thu 19th Jan, 10.00am – 2.00pm

The essential Italian

Meat masterclass

Tutors: Katie Caldesi & Stefano Borella Price: £150 Dates: (All 10.00 am – 4.00pm) Tue 4th Oct, Sat 15th Oct, Tue 8th Nov, Sat 26th Nov, Mon 28th Nov, Mon 12th Dec, Thu 12th Jan, Sat 25th Feb

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £150 Date: 18th Jan 2012, 10.00am – 4.00pm

easy Italian for beginners

Tutors: Katie Caldesi & Stefano Borella Price: £150 Dates: Mon 3rd Oct, 10.00am – 4.00pm Sat 14th Jan, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Bringing Italy Home

Tutor: Ursula Ferrigno Price: £105 Date: Fri 28th Feb, 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Pasta with seasonal sauces

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £125 Dates: (all 10.00am – 3.00pm) Weds 19th Oct, Weds 16th Nov, Weds 11th Jan, Tue 7th Feb

Caldesi supper club

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £75 Dates: (All 6.00pm – 8.30pm) Sun 9th Oct, Sun 13th Nov, Sun 18th Dec, Sun 22nd Jan, Sun 12th Feb Cocktails & Canapés

Tutors: La Cucina Caldesi & Robert Gaggl from the Mandeville Hotel Price: £45 Date: Fri 2nd Dec, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Desserts, desserts, desserts

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £170 Date: Sun 29th Jan, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Courses at Caldesi In Campagna

Essential Italian Meat Dishes Autumn in Italy

Tutor: Sophie Grigson Price: £170 Date: Sat 22nd Oct, 10.00am – 3.00pm Sophie’s Winter Market Tour

Tutor: Sophie Grigson Price: £170 Date: Sun 4th Dec, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £150 per person Date: Thu 10th Nov, 10.00am – 3.00pm Winter Suppers

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £125 per person Dates: Thu 1st Dec, 10.00am – 3.00pm Fri 20th Jan, 10.00am – 3.00pm Wed 29th Feb, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Sophie’s Country Kitchen

Tutor: Sophie Grigson Price: £170 Date: Sun 5th Feb, 10.00am – 3.00pm Pasta, pasta, pasta!

The 3 course Italian – aimed at Intermedates

Tutors: Giancarlo Caldesi & Stefano Borella Price: £150 Dates: Mon 31st Oct, 10.00am – 4.00pm Tue 31st Jan, 10.00am – 4.00pm

1 day chocolate course

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £170 Date: Sat 11th Feb, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Tutor: Valentina Harris Price: £90 Dates: Tue 11th Oct, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Fri 11th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm Sun 18th Dec, 10.00am – 2.00pm • Christmas special! Tue 17th Jan, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Sat 18th Feb, 10.00am – 2.00pm

The Game Course

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £125 per person Dates: Wed 23rd Nov, 10.00am – 3.00pm Thu 2nd Feb, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Giancarlo’s Tuscan Christmas Fish and Shellfish Workshop

Tutors: Katie Caldesi & Stefano Borella Price: £160 Dates: Sat 1st Oct, 10.00am – 4.00pm Fri 4th Nov, 10.00am – 4.00pm Fri 10th Feb, 10.00am – 4.00pm A dish less ordinary – Fish and meat workshop

Tutors: Katie Caldesi & Stefano Borella Price: £150 Dates: Mon 10th Oct, 10.00am – 4.00pm Weds 1st Feb, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Tutor: Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £120 Date: Sat 17th Dec, 10.00am – 3.00pm Fresh pasta for novices

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £85 Dates: Fri 7th Oct, 10.00am – 2.00pm Tue 8th Nov, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Sun 11th Dec, 10.00am – 2.00pm Sat 7th Jan, 10.00am – 2.00pm Tue 21st Feb, 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Truffle and wine tasting

Tutors: Bruno Giorgi, Stefano Borella, & Chris Loveday Price: £70 Date: Fri 28th Oct, 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Tutors: Bruno Giorgi & Stefano Borella Price: £170 Dates: Fri 25th Nov, 6.30pm – 10.00pm Fri 3rd Feb, 6.30pm – 10.00pm

A Night of Tapas

Tutor: Carolina Catala-Fortuny Price: £45 Dates: Sat 15th Oct, 6.30pm – 9.00pm Sat 10th Dec, 6.30pm – 9.00pm Fri 20th Jan, 6.30pm – 9.00pm

The Winter vegetarian

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £95 Date: Tue 21st Feb, 10.00am – 2.00pm Pizza, pizza & Moretti beer!

30 minutes Italian menus

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £110 Dates: Sat 19th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm Weds 11th Jan, 10.00am – 2.00pm Tue 28th Feb, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Tutor: La Cucina Caldesi Price: £95 Dates: Sat 19th Nov, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Fri 24th Feb, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Truly Madly Italian

Sunday Market kitchen

Trattoria food for friends

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £95 Dates: (All 10.00am – 3.00pm) Sun 23rd Oct, Sun 27th Nov, Sun 15th Jan, Sun 26th Feb

Tutor: Ursula Ferrigno Price: £105 Date: Sun 13th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm

The Caldesi Trattoria The Great Italian Take Away – 5 main courses to GO

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £150 Dates: Fri 30th Sep, 10.00am – 2.00pm Fri 27th Jan, 10.00am – 2.00pm Five Secrets of Italian Cooking – essential skills

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price £110 Date: Mon 14th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Courses at Katie’s Kitchen

Matching wine with food

Pronto! Italian recipes

Tutor: Valentina Harris Price: £130 Dates: Fri 18th Nov, 6.30pm – 10.00pm Sun 19th Feb, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £125 Dates: Tue 20th Sep, 9.30am – 3.00pm Fri 20th Jan, 9.30am – 3.00pm

Classic dishes from Umbria & Le Marche

Pasta with Katie

Truffle evening extravaganza

Tutor: Richard Bertinet Price: £175 Date: Mon 17th Oct, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £95 Date: Mon 7th Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £110 Dates: Fri 21st Nov, 10.00am – 2.00pm Tue 17th Jan, 10.00am –2.00pm

Tutor: Valentina Harris Price: £120 Dates: Sat 10th Dec, 10.00am – 3.00pm Tue 7th Feb, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Baking Italian bread

The Autumn vegetarian

Hidden Italy – unusual dishes

Risotto and foods from Northern Italy

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £85 Dates: (All 6.30pm – 9.30pm) Sat 8th Oct, Sat 5th Nov, Sat 3rd Dec, Sat 14th Jan, Sat 4th Feb Moretti and pizza evening

Tutor: La Cucina Caldesi Price: £40 Dates: Fri 6th Jan, 6.00pm – 7.30pm or 8.00pm – 9.30pm

Tutor: Ursula Ferrigno Price: £95 Date: Tue 10th Jan, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Umbrian Farmhouse Kitchen

Tutor: Ursula Ferrigno Price: £105 Date: Fri 14th Oct, 10.00am – 2.00pm Italian Gifts of Food for Christmas

Tutor: Ursula Ferrigno Price: £125 Dates: Sat 12th Nov, 10.00am – 3.00pm Italian Country Bread Making

Tutor: Ursula Ferrigno Price: £95 Dates: Fri 20th Jan, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Caffè Caldesi, Italian Restaurant, Café and Bar 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0753/4

We’re constantly adding new courses see www.caldesi.com

Tutor: Valentina Harris Price: £120 Dates: Tue 18th Oct 10.00am – 2.00pm Weds 8th Feb, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Italian mama’s kitchen (6–12 years old)

Tutor: Viviana Romanori Price: £45 Dates: Mon 24th Oct, 10.30am – 1.00pm Mon 24th Oct, 2.00pm – 4.30pm Sat 29th Oct, 10.30am – 1.00pm Sat 5th Nov, 10.30am – 1.00pm Tue 20th Dec, 10.30am – 1.00pm Sat 28th Jan, 10.30am – 1.00pm Tue 14th Feb, 10.30am – 1.00pm Tue 14th Feb, 2.00pm – 4.30pm

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £125 Date: Wed 2nd Nov, 9.30am – 3.00pm The great Italian take away – make 5 Italian TO GO

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £150, including 5 meals to take away, a light lunch and a glass or wine Dates: Fri 14th Oct 10.00am – 2.00pm Fri 9th Dec 10.00am – 2.00pm Hidden Italy

Tutor: Katie Caldesi Price: £125 Dates: Wed 19th Oct, 9.30am – 3.00pm Tue 24th Jan, 9.30am – 3.00pm

How to cook Italian – for young adults (ages 13 – 16yrs old)

Tutor: Stefano Borella Price: £85 Dates: (All 10.00am – 3.00pm) Wed 21st Dec, Weds 4th Jan, Fri 17th Feb Autumn flowers and food Long Courses The complete Italian course – 7 weeks – level 1

Tutors: Stefano Borella, Katie & Giancarlo Caldesi Price: £600 Starts: Mon 9th Jan, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Ends: Mon 20th Feb, 6.30pm – 9.30pm

La Cucina Caldesi The Italian Cookery School 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0750/6/8

Tutors: Soulla Beck & Katie Caldesi Price: £125 Date: Tue 11th Oct, 9.30am – 3.00pm Christmas flowers and food

Tutors: Soulla Beck & Katie Caldesi Price: £125 Date: Tue 6th Dec: 9.30am – 3.00pm

Caldesi in Campagna Fine Dining Old Mill Lane, Bray Berkshire SL6 2BG Tel: 01628 788 500

www.caldesi.com 5

Caldesi in Campagna Fine Dining Old Mill Lane, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2BG Tel: 01628 788 500

Inspired by Giancarlo’s rural upbringing in Tuscany, Giancarlo and Katie opened Caldesi in Campagna, meaning Caldesi in the Country, in 2007. The Caldesi’s are passionate about seasonal and sustainable ingredients and use local produce such as game, meat and eggs where possible. They are proud of their authentic Italian cooking and herb garden where diners can eat al fresco.

Up & Coming Events & Live Shows Marylebone Christmas Market Come and see the Marylebone Christmas lights get turned on and visit Giancarlo and Katie at our stand in the special Christmas Market. Then drop into Caffè Caldesi for a luxurious hot chocolate or may be even a warming plate of pasta? Date: 16th November 3.30pm – 6.30pm Masterchef Live – Olympia, London Katie and Giancarlo will be performing demonstrations and we’ll have a stand selling some of our truly Italian products and books. It’s the ideal venue to pick up some great foodie gifts and the ideal day out for anyone who loves great food. See www.masterchef. live for booking details. Dates: 11th, 12th, 13th November

Festive almond biscuits from Siena If you’re entertaining this Christmas and want to impress with something tasty to dip into eggnog or hot chocolate. Then why not try these easy to make Tuscan treats? Typical of the beautiful town of Siena they are soft and sweet and great with an espresso. If there’s any left over from your party then they make the ideal gift to leave at the fireside on Christmas Eve along with a glass of milk or grappa – we happen to know that Rudolf’s nose glows brightest when he’s munched a few these biscuits.

Makes approximately 20 biscuits • 3oog ground almonds • 50 crushed almonds • A few drops of natural almond essence • 75g plain or 00 flour, sifted • 40g caster sugar • 250g icing sugar (150g for the biscuits and 100g for the tray) • 1 teaspoon of baking powder • 6 large egg whites Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Cover a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the almonds, flour, caster sugar, baking

powder and 150g of the icing sugar. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks are formed. Fold these into the almond mixture gently but thoroughly making sure the mixture is well-combined. Take two spoons and form quenelles (raised oval shapes) by pushing the mixture between the two spoons and then dropping them gently into a bowl of the remaining icing sugar to coat them. Remove each quenelle and place on the baking sheet, spaced at least 5cm apart. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack before serving. They can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container.

Raise a Glass to our Guest Chef Paola

Caldesi in Campagna are pleased to welcome renowned chef Paola Rocchi to their kitchen between the Tuesday 1st to Saturday 12th November for a fortnight of fantastic food and wine. It’s all part of ‘Frescobaldi Fortnight’ where we’ll be celebrating the award winning wines of this truly Tuscan winemaker. Paola is

6 www.caldesi.com

headchef at Castel Giocondo in Montalcino and Katie & Giancarlo first met her some years back when they toured the nearby Frescobaldi vineyards. “She adds a touch of magic to her dishes’ said Giancarlo “she works with ingredients to maximize flavours and takes home cooking to a whole new level” Poala, originally from Acquapendente, a small town in the Lazio region, prides herself on Tuscan dishes as well as those from her work and travels in other parts of Italy. Synchronicity of seasonality and surroundings are important to her and she rides to work every day on her Harley Davidson loving the fresh air and changing landscape around her, watching the fields for the next crop of perfectly ripe ingredients. “We are really looking forward to Poala’s visit” Katie enthused, “I can’t wait to learn more tips and recipes. She’s such a great chef. I’ll be interested to see what she thinks of our British produce and am going to show her the game from our local

estate, British apples and pears as well as fish from our shores. We are also going to run a cooking course with her so other food fanatics can share her knowledge" Join us for ‘Frescobaldi Fortnight’ and enjoy Poala’s cooking with an amazing selection of Frescobaldi wines available by the glass and paired to her dishes. Try dishes like Paola’s Tuscan Wild Boar Stew with a glass of the estates most famous wine from the latest 2006 5 star vintage – CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG for a marriage made in heaven.

We’re running a competition to win two places at a special gala dinner on 10th November and a vertical vintage case of CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG (2003, 2004 & 2005). Two lucky runners-up will receive a 3 litre bottle of Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Reserva DOCG 2007 or a magnum of CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2002. To have a chance to win email us on competitions@ caldesi.com and tell us which region of Italy Paola hails from. Competition closes 5th November 2011. To book onto Poala’s not to be missed cookery class go to www.caldesi.com and look under Caldesi in Campagna/ Events or call 0207 487 0756. To book a table during Frescobaldi Fortnight call 01628 788500.

“she works with ingredients to maximize flavours and takes home cooking to a whole new level”

For full course descriptions see www.caldesi.com

La Befana – CaffÈ Caldesi Join us for our annual celebration of ‘La Befana’ where the Caffè will be decked with socks containing treats (as is traditional in Italy) and as well as enjoying the excitement of this festive feast you could also win prizes too. Date: 6th January Frescobaldi Fortnight – Caldesi in Campagna Come and enjoy Frescobaldi wines and enjoy the food of Paola Roochi (see opposite). Also why not join us for one of Paola’s cookery courses taking place at Caldesi in Campagna in Bray see www.caldesi.com or call 01628 788500 for more details. Dates: 1st – 12th November

Riciarelli

Hurry to Wine & Win!

Christmas at Caldesi in Campagna

Christmas Dinner menu  PRIMI  Fettuccine ai funghi selvatici Homemade fettucine with wild mushrooms Ravioli al pesce Homemade ravioli stuffed with seabass, lemon butter sauce Calamari in umido Slow cooked calamari, tomatoes and chilli Ribollita Toscana Tuscan bean, vegetable and bread soup Melanzana alla parmigiana Baked layers of aubergine, tomato and Mozzarella

Paillard di petto di pollo ai funghi selvatici e tarufo Panfried chicken breast, wild mushrooms, black truffle Saltimbocca alla romana Veal escalopes pressed with sage leaves and Parma ham, white wine sauce

A Chunk of Pecorino…

Conoglio in casseruola al vino bianco e olive Casserole of rabbit, black taggaische olives, white wine

No truly Italian cheeseboard would be complete without a chunk of Pecorino. Many regions have their own recipes for this cheese made using only ewe’s milk but they all share many similarities in the way they are rubbed with olive oil and some also with tomato paste. The origins of this ancient cheese go back some 2000 years. These days there are five distinct types which are defined by Italian law and protected under the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) scheme.

 DOLCI  Cioccolato fondente Warm chocolate fondant, vanilla ice cream

 SECONDI  Orata in acqua pazza Black bream with tomato, braised fennel and white wine

Budino di panettone e gelato alla cannella Warm panettone pudding, cinnamon ice cream

Cinghiale alla Maremmana con polenta al tartufo Maremma style wild boar, truffled polenta

Pannacotta alla vaniglia con fruti di bosco Vanilla pannacotta with preserved berries

Selezione di formaggio Italiani A selection of Italian cheeses, walnut bread and honey Tiramisú al vin santo Tiramisú made with espresso and Tuscan Vin Santo

£35.00 per person for three courses. Extra vegetables not included. An optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill. VAT is included.

Cenone di San Silvestro New year’s eve menu

Christmas Lunch menu

 Arrival 

 PRIMI 

Glass of prosecco and crostini

 Antipasti  Capesante e calamari Panfried scallops, pancetta, pea puree and grilled calamari

Filetto al pepe verde o grigliato Fillet of beef grilled or with green peppercorn and brandy sauce Filetto di ippoglosso con salsa di capperi e olive Panfried fillet of halibut, capers and olive sauce

 DOLCI 

 Primo  Tagliolini al tartufo Tagliolini pasta with fresh black truffle

I favoriti Selection of Giancarlo’s signature desserts

Ribollita Toscana Tuscan bean, vegetable and bread soup Porchetta e lenticchie Warm thinly sliced pork stuffed with herbs, slow-cooked lentils

 SECONDI  Orata in aqua pazza Black bream with tomato, braised fennel and white wine

Ravioli al branzino Homemade ravioli filled with black bream, lemon and butter sauce

Cinghiale alla Maremmana con polenta al tartufo Maremma style wild boar, truffled polenta

Sorbetto

 MAIN COURSE  Pollo con rucola, balsamico e pecorino al tartufo Roasted breast of corn fed chicken, truffle cheese rocket salad

Calamari in umido Slow cooked calamari with tomatoes and chilli, toasted sourdough

£75.00 per person for three courses. Extra vegetables not included. An optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill. VAT is included.

Tortelloni di rapa rossa con ricotta, burro e salvia Beetroot ravioli stuffed with thyme and ricotta, butter and sage sauce

Caffè Caldesi, Italian Restaurant, Café and Bar 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0753/4

We’re constantly adding new courses see www.caldesi.com

PecorinO Fiore Sardo – lightly smoked and ripened for a few months for the table or six months for grating, at which point it develops a sharper flavor. Pecorino Sardo – has a dolce (mild) version, aged 40–60 days, and a picante, a hard cheese, aged at least 2 months. There is also an old curious delicacy called casu marzu (‘rotten pecorino’ or ‘maggot cheese’) where the larvae of the cheese fly are introduced into Pecorino Sardo.

Pappardelle al ragu Homemade pappardelle, duck ragu

 DOLCI  Cioccolato fondente Warm chocolate fondant, vanilla ice cream Budino di panettone con gelato alla cannella Panettone pudding, cinnamon ice cream Pannacotta alla vaniglia con sanguinelle Vanilla pannacotta, blood orange coulis £25.00 per person for three courses. Extra vegetables not included. An optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill. VAT is included.

La Cucina Caldesi The Italian Cookery School 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0750/6/8

Pecorino Romano – a sharp zesty cheese made in Latium (Lazio), Tuscany and Sardinia. Aged for 5 months for the table, it is also hardened for at least 8 months to give a fairly strong tasting cheese for grating.

PecorinO Toscano – made from sheep herds in Tuscany and a few towns near Perugia and Viterbo. Aged at least 4 months, it is a relatively mild cheese. Pecorino Siciliano – aged at least 4 months and is the strongest and most spicy of the pecorino cheeses. You might also come across Pecorino di Fossa, aged in cellars and traditional pits in Umbria; Pecorino Affinato in Vinaccia: and Pecorino Tartufo, made with black and white truffles. In the South it is traditional to add black peppercorns or red chili flakes to Pecorino. With different maturation times the cheese develops from a fresh ‘zesty’ cheese through to the more mature ‘nutty’ or ‘piquant’ even ‘sweet’ cheese. Mature pecorino is also used as a Parmesan replacement for grating or served with fresh fruit and honey at the end of a meal.

Caldesi in Campagna Fine Dining Old Mill Lane, Bray Berkshire SL6 2BG Tel: 01628 788 500

www.caldesi.com 7

Ever wanted to design your own menu?

Giancarlo Masterclass

If you could put together your perfect Italian menu what dishes would you include? We’d love to know so we’re running a competition where the lucky winners will win a chance to learn how to cook some Italian classics with Katie or Giancarlo at La Cucina in London or Caldesi in Campagna in Bray. All you have to do is send us your ideas for a four course meal including Antipasti, Pasta, Main Course and Dessert to Competitions@Caldesi.com and you’ll go into a draw to win two places on one of our classic Italian courses.

To get your culinary and creative juices going here’s a menu that the editor (a confirmed meat eater) has designed himself.

You ask… He’ll Teach! Many of the visitors to our restaurants go mad for our fresh baked focaccia and are forever asking Giancarlo for his recipe (Well, actually it’s Katie’s recipe but let’s not split hairs). We asked the big man to give us a masterclass on making the perfect focaccia so on the days you can’t make it to one of our restaurants you can at least enjoy fresh focaccia, warm out of the oven in the comfort of your own home. This is a rosemary and rock salt version but there are many variations of toppings from olives or tomatoes to cheese and meat.

Rosemary Focaccia (Serves 6) Preparation 25 minutes (plus rising) Cooking time 25 minutes

• 450g strong white flour or ‘00’ flour, plus extra to dust • 1 tsp salt • 1 sachet of easy blend dried yeast (about 7g) or 14g fresh yeast • 300ml tepid water • 4tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to trickle • 1tsp rock salt • 2 long stems of rosemary

Antipasti L’Antipasto di Salumi – A selection of Italian cured meats and salamis with roasted vegetables

Pasta Tagliolini all'uovo d'anatra e tartufo nero – Homemade duck egg tagliolini, fresh black truffle

Main Course Pernice in Vin Santo – Partridge panfried in Vin Santo (an amber Tuscan dessert wine) Dessert Bomboloni con crema di vaniglia e lamponi – Italian style doughnut’s with vanilla custard and berry sauce These are all dishes that he’s enjoyed at either Caldesi in Campagna or Caffè Caldesi but don’t let that stifle your own creativity, we want to know your own favourite Italian dishes and how you’d structure your perfect meal – so literally you have the choice of any dish (as long as it’s Italian!). Get your entries to us by Jan 1st 2012 via Competitions@Caldesi.com and the draw takes place on the 10th Jan 2012. If you’re the lucky winner we’ll be in touch after to arrange your prize for you and a friend. NB: Prize is for two people to attend one of the Italian cookery courses at La Cucina Caldesi or Caldesi in Campagna where you will be taught by either Katie or Giancarlo Caldesi themselves. The lucky winners will be offered a range of course and dates between Jan 15th and June 1st 2012 to make it easy to arrange which course you’d like to attend.

1. Sprinkle yeast into a jug with water and whisk together well, until fully dissolved. 2. In a separate bowl, sift flour, then add a pinch of salt and mix until well combined. Next pour in 3tbsp of the oil, then the water and yeast mixture. Whisk the mixture until the ingredients start to come together. 3. As the mixture thickens, swap the whisk for a spatula and keep working the mixture until a dough forms. Now start using your hands to knead the mixture until the bowl is clean and you have one large lump of dough.

Caffè Caldesi, Italian Restaurant, Café and Bar 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0753/4

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4. Dust your work surface with flour, then turn the dough out of the bowl. Knead the dough for several minutes, pulling and stretching it to work it thoroughly. You’ll know it’s ready when you tear the dough and it’s smooth. 5. Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size. Tip:- If you want to speed up the rising process slightly you can place the bowl in an oven set at it’s lowest temperature. You don’t want to cook the dough, just keep it warm.

6. Oil a large baking tray with 1tbsp of the olive oil. Once the bread has doubled in size, carefully slide it out of the bowl and onto the tray. Briefly stretch the dough again, using your hands to pull it outwards from the edges and form it to a large round shape. 7. Make dimples in the dough using your fingertips, then insert small sprigs of rosemary into the dimples. Drizzle with a little oil, then leave in a warm place for 45 minutes.

until golden, Remove from the oven and slide from the tray onto a wire cooling rack or wooden board to cool. Tip:- Again, only add the rock salt to the top of the focaccia at the very last minute to give the yeast time to work properly.

8. Preheat the oven to 210°C/Gas mark 7. Once the dough has risen, sprinkle rock salt over the top and place in the oven for 25 minutes,

La Cucina Caldesi The Italian Cookery School 118 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QF Tel: 0207 487 0750/6/8

Caldesi in Campagna Fine Dining Old Mill Lane, Bray Berkshire SL6 2BG Tel: 01628 788 500