Fab formaggio

With over 2,500 varieties, there’s no doubt Italy takes its cheese seriously. These recipes cast the spotlight on some of the country’s most famous varieties

If using fresh lasagne sheets, there is no need to pre-soak them.

The flavours in this starter might seem unusual but they work beautifully together.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

100g SpinneysFOOD Raw Hazelnuts

100g fresh beetroot

For the dressing

1 lemon

5 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Black Truffle Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 ripe peach

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

To serve

2 x 150g burrata cheese

1 ripe peach

SpinneysFOOD Microgreens (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 5 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Place them on a clean tea towel and rub the nuts then remove the skins. Chop roughly and set aside. 3 Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice the fresh beetroot and set aside. 4 To make the dressing, Juice the lemon. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, water, truffle oil and the flesh of 1 peach in a blender. Season well and blitz until smooth.

5 On two plates, place 2 teaspoons of the dressing then place the burrata on top. Arrange the finely sliced beetroot around the burrata. Thinly slice the remaining peach and arrange the slices in between the beetroot. 6 Drizzle with extra dressing then scatter with the microgreens and serve.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

1L boiling SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

3 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

250g dried lasagne sheets

For the bechamel sauce

90ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

40g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

500ml SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Milk

Pinch of ground nutmeg

100g SpinneysFOOD Pecorino Romano

285g SpinneysFOOD Artichokes in Sunflower Seed Oil

100g breadcrumbs

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm x 20cm oven dish. 2 Place the boiling water and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large dish. Add the lasagne sheets. Allow to soak while you prepare the sauce. 3 In a mediumsized saucepan placed over a medium heat, add the olive oil and flour and stir continuously to form a paste – approx. 4 minutes. Add the milk all at once and whisk until smooth and thick. Season with the remaining salt, nutmeg and ¾ of the pecorino cheese. Set aside. 4 Drain the lasagne sheets. 5 Slice the artichokes. 6 Spread a layer of sauce in the greased dish. Add a layer of lasagne sheets followed by a layer of sliced artichokes. Repeat until the dish is full, finishing with a layer of bechamel sauce. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and remaining pecorino cheese. 7 Bake for 30 minutes. 8 Allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

This type of gnocchi is made from semolina, which is cooked and then allowed to set. It is an ancient Roman speciality and is still popular today.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

1L SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Milk

¼ whole nutmeg, grated

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground

250g fine semolina

250g SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano

100g SpinneysFOOD Unsalted Butter

3 large egg yolks

1 Place the milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a pot over a medium heat. Bring the mixture to just under boiling point, then tip in the semolina, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. When the mixture becomes stiff, switch to a wooden spoon and beat well for approx. 15 minutes, until it pulls away from the sides of the pan. 2 Once the mixture is very thick, add 75g of the butter and beat until melted, then remove the pan from the heat and beat in 150g of the Parmigiano Reggiano. Pour in the yolks, whisking continuously. 3 Grease a baking tray and pour the mixture into it. Leave to set, approx. 20 minutes. 4 Using a 6cm cutter or glass, cut out round shapes. Overlap the discs in a buttered ovenproof dish and dot with the remaining butter and cheese. 5 Grill for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. 6 Serve sprinkled with black pepper.

Bassotti is a crisp, cheesy baked pasta that resembles the corner piece of baked lasagne. It is usually served as a snack or light lunch.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

1 large leek

1L SpinneysFOOD Chicken or Beef Stock 50g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

20g SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated 350g fresh tagliolini, tagliatelle or spaghetti 40g gorgonzola

65g breadcrumbs

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Rinse and finely slice the leek. 3 Bring the stock to a rolling boil and add the finely sliced leeks. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the leeks are tender. Remove from the stock. 4 Butter a 20cm x 30cm metal roasting dish liberally with the butter then sprinkle with half the Parmigiano Reggiano. Place the roasting dish directly over a gas hob or stove plate set to medium heat and allow the cheese to melt. 5 Remove from the heat and arrange the fresh pasta on top. Pour enough hot stock over the pasta to just cover it then sprinkle with the rest of the Parmigiano Reggiano, gorgonzola, blanched leeks and breadcrumbs. 6 Bake the bassotti in the oven until the stock has absorbed and the top is golden and crunchy. 7 Slice into squares and serve while hot.

This dish is best made the day before it is served. Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

2kg aubergines

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Coarse Crystal Sea Salt

½ bunch of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil

2 x 400g tins SpinneysFOOD Organic Chopped

Italian Tomatoes

1 garlic clove

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying 150g SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated 150g SpinneysFOOD Ricotta

To serve Fresh oregano leaves

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Slice the aubergines into ½cm slices and sprinkle with the salt. Allow to stand while you prepare the sauce. 3 Shred the basil and place it in a saucepan along with the tinned tomatoes, garlic clove, salt and pepper. Simmer gently over a low heat for 15 minutes. 4 Rinse the aubergine slices well and pat dry. 5 Heat the oil in a deep pan. Fry the aubergines in batches until dark brown. Drain on paper towels. 6 Arrange the aubergine slices in a 20cm round or square roasting dish. Scatter over ¼ of the Parmesan, then top with ¼ of the ricotta and ¼ of the sauce. Repeat the layers ending with a layer of ricotta. 7 Bake until golden and bubbly. 8 Scatter with the fresh oregano and serve.

This technique of making risotto is a great way to avoid standing at the stove for 30 minutes stirring. It creates a lovely creamy risotto with minimal effort.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

For the pea purée

150g frozen peas

120g courgettes

50g SpinneysFOOD Organic Baby Spinach

100ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

For the risotto

1 leek

1 small garlic clove

80ml SpinneysFOOD Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

200g arborio rice

100ml non-alcoholic white wine

500ml vegetable stock

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Fine Black Pepper, to taste

40g SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated

100g SpinneysFOOD Mascarpone

¼ lemon

To serve

SpinneysFOOD Parmigiano Reggiano Grated

1 Bring a pot of water to a boil. 2 Blanch the peas, courgettes and spinach for 1 minute then immediately refresh them in iced water. Drain and place in a blender with 100ml of water. Blitz until smooth and set aside. 3 Finely chop the leeks and garlic. 4 To make the risotto, place a mediumsized saucepan over a low heat. Add in the olive oil then the leeks and garlic along with a pinch of salt. Sweat for 2 minutes until translucent. Stir in the rice and continue to cook over a low heat for 3 minutes, until the grains of rice appear shiny. Pour in the non-alcoholic white wine and stock. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer with only one bubble breaking the surface every minute. Season with salt and pepper then cover with a lid and leave to cook for 20 minutes. Check every few minutes that it is not boiling. 5 After 20 minutes of cooking, beat the rice vigorously for 5 minutes. Add the pea purée, Parmigiano Reggiano, pepper, mascarpone and a squeeze of lemon juice. 7 Season with more salt, if necessary, sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately.

These hot balls of rice are named after the telephone lines of Rome because the melting strings of mozzarella that ooze out when you bite into them resemble wires. It’s a great way to use up leftover risotto.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Makes: 15

½ small white onion

2 sprigs of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg

700ml cold SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

Large pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

300g arborio rice

200ml SpinneysFOOD Tomato Passata

1 × 125g SpinneysFOOD Mozzarella

120g breadcrumbs

SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying

1 Finely chop the onion and parsley. Beat the egg lightly. 2 Pour the water into a large saucepan. Add the salt, onion and parsley. Bring to a boil, then add the rice and cook until tender, approx. 20 minutes. Drain the rice and put it in a large shallow dish to cool. Add the passata and stir in the beaten egg, a little at a time. 3 Using your hands, form oblong-shaped rice balls the size of a large egg. Make a hole in the centre of each ball with your finger and stuff a small cube of mozzarella into it. Close the hole over and squeeze the balls firmly between your hands. 4 Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Gently roll the rice balls in the breadcrumbs until well coated. 5 Heat enough oil in a saucepan or deep-sided frying pan. 6 Give the suppli one more squeeze before gently lowering them into the hot oil in small batches. Fry until golden brown. 7 Serve immediately.