Whistle Stop Tour - Culinary Lucky Dip

I hope by now you're feeling a bit more enthusiastic and back in the zone. I thought I'd give you a few ideas to use when you've more time to spend over the weekend - dipping into different cuisines, for weekend suppers (or large lunches). One or two of the recipes you may find a little more challenging than of late, others not. First stop, Italy!

On the “not” list is Crostini – literally meaning “little toast”. It's an appetizer, using small slices of toasted bread with toppings. Bruschetta is similar and originates way back - peasant food in that the toasted bread acted as the “plate”.

You can make Crostini as small or as large as you like. The smaller version is used as a canapé and part baked baguettes are perfect - larger loaves, sliced and toasted would satisfy a big appetite for lunch.

It's back to my lists again, but you'll see that it can be as easy or as complicated as you'd like to make it.

Part baked baguettes, sliced – gluten free option

works very well (and I promise you wouldn't taste any difference)

Garlic (fresh or paste)

Olive oil

Tapenade*

Pesto*

Tomato puree*

Toppings

Finely chopped chilli – red and/or green

Goat's cheese – cubed or sliced

Any Italian cheese – e.g. Dolcelatte or Gorgonzola, cubed

Parmesan, Pecorino, Grand Padano (grated), Mozzarella and Taleggio

Olives, pitted and chopped

Mediterranean vegetables, roasted and diced

Parma ham, cut into small triangles, twisted into a cone shape

Salami, as for Parma ham

Anchovies, chopped finely

If you are using garlic paste add olive oil and mix to a paste. Spread sparingly onto the bread. Top with any option marked * above. Add topping of your choice – two – three – don't overload.

Cook in a hot oven until golden and crispy – 3-4 minutes at 200/180fan/Gas 6

More options:

Make your own tapenade. You can of course buy it ready-made but it's easy to make and sooo tasty. 100g black olives, pitted, 4/5 cloves of garlic (or equivalent tsps of paste) – blitz in a small food processor. Drizzle in extra virgin olive oil, add black pepper only. Add lemon juice – try a dessert spoon – you can always add more, you can't take it away, personal taste – again. Add 4 finely chopped anchovies and 75g chopped capers. In modern parlance – boom!

Pesto again is easy to make but just as easy to buy.

Tomato paste – bit strong for my taste but, preparing some of each will cater for everyone's taste.

One might say fiddly to do, but, almost all of it can be done in advance and you can take short cuts for example, you can buy sliced pitted olives so it only takes a minute to chop them ready for use.

Coming next on our fleeting visit to Italy, the challenge of a risotto and what to do with the leftovers.

Ciao!