Recipes of the Month

Zuppa di Primavera-Spring Soup

Delicious, light and flavorsome - the perfect soup for a healthy spring lunch.

Ingredients for 4 - 6

1.5 kg of fava beans (broad beans)
1.5 kg fresh peas
3 artichokes, cleaned and finely chopped
50 ml olive oil
100g pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g new potatoes, diced
Piece of parmesan rind
Handful chopped parsley
500 ml water
Handful fresh basil, chopped

Shell the beans and peas and set to one side. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the pancetta, let it brown a little, then add the onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the beans, peas, artichokes and potatoes. Mix well, add the parsley and the Parmesan rind and add the water. Season with salt and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally and adding more water if soup dries out too much. Serve hot with a sprinkling of basil and a final drizzling of olive oil.

Pasta con Fave-Broad Bean Pasta

This recipe is especially good if made with fave fresh from the garden. It's a simple dish to prepare, and tastes unbelievably good, but remember, you need short pasta for this dish, so spaghetti and linguini are out.

Ingredients for 2

50 - 70g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300g small broad beans
150g ditaloni pasta (or similar)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese for serving

Melt the butter with the oil and fry the onion till softened. Add the garlic and soften slightly (taking care not to burn it), then add the broad beans with half a cup of water, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until cooked.

For the pasta, boil a saucepan of water, add salt and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain, leaving a little liquid in the pan. Mix together the pasta, reserved cooking liquid and beans. Serve topped with grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.

Insalata di Arance-Italian Orange Salad

Not quite a regular salad, not quite a sweet, nothing freshens the palate quite like this does. Don't be afraid to add other citrus fruits to the mix if you fancy a change.

Ingredients for 4

4 large oranges
Few crisp lettuce leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel orange and cut into segments, taking care to remove any pith and membrane. Arrange the crisp salad on a serving dish and season lightly. Place the orange segments on top, season with salt and pepper and garnish with a drizzling of extra-virgin olive oil. (Also delicious served with grilled salmon.)