Food writer and passionate home cook Silvia Colloca takes us on a kitchen bench journey through regional Italy for series 2 of Cook like an Italian with Silvia Colloca.
More than ever, the simple act of cooking and sharing food with the people we love is vital to our happiness — and there is always happiness in an Italian kitchen, from Silvia's family to yours.
Episode 1 | Emilia Romagna
Silvia returns to take us through the famous region of Emilia Romagna — known for its medieval cities, sun-soaked Adriatic beaches and some of the best cuisine in Italy. The ancient cuisine of Emilia Romagna is simple, yet full of strong and refined flavours and the region is considered to be the gastronomical heart of Italy. We return for Series Two with Silvia's kitchen nearing the end of a renovation with Silvia cooking up a memorable lunch for the tradies and then christening the kitchen by cooking her beloved Nona's Ragu.
Episode 2 | Breakfast breads
Italian breakfasts are quite different to the traditional breakfast you might be used to — they are usually much lighter and often sweeter than cooked breakfasts that are eaten in many countries around the world. Quite often they are simply there to accompany a morning cappuccino or espresso either at home or standing at an Italian bar on the way to work. In this episode, we'll explore three different breakfasts which are light and will start your day off splendidly.
Source: Jono Fleming
Episode 3 | Special occasions
Abruzzo food is Italian cuisine at its purest. The region is surrounded by national parks, protected from centuries of foreign cuisine influences. In the North, cooking has been influenced by France and Austro-Hungarian food. And of course in the South of Italy, there is a strong Spanish, Arabic and North African influence. But in the middle, Abruzzo's ancient recipes have remained unchanged, with simple and fresh ingredients used creatively for maximum effect. Silvia meets with some distant cousins living in Australia and they spend the afternoon cooking one of the Abruzzo region's most traditional soups.
Episode 4 | Pasta shapes
There are approximately 350 types of pasta in Italy — and about four times as many names for them! Pasta shapes are designed to hold the sauce in the best way possible due to form and consistency. Some pasta varieties are uniquely regional, but in other cases, the cut of the pasta is present in more than one region, but it’s known by another name. In this episode we'll be pairing pasta with some of my favourite sauces and salads, and learning how to make maccheroni al ferro by hand.
Episode 5 | Gluten-free Italian
Cooking is central to the Italian way of life, so when they need to substitute ingredients, they do it well. Italians are very accommodating to 'senza glutine' alternatives and Italian law actually requires that gluten-free food be available in schools, hospitals and public places. For example, chickpea and chestnut flours have been part of Italian cuisine for centuries. The recipes here are all delicious gluten-free alternatives to some of Italy's most classic and authentic meals — and you won't feel like you’re missing out at all.
Source: Jono Fleming
Episode 6 | Kids in the kitchen
When you meet an Italian, they will always recall the stories and memories about the smells coming from their kitchen when they were children. What they learnt simply by being in the kitchen is priceless family history, passed
down from their Nonnas and Mammas. If you invite your children into the cooking process, you'll be surprised by how excited they are to see the end product and try what they have made themselves. It's a wonderful experience cooking with your children that makes memories last a lifetime.
Episode 7 | Seafood lovers
Italy's vast coastline provides ample opportunity to enjoy fresh seafood across the country. Most of Italy's regions border the coast, however each region has their own specialty seafood dishes ranging from pastas, stews or baking, and then combining those dishes with in-season ingredients. We all know that the way to an Italian’s heart is through their stomachs and Silvia cooks two dishes, Zupetta Di Pesce and Baked Snapper for a close friend's 60th Birthday. These recipes are some of Italy's most popular seafood dishes, but Silvia's version features a slight twist to keep you on your toes.
RECIPES
Spaghetti vongole e 'nduja
Episode 8 | Vegetables
Many vegetable lovers worry about navigating Italy's restaurants, cafes and grocery stores and avoid cooking Italian food as they think it to be rich in meat. This is partly true, Italians do love their meat — but it doesn't mean meat-heavy meals overpower the cuisine or take up the majority of menus. There are so many authentic vegetable-forward recipes in Italy, many even vegetarian and vegan - although lots of 'Italian-inspired' food in other countries is smothered in cream or butter, Italians often use olive oil as a base.
Episode 9 | Party tricks
Silvia will be showing us some of Italy's most classic meals to share with friends and family. Every Italian cook has 'grandma hacks' or 'party tricks' passed down from their Mamma and it's these little hacks that make all the difference. You won't be slaving away for hours in the kitchen, or searching at the local market for specific ingredients included in the long recipe in your cookbook. Most of these recipes you'll be familiar with, but these slight twists make the cooking process faster and are bound to impress those guests you’ve been promising to have over for months.
Source: Jono Fleming
Episode 10 | Family favourites
You cannot go wrong with these favourites which will of course be enjoyed by the whole family — even if you have some fussy eaters in the house! The ingredients are simple, yet full of flavour and the recipes have been refined to the point of perfection as they've passed down the generations. However, you may not want to serve the 'devil's chicken' to your kids or they may not eat anything else ever again.
