Perfect panna cotta and parmesan salad: everything I’m cooking before my Sicilian getaway
In this week’s Feast newsletter: Before I head to Italy for a last hit of summer sunshine, I’m getting into the mood with bucatini by a master and a Sicilian spread that is a true autumn feast
As you read this, I will likely be in the throes of packing my suitcase for a much-needed escape to Italy (Sicily, to be precise). A hit of vitamin D before the summer wardrobe is put away for another year, and I am ready to fully embrace autumn and winter hermit mode. I’ve always felt that September is the perfect time to escape to the Mediterranean for a last-minute injection of sun and, in this instance, to indulge in pasta, gelato and a healthy side of aperitivo. I cannot wait.
Because I have to cook a million meals before I go, I have prepared the family Rachel Roddy’s chicken thighs with cherry tomatoes and a green bean, lettuce and parmesan salad for a meal I know they all will devour. I’ve also made Felicity Cloake’s raspberry panna cotta with the haul we harvested from our local pick-your-own farm, a recipe she confirms also works with overripe or crushed berries that aren’t quite in top shape. There is also a tub of Rachel’s courgette, goat’s cheese and lemon risotto in the fridge, because we nabbed a couple of courgettes at the farm, too. That should keep my household going for a bit.
When I get back, I know I’ll be on my Italian-inspired cloud, so it’ll be more pasta than normal (is that possible?) and miniature cannoli with an espresso in the afternoon for a pick-me-up. I rely on classics such as Anna Del Conte’s bucatini all’amatriciana (pictured top) and Georgia Levy’s broccoli and anchovy farfalle to get us through a busy week.
Of course, going to Sicily means indulging in my favourite pasta alla norma, and I’ll be following Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe, because, let’s be honest, the man really knows how to cook an aubergine. And, while I hate to admit it, I know I’ll be coming back to a change of season and all that autumn brings. Perhaps an autumn feast from Ben Tish’s Sicilian spread will help soften the blow – panelle, sea salt and salsa verde being one of my favourite snacks. Or maybe I will follow Ben’s recipes for granita, and serve trays of it in the morning, alongside a stack of brioche buns. It is a traditional Sicilian breakfast, after all, so it would be rude not to. And then, perhaps, I can cling on to that summer feeling for just a tiny bit longer.
• Read Italian-flavoured recipes in a special edition of Feast with the Guardian this Saturday, in the Feast app and on theguardian.com/food.
My week in food
Sweet’n’sour | Chick’n’Sours, my all-time favourite chicken shop, shut its doors for the last time this summer, so I was delighted to find out it isn’t closing shop for good, but instead is now focusing on festivals, pop-ups and delivery. Their tenders and seaweed crack are out of this world. So, while I’ll miss long afternoons and late-night chicken feasts with a side of perfectly sour cocktails, I’m thrilled that I’ll get to enjoy them without even having to leave the house.
Cider of my eye | My husband and I don’t often share tastes in alcoholic beverages, but we have recently found common ground in the Newt Cyder Club. This quarterly subscription treats you to a range of homegrown and pressed ciders, with a little backstory on the apples and a few of the Newt’s in-house-made treats for good measure. It’s very early for the “C” word, but this really would make a lovely present – Christmas, birthday or otherwise.
What I’m reading | Abundance: Eating and Living With the Seasons, by Mark Diacono. I am a huge fan of Mark’s work, and this book is my favourite of his yet. He spent a year documenting his life in and out of the kitchen, and Abundance is the fruit of his labour (pun intended). Filled with wonderful, seasonal recipes, it’s an insightful, inspiring and witty read.
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