Ingredients -

500gr spaghetti or linguine

2 cloves garlic (whole to remove or crushed - whichever you prefer)

1/4 (or a splash more) cup extra virgin olive oil

1kg clams

approx 400gr ripe cherry tomatoes (or any tomato you have - or none at all if you prefer in bianco)

Salt

Pasta water in case it needs to be added at the end

Watch the instagram reel as a method guide. https://www.instagram.com/p/CcY_45ylU4M/

When the pasta is cooked, grab it with the tongs and move it to the pan with the sauce, without draining it too much so some of the pasta water goes in the pan with it creating a nice sauce.

Scoll down to find the recipe and click on the link to watch the reel on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cby7deOl9Tn/

Honestly - if you just put all the ingredients in a bowl and either mix them well in a kitchenaid or knead well by hand , they will turn out beautifully. Don’t over think it!

3 cups flour 00

2 teaspoons dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

100 gr room temp butter

1 & 1/4 cups milk

Knead. Let it rise for a couple of hours or so

IN THE MEANTIME - make your cinnamon butter spread and your icing. Put about 100gr room temp butter, a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, a tablespoon of cinnamon, and mix until it forms a buttery texture.

For the icing, just a few tablespoons of icing sugar and a tablespoon of milk and mix. If you like it more runny you need more water , or more thick, just add more icing sugar (do it gradually, in small amounts so you get “your” right consistency.

Once risen roll out the dough into a square (ish) shape, spread your butter cream on it, roll and cut and place in a tin. Take a look at the one I have used in my reels to get an idea of the size.

Let rise for about another half hour and then bake.

Bake on around 175 until they are golden.

Head to reels to watch method! https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/

Eggplant and Ricotta Sandwiches

Ingredients

• About 3 medium size eggplants

• (optional) 3-4 fresh paprika

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 500gr ricotta (drained but not too dry)

• 4 or 5 tablespoons grated parmesan

• salt, pepper

• clove garlic

• 1 tin Mutti cherry tomatoes

• basil

• extra grated parmesan and some breadcrumbs for topping

  
  Prepare ricotta mixture by adding the ricotta, parmesan, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix it until you get a nice smooth creamy mixture.

  Cut the eggplant into cycinders and fry lightly on each side. Remove and set aside to cool.

  For the sauce, put some oil and a clove of garlic in a pan you just friend the eggplant in, gently fry, and then add your fresh paprika and the white wine, let fry for a minute and then add your tin of Mutti cherry tomatoes. Let simmer . Salt the sauce and add some basil.

  While sauce is simmering, prepare your melanzane sandwiches, and once the sauce is cooked (about 20 -30 mintues), place them in the sauce. Top them with some grated parmesan and breadcrumbs and bake in the oven until they are golden brown on top.

Head to my reels on Instagram to watch the process by clicking on the link

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CbOPlDelEcr/

Ingredients

• about 5 boiled, peeled and riced (or mashed) potatoes.

• 1 egg

• salt and pepper

• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• slices (slithers) of mozzarella cheese (about 12 - cut the size of your pinky finger)

• a bowl of breadcrumbs

• sunflower oil to fry

  Mix the potato, egg, parmesan salt and pepper together in a bowl. Scoop out bits of the mix like you would when making a meatball, and roll a log shape on your hand. Press your indwx finger to make a hollow for the cheese and then seal. Roll on a board also if you like. Then roll in the breadcrumbs ready to fry.

  Head to our instagram reels to see the method https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/reels/

Thought I’d salute the last of the cherries with delicious Cherry Ciambella.

It’s simple and really easy to create .

Prep the cherries-

Peel them and pop in a pan with -

3 handfuls of really ripe cherries.

Juice of 1 Orange or a Lemon

2 tablespoons of sugar

Let cool…….

Ciambella

3 eggs

12 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons sunflower oil

12 tablespoons self raising flour

6 tablespoons milk

Rind of a lemon (or some vanilla bean if you prefer)

Head to our instagram page to watch the method https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/reels/

250 gr butter

2 & 1/2 cups flour 00 (approx)

5 tablespoons zucchero

2 eggs

1 rind of a lemon

2 handfuls macadamia nuts crushed.

Cook on about 180c until golden

Head to reel on instagram to watch method https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/

Here is a quick and easy jam filled biscuit perfect for Christmas or anytime really.

Ingredients for the Pasta Frolla is below. To follow the method head to our Instagram page to watch. It is quite simple and easy. The dough should be squeezed in the hand in the first stage of kneading, and then popped on your board or table to knead into a ball.

Ingredients -

250gr butter

Rind of a lemon

5 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

3 cups of 00 flour for sweets

1 teaspoon baking powder

(if the dough feels dry and not kneading properly just wet your hand and start kneading again)

Cook in fanforced oven 180c for about 30 mintues (depending on oven - just check but you will smell when they are ready)

Scan the QR Code below to get to our Instagram page -

Carangiole (also known as Cartellate in Puglia) are a Christmas delight from my mother in law’s hometown Santa Croce Di Magliano in Molise and this is her recipe. Molise and Puglia are neighbouring regions in Southern Italy along the Adriatic Coast and my mother in law’s hometown is a stones throw from the border that separates Molise and Puglia. I am not sure why these Christmas delights are named differently - that’s something I’ll be asking Zia when we can get back home to Italy.

They are similar to a cannoli/crostoli only a little softer and more fluffy.

Scoll down for the recipe and head to out instagram page to watch how they are made via the ‘reel’.

The Little Italian School instagram

RICETTA - Recipe

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of sugar

50 gr softened butter

1/2 cup white wine

1 teaspoon of raising agent for cakes

Watch ‘reel’ over at our instagram page for the method (click on link below). NB Sunflower oil used for frying

The Little Italian School Instagram

Or scan the QR Code below to take you there -

I’m not sure when it happened, I’m just glad it did. I’m glad the world has become smaller and we are all embracing each others diversities. We still have a way to go maybe, but for Italians the world looks peachy. The beauty of our culture is shining all over the globe. Apparently it’s really ‘on trend’ to be Italian.

Things were a little different for the first wave of immigrants and their children back in the 1950’s post World War 2. The struggles were real. An unknown race was flocking overseas in search for opportunities they didn’t have in Italy at the time. Italians & Italian culture was the unknown, those ‘greasy wogs’ - ‘bloody garlic munchers’.

Italian immigrants proved themselves, and earned respect. The Italians of that generation are known as hard workers - the heads down and get on with it sort. No handouts, no complaining (they couldn’t speak English anyway) and they had one goal in mind - survival. Sometimes they were called names or mistreated, but that was child’s play compared to the hardship they had left behind in Italy.

We can thank our ancestors for giving Italians a good reputation around the world, and thank gosh for travel being more affordable these days so people can see how beautiful our culture is by visiting Italy and immersing themselves in it. Italians proved themselves and now the rest of the world can’t get enough of all things Italy!

So what are the things non Italians love to love about Italians and Italian culture? According to my language students the list from a foreigner’s perspective is long. Let’s begin -

1. Family values

   ‘La famiglia’ is the most important part of an Italian’s life. ‘La mamma’ and ‘la nonna’ are two of the most respected family figures.

   All ages matter - especially the children and the elderly.

   There are definitely some sexist undertones still going on, but that’s a global issue. I would dare say it is a matriarchal society. In the eyes of my students, Italian women are ‘generally’ strong and confident, with a bit of ‘sass’.

2. Food & drink culture

   For the way it brings people together, the rituals around it, the way food is spoken about in a positive light. The ‘aperol spritz’ & ‘burrata’ fads in other countries may pass (thank gosh), but the deep rooted culture around food will always remain. It runs deep in the veins.

3. Community, Traditions, La Piazza

   The holding on to traditions and ancient (usually religious) festivals, that bring everyone together. The ‘passeggiata’ and the piazza, where people can just ‘be’ on a daily basis without the pressure of always having to ‘do’ or ‘purchase’.

4. People’s pride and loyalty to the town or village they are from

   Italians speak of their birthplace with such love and pride. Most are able to tell you story after story with so much oomph you leave believing they live in the most special village in all of Italy.

5. Language

   People simply love the sound - hence the name ‘la dolce lingua’ (the sweet language). It is very easy on the ear

6. Art, music, literature, architecture, fashion

   I have bunched all of these into one. These are the things Italy used to promote to the tourist and are extremely significant. Italy is flooded with history. I can say that 99% of my students, when visiting Italy enjoy a trip to the local museum, stand in front of stunning architecture with jaws dropped, love to walk the high streets of fashion in Milan & Rome, but much prefer to immerse themselves in the everyday living of an Italian when possible. They will always tell me stories of people more than places, and the warmth they feel from Italian locals when travelling.

But everything goes in and out of fashion. People are always searching for the next best thing or something new. This trend may pass too - but I imagine that because it is the Italian people and culture stealing hearts, not just the ‘place’, foreigners will be forever pining for Italy - as though it were their first love.

This is a very easy light version but can be tweeked to your liking. You can add a couple of eggs to the potato mash, but I didn’t for this one. You could also add peas, a little cooked onion if you like, or even substitute the salumi for tuna.

• 1 kg potato - boiled, mashed and a tablespoon of butter added

• 300 g di mozzarella

• 150 g di prosciutto cotto

• About a handful of breadcrumbs

• salt

• pepe

• 80 g di grana padano or parmigiano

Head to the Instagram reel to watch the process. https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/