DAcampo - Gino’s Veg Italia!: 100 quick and easy vegetarian recipes

www.hodder.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in 2015 by
Hodder & Stoughton
An Hachette UK company

Copyright Gino DAcampo 2015

Photography Copyright David Munns 2015

The right of Gino DAcampo to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

ISBN 9781444795202

Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
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Vegetables are a key element of Italian cuisine, particularly in the south of the country, yet in most Italian cookery books they play second fiddle to meat and fish dishes. That is why I really wanted to write this book to celebrate vegetables and make them the star attraction rather than simply the supporting cast. But, just to be clear, although none of the recipes contain meat or fish this is not a vegetarian cookbook as such. The recipes are for everyone, and I guarantee your family and friends will love them. If you are a strict vegetarian, youll be able to make all the recipes in this book provided you use rennet-free equivalents of the cheeses.

The dishes I have chosen are full of flavour, easy to prepare, good for you and extremely satisfying. I have been making a lot of them regularly for many years, but some are new creations. They are not only impressive, but also extremely economical.

There is so much goodness in so many vegetables that they really can help our bodies to work better and stay healthier. They provide essential vitamins, minerals and fibre all of which are needed for optimum health and well-being. Some are rich in iron, others in omega 3 and omega 6 or calcium. Many vegetables also contain carotenoids, which are believed to reduce the risk of developing certain diseases, including cancer.

With so many unexplained diseases around, I sometimes wonder whether many modern ailments might be attributable in part to the way we eat today especially where processed foods are concerned. Although their packaging often claims they are fresh and healthy, they frequently contain chemicals that have been added to give them a longer shelf life. If you cook with fresh produce, you are more able to control what you consume so lets go back to basics and enjoy what nature wanted us to eat!

For the best results in your cooking, I urge you to grow your own vegetables and herbs if at all possible. Even if you live in a tiny flat you can still grow a pot of basil, sage or rosemary on your windowsill, and if you have a small outdoor area such as a balcony or patio you can grow many vegetables in pots. It is honestly so worth it. In fact, I actually got the idea of writing this book because I started to grow my own. I had always grown herbs in London, but when I bought my house in Sardinia I built some very simple raised beds out of timber and this year have grown and harvested courgettes, peppers, aubergines, herbs, salad leaves and tomatoes as well as a range of fruits. No chemical fertilisers or pesticides just sun and water, the way its supposed to be, and I can honestly say Ive never tasted fruit and vegetables quite like them. As well as having so much more flavour and being that much more nutritious, home-grown vegetables have given me enormous pleasure and satisfaction.

I am a great lover of meat and fish, but vegetables definitely deserve a book in their own right. If I havent convinced you yet, just scan through these pages and look at the recipes on offer. As you can see from the photographs, the dishes look as incredible as they taste, yet all contain simple ingredients and theyre really easy to make. I have thoroughly enjoyed creating this book, and hope you enjoy the journey too. As always, I leave you with my promise that my recipes are made with minimum effort, yet give maximum satisfaction.

Buon Appetito!

Here I have selected my favourite ten vegetables the ones I cook with at least once a week. I would miss each of them enormously if they werent part of my regular diet. You will notice that I havent included onions and garlic, which are of course hugely important; Ive concentrated on vegetables that feature in their own right rather than those used predominantly for flavouring. One that I havent included, which I really did battle with, is the ubiquitous tomato. Tomatoes are one of the most popular fruits/vegetables in the world and are a key element of the Italian diet. They are extremely important to me, but I decided for my Top 10 to select ingredients that arent used as frequently. My guilt, however, means I had to give them a mention!

Globe artichokes have such a delectable flavour and are a real treat in our house. Generally, the ones in Italy (and there are several kinds) are more tender than those in Britain, so the whole vegetable can be eaten, either stewed, fried or even served raw with oil and lemon. However, in Britain I tend to use only the hearts, which are beautifully tender and delicious. Extracting the heart from a whole artichoke can be a lot of work, so I usually buy them ready-prepared. They are widely available in jars or tubs, marinated in oil and sometimes chargrilled, and are invaluable for using as an ingredient in cooking or popped into salads, giving you that elegant Mediterranean twist when you need it and saving you a lot of preparation time.

The artichoke is one of the oldest medicinal plants used for digestive and liver problems, and one artichoke contains approximately a quarter of the average adults daily fibre requirements. It is packed with potassium, magnesium and folic acid, so is particularly good for pregnant women, and some studies show it even lowers cholesterol.

See Spaghetti with Artichokes, Radicchio, Peas and White Wine ().

The minute you start seeing these beautiful spears in your local grocers you know spring has arrived. There are green, white and even purple varieties, but green are the most commonly grown. Asparagus is a really classy vegetable that can look spectacular served as a starter or as a side dish.

Always buy asparagus in season (mid-spring to early summer) and try to source spears that have been locally grown and harvested as recently as possible. Probably more than any other vegetable, asparagus tastes best immediately after cutting.

To prepare asparagus, trim the woody base of the stalk (it can be snapped off if very fresh) and add the spears to salted boiling water or, even better, steam them, until just al dente. If overcooked, asparagus can become soggy and lose its flavour, its bright green colour and its nutritious qualities. Fine asparagus cooks more evenly than larger spears. If using large spears, you will have to cook the stems longer than the tips.