Bills Everyday Italian Hb

HarperCollins Publishers
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First published in 2014 by HarperCollins Publishers

Text 2014 William Granger
Photography 2014 Mikkel Vang
Design and layout 2014 bills Licensing Pty Limited
Cover layout design 2014 bills Licensing Pty Limited
Cover photography 2014 Mikkel Vang

Bill Granger asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

www.bill-granger.com

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780007507009
Ebook Edition FEBRUARY 2014 ISBN: 9780007507016
Version: 2014-01-23

FOR NATALIE, EDIE, INS AND BUNNY This book was conceived during a baking-hot family summer holiday in Puglia, the heel of the boot that is Italy. Its somewhat brutal landscape, warm welcoming people and honest earthy rustic food inspired a cooking bonanza and a collection of my version of Italian recipes. My family devoured the spoils, even when they included a novices attempt at wood-fired pizza. I am so grateful for the opportunity to create this book and thank HarperCollins for their continuing trust and faith in my work. I am enormously thankful to the team of hard-working individuals who made this book a reality: Lou, for her inspired design and art direction and for keeping us organised against all odds; my food team, Julian, Rosie, Marina and Kathy, who ensured the food looked as delicious as it tastes (Julian, you do create a beautiful mess, and Marina, you work wonders); Erika and Mikkel, whose passion and bounce are contagious and awe-inspiring, at sun-up and sun-down; Lucy, for trawling the flea markets for such gems of props, and Tamin, for your patience and calm, no matter where you found yourself; to my wordsmiths, Glenda, for uncompromising attention to detail, and Jane, for often knowing what I mean better than I do myself; Paul and Pete, the images sing due to your expertise; Victoria, you keep us all on our toes; and Antony, your knowledge guides us to higher levels. On our shoot we found ourselves back in the stunning house, Secondo Amore, thanks to the patient kind Katy Lake from Think Puglia who encouraged the owners to allow our team to mine its beauty. We grew into an extended family with our adopted Italians, Anna Maria and her son, Pasquale. Anna Maria taught the girls to make orecchiette and showered us with Pugliese hospitality on our first visit; this time they both went to the ends of the earth to help us all. Guiding us through the language and the local terrain was the immaculately dressed Mario. (Please can we borrow your grandmothers meat slicer?) And none of it would have been possible without the local community of Ostuni fishmonger, baker and grocer who, no doubt, could not fathom what we wanted with so much food every day!

CONTENTS

These people really know how to live, I decide every time I visit Italy. Italians look as if theyre thoroughly enjoying life as stylish extras on the set of Roman Holiday . They dont suck coffee from disposable sippy-cups on the bus; they lean against marble bars and drink tiny grown-up espressos. They dont dash down takeaway burgers over computer keyboards; they unwrap paper parcels of spiced salami or creamy cheese in shaded parks. And, while much of the world hums with anxiety in rush-hour traffic, the Italians dress up for the daily passeggiata before zipping off on a shiny red Vespa to eat gelato with a glossy-haired Audrey Hepburn ... My imagination has run away with me, but Italians do seem to have made some great lifestyle choices just dont mention politics, please! Sitting down to eat well with family and friends takes high priority, yet no stress accompanies that expectation and theres a refreshing lack of artifice about what is put on the table. This country is the home of the slow cooking movement, yet no Italian would waste time faffing around with already-perfect fresh ingredients (how they must sigh at our foams and deconstructions). The regional dishes are as old as the hills they come from, yet the freshness of the ingredients gives them modernity. Rich and poor, all are able to eat well in Italy. Its this joy of life and respect for food that I resolve to take home with me every time I visit. Yes, the Italians really know how to live.

If you need to cheat (and, goodness knows, there are plenty of times when that way sanity lies) you can buy all these bits and pieces at a deli or supermarket. But, if theres ever a lovely slow empty afternoon when youre in the mood for pottering in the kitchen and stocking the fridge, here are some ideas to work with. Theyll give you the basic foundations for many Italian dishes and take the pressure off during the week. None of these are complicated, but all will lift any meal from basic to bellissimo . Home-made focaccia can make a meal out of anything in the best possible way. And, while pasta with supermarket pesto isnt a dish that generates much excitement, home-made pesto certainly does.

SOFFRITTO IN OLIVE OIL

Making soffritto in advance is a time-saving revelation. This finely chopped flavour base can be kept under a thin layer of olive oil in a jar in the fridge, or even frozen (without the oil). So if, like me, youre often left with a couple of slightly less-than-crunchy celery stalks or carrots in the vegetable crisper, quickly dice, cook and keep.

Garlic, onion and celery make up the holy trinity of much Mediterranean cooking and a finely diced soffritto is the base for just about any soup, stew, sauce or braise created on an Italian stove. Im a bit of a rebel here: I tend to chop my ingredients a little less finely than the average Italian cook.

MAKES 1KG

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for storing

5 carrots, sliced

4 onions, sliced