Frankie Dettori’s Italian Family Cookbook

For the dressing, whisk the olive oil into the balsamic vinegar very slowly, until emulsified. Season with a small pinch of sugar and salt. To serve, place the rocket leaves in a bowl and drizzle over the dressing. Top with the shaved Parmesan.

Marco

“This brilliant Italian salad became wildly popular in London restaurants a few years ago. And this was when chefs started mucking about with it, adding all manner of things, such as pine nuts, bacon, croutons or, God help me, poached eggs. I don’t add anything as this dish stands up on its own either as a starter or light lunch, or as an accompaniment to a grilled or roasted meat dish.”

INSALATA DI PERA, CICORIA E GORGONZOLA (#ulink_95bb8d18-f268-5dfc-bef0-0900b07f374d)

Chicory, pear, walnut and Gorgonzola salad (#ulink_95bb8d18-f268-5dfc-bef0-0900b07f374d)

100 g caster sugar

2 ripe Conference pears, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes

4 heads of yellow chicory, halved and with the bitter core cut out, and thinly sliced lengthways

40 g walnuts, roughly chopped

100 g Gorgonzola, cut into 1 cm cubes

FOR THE DRESSING:

25 g walnuts

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

150 ml walnut oil

a pinch of sugar

salt

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

To make the dressing, place the walnuts and white wine vinegar in a food processor and, with the motor running, trickle in the walnut oil until emulsified. Add a pinch of sugar and season to taste.

Sprinkle the caster sugar into a pan and cook over a high heat for a few seconds until the sugar begins to caramelize and turn golden brown. Then add the cubed pears and cook for 10 minutes until they begin to caramelize. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. To serve, place the sliced chicory, walnuts and Gorgonzola in a bowl, add the caramelized pears and sugar, mix in the dressing and divide between 4 plates or bowls.

Marco

“When I bring the kids to Frankie’s for an early supper, I always try to eat with them and this is one of my favourite light suppers. Gorgonzola is a fantastic cheese - it has the bite of a good Stilton, tempered with the creaminess of a Taleggio, and is perfect with the crunchy walnuts and sweet pears.”

TONNO E FAGIOLI (#ulink_c75f8566-4fd9-5f04-ae0e-ae9ca9ae967b)

Tuna and bean salad (#ulink_c75f8566-4fd9-5f04-ae0e-ae9ca9ae967b)

400 g good quality tinned Italian or Spanish tuna in olive oil, drained

3 tablespoons lemon juice

100 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, sliced very finely

a handful of fresh basil leaves

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE FLAGEOLET BEANS:

400 g flageolet beans, soaked overnight

1 carrot, halved

½ onion

1 celery stick

½ bulb of garlic

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

Serves: 4