Silver Travel Cook Club - October 2019

This month’s Silver Travel Cook Club, is a double portion of real Italian cuisine as well as the chance to explore the finer things in life, Italian style. And you could win a copy of Gino d’Acampo’s Italian Adriatic Escape. 

HF Holidays Cooking and Walking holidays enable guests to learn about, cook and eat dishes typical of the region as they prepare delicious antipasti, pasta, main and dessert dishes using regional produce and traditional techniques.

The holidays also include foodie excursions to local producers and delve a little deeper into the origins of your ingredients as well as plenty of time to explore the stunning Italian countryside on guided walks.

Meet our chefs of the month – the Bernardin brothers, Enrico and Roberto

The Bernardin family comes from Gosaldo, near Belluno, and have been running the Hotel delle Rose since 1954, specialising in traditional Ligurian recipes, in particular home-made pasta.

Brothers Enrico and Roberto are now the helm of the family business, and they are proudly carrying on the old tradition: pasta is still prepared many times each week according to the original recipe. The family also runs the next door bar and ice cream parlour; a great spot to relax after a day's walk.

Cooking and Walking in Italy with HF Holidays

Cinque Terre Cooking and Walking

The quiet coastal resort of Bonassola is the perfect base from which to explore the region. There is easy access to both the enchanting villages of Cinque Terre and peaceful countryside further inland. On this holiday, you will not only explore the area but also join the Bernadin brothers at their cookery school to learn about and taste some classic Ligurian dishes.

Holiday highlights also include guided walks and excursions both inland and along the much-photographed coastline, and following a mule path through the olive groves to Groppo for a wine tasting

2020 departures and pricing:

• 18 April 2010, 30 May 2010 and 10 October 2020
• 7 nights from £1,349pp with flights

More details

NEW for 2020: Puglia Cooking and Walking

Based in the historic Puglian town of Altamura guests learn to cook authentic local dishes using hand-picked and locally sourced ingredients as well as explore the labyrinthine underground tunnels of Gravina and cave-dwellings in Matera on this varied and exciting Italian holiday.

Other highlights including exploring Gravina's underground world of tunnels, cellars, granaries and 17th century ovens, learning about Apulian Cheese production and enjoy a typical farmer’s lunch.

2020 Departures and pricing:

• 6 June 2020, 5 September 2020 and 10 October 2020
• 7 nights from £1,704pp with flights

More details

Enrico & Roberto’s favourite recipes:

Recipe: Ligurian-Style Sea Bass

Ingredients:

• 2 lb potatoes (waxy variety ideal), peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 lb tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 3/4 cup pitted green olives
• 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Two 3-pound sea bass, cleaned
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
  

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). In a very large roasting pan, toss the potatoes, tomatoes, olives and basil with 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Make 3 shallow slashes in both sides of each fish. Rub each fish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the fish in the roasting pan, tucking them into the vegetables. Roast for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the fish are cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the pine nuts in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Spoon the pine nuts over the fish and vegetables in the roasting pan and serve right away.

Recipe: Authentic Italian Tiramisu

Prep Time: 30 Min  |  Rest Time: 6 Hr  |  Serves: 6/8 people

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 75g caster sugar
• 450g mascarpone
• 2 tbsp sweet marsala
• 2 tbsp dark rum
• 100ml espresso
• About 16-24 savoiardi biscuits (or boudoir, if unavailable), depending on size of dish
• Cocoa powder, to dust
  

Preparation:

Whisk three of the egg whites until stiff, then set aside. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and voluminous, then whisk in the mascarpone, a little at a time, until smooth and well combined. Gently fold the three whites into the mascarpone mixture with a large metal spoon, being careful to knock as little air out as possible.

Stir the marsala into the coffee and pour into a shallow dish. Dip each biscuit into the liquid until it is a pale coffee colour, then arrange to cover the base of a shallow glass dish. Spoon a third of the mascarpone mixture on top, followed by a good sprinkle of cocoa, then repeat the layers, finishing with a layer of the cheese and cocoa.

Cover and refrigerate for six hours before serving – you may need to dust with a little more cocoa before serving.

How to win a copy of Gino d’Acampo’s Italian Adriatic Escape: A taste of Italy from Veneto to Puglia