Eggplants, or aubergines, are in season at the moment and with the days getting shorter and temperatures lower, it’s time to try the comfort food of the traditional Italian recipe, melanzane alla parmigiana. I did my first attempt with an original recipe over the weekend and it is a combination of all that is good from traditional Italian products: eggplant, tomato, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Given those ingredients, it’s not one for those watching their calorie intake; the generous amount of mozzarella combined with frying the eggplant first means you’re getting a hit in one go of hearty food. If you’re a salad person, this is not for you. But it’s great reheated on a colder evening when you’re got no time for cooking and in fact, it’s even better (a bit like reheated lasagne leftovers - it tastes better the second time around).

The basic ingredients are above and while it sounds like it’s fiddly, it’s basically a process of dipping the eggplant in flour and egg, frying it, doing a tomato sauce and then layering in an oven dish with mozzarella and parmesan. It will look so good that by the time you get to the baking stage of just 10-15min, your appetite will be more than stimulated. For the full recipe, see Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino.

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If you are in a hurry but want to cook a lovely meal for your family (or friends), this quick and easy Italian recipe is what you need. Ingredients: 200 g pennette pasta; 100 g ricotta cheese; 300 g mushrooms (chopped and cooked in oil with parsley and garlic); Parmesan cheese.

Method: 1. cook the pasta in slightly salted water. 2. In a bowl mix the ricotta and two or three tablespoons of pasta water. 3. Thrown in the mushrooms, add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and stir. 4. Drain the pasta and stir in the ricotta sauce.

Bon appetit!

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We’ve looked at plenty of Italian snacks here on Dolce Vita, but this is the first I’ve heard of anything like this Italian cheese snack. If you’re going to throw an Italian snack party, you could try this “parmesan cheese pudding” with your friends.

Ingredients: 200 grams of grated parmesan cheese (make sure it’s the good “parmigiano” stuff), 200 grams of robiola (like stracchino cheese), three eggs, two egg whites, 200 mL of fresh cream, 50 grams of flour, 40 grams of butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Mix the parmigiano and robiola cheese together in a bowl, add some butter and nutmeg, and then add half the flour and cream. Mix together for a smooth consistency. Add the eggs and egg whites and continue mixing. Grease six small tins, add some flour and then pour in the mixture. Place all the tins in an oven-proof dish with some water in the bottom and cook in a hot oven at about 170°C for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

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Looking for a new delicious Italian recipe with which to surprise your friends ? Look no further! Here we have an exquisite recipe for gnocchi with aubergines and scamorza cheese that will have your friends licking their plates!!

Ingredients: ready-made or home-made gnocchi; aubergines, dried scamorza; Parmesan cheese; oil; salt.

Preparation: wash the aubergines, add salt and leave them for a few minutes (the salt will release liquid from the aubergine, so remember to dab it dry with kitchen paper). Next cut the scamorza into cubes and coarsely chop the aubergine. In the meanwhile cook the gnocchi in slightly salted water. In a shallow but large pan, mix together the chopped aubergines, the scamorza cubes and a few tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and stir in the gnocchi. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted. At this point, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve!

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A traditional Italian Christmas menu probably doesn’t include finger food and snacks, but if you’re entertaining for people on Christmas Eve and still want something Italian, this parmesan and parma ham (or prosciutto crudo) snack could do the trick.

You’ll need some puff pastry for the base and then the ingredients for four people are: 80 grams of parma ham in one slice, 75 grams of grated parmesan cheese, two eggs, 200 ml of fresh cream, a bunch of celery leaves, 20 grams of walnuts, salt and pepper.

Create four discs from the puff pastry and put them into little pie tins with some oven paper. Punch a couple of fork marks in the bottom of the pastry and then fill the pastry with dry lentils, so that the pastry doesn’t swell and lose its shape. Cook in the oven for ten minutes at 200° C. Get rid of the lentils and cook for another three minutes.

For the filling, separate the egg yolk from the white, and use only the yolk, mixing it with the cheese and cream. Heat over boiling water to get a thick mixture, then add salt and pepper. Fill the pastry pies with the cheese filling, and then cover with some prosciutto, the walnuts and chopped celery. Serve luke warm.

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This recipe is from Parma, a city in Northern Italy famous for its exquisite cheese (i.e. Parmesan cheese) and ham.

Ingredients: 250 g flour; 20 g yeast; 4 oz water ; 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; corn oil (deep frying); salt.

Method: Start by melting the yeast in warm water, then pour into a bowl and add oil, flour and salt. Next mix to a dough and then leave it until it looks as though it has doubled in bulk ( it will take half an hour). Next stage is to roll the dough; done that, cut it into rhomboid pieces and fry until golden. Put them on kitchen paper to absorbe excess oil and then serve with Parma ham or salami.

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“Pasticcio” in Italian means mess, and today we give you an easy pasta recipe for leftover pasta or something quick for when you come in from work in the evenings. Ingredients are 250 grams of short pasta (for example penne), 200 grams of emmental cheese, 100 grams of fontina cheese, 50 grams of chopped ham, grated parmesan cheese, nutmeg, butter and salt and pepper.

Boil the pasta (or use as is if using leftover pasta). Butter a pan and put half the cheese and some ham on the bottom. Add the pasta and mix well. Add the other half of the cheese, leaving on the surface together with the rest of the ham. Dust with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and a little nutmeg.

Leave to cook in the oven, heating until the cheese is melted and a crunchy crust forms on the top. With so much cheese this is a heavy dish, and so is perfect as one dish, perhaps accompanied by some salad.

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I’m crazy about cheese. I’m always hunting for news recipes and love to experiment with new flavours, throwing in ingredients that somehow catch my fancy; now a spoon of honey, now an exotic condiment! So if you, like me, love cheese, this mousse recipe will really make you lick your chops!

Ingredients: 100 g grated Parmesan cheese, 100 g milk, 100 g heavy cream.

Preparation: put all ingredients into a bowl and keep stirring until the Parmesan cheese melts. Next place a large pan over low heat, pour in the mixture and keep stirring and cook for 10 minutes. At this point remove from heat and pour into small silicon moulds. Put in the fridge until firm and then serve .

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With this new recipe you will save time, money and eat great!

Ingredients: 3 eggs; leftover spaghetti; butter; Parmesan cheese; culinary herbs

Preparation: chop the spaghetti and place in a bowl. Next add the eggs, Parmesan cheese, aromatic herbs, and a pinch of salt. Fry the mixture in a little oil or butter until golden and crispy on both sides.

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Mushrooms are perfect for the Holiday Season and can be easily paired with a variety of exquisite wines. Here’s a recipe that stands out from the rest:

Ingredients: 1/2 litre milk, 400 g porcini mushrooms, 150 g semolina, 80 g butter, 50g Parmesan, 2 eggs, nutmeg, 1/2 stock cube, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper.

Method: melt a bit of butter in a round baking dish and then sprinkle with breadcrumbs; bring the milk to the boil, add salt and then whisk in the semolina in a thin stream. Keep stirring and let cook for 20 minutes. At this point add butter, Parmesan, a sprinkle of nutmeg and two yolks . Next place the mixture into the baking dish and bake at 180° C for half an hour. In the meanwhile chop the porcini mushrooms, place in a frying pan with butter, oil and garlic. Add stock cube. Next remove the rice from the oven, pour your mushroom sauce over the risotto and sprinkle with parsley.

If I were you I would pair it with an exquisite wine called Cervaro della Sala.

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