Three course Italian meal

CAPESANTE (PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TOMATO AND ROASTED PEPPER PURÉE)

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Scallops 60 gm
• Rock salt to taste
• Pepper, grounded to taste
• Olive oil:20 ml
• Butter: 30 gm
• Red pepper to garnish
• Chervil 2 gm
• Focaccia bread 30 gm
• Thyme, fresh, fried 2 gm

For sweet and spicy pepper sauce:

• Tomato 100 gm
• Red pepper, roasted 240 gm
• Olive oil 100 ml
• Onion, chopped 30 gm
• Garlic, chopped 30 gm
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Red chilli, dried, 
crushed with oil3 gm

Method

The tomato and bell peppers.

Scrub with salt and oil then place the peppers on a tray with aluminum foil to roast in the oven.

Once well coloured and cooked, remove the skin and seeds.

In a pan, fry the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil till golden, then add the roasted peppers and tomato.

Season with salt and pepper then add water and red crushed chilli.

Blend partially, leaving a sauce not too smooth and creamy and not too chunky either.

Place on a pot and boil for 10 more minutes. Take off heat and set aside.

Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a small pan, add olive oil and sear the scallops on both sides for 30 seconds.

Then put on a baking tray, add butter on top and bake in an oven for 1-2 minutes at 160°C.

Arrange the scallops as pictured.

Garnish with chopped red pepper and chervil on top.

Toast Focaccia bread and slice into three pieces.

Garnish with fried thyme and serve.

BRANZINO (SEA BASS BAKED IN SEA SALT)

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Sea bass fillet 2 pc, 150 gm each
• Rock salt 600 gm
• Egg white 2 pc
• Thyme, fresh 3 gm
• Basil, fresh 5 gm
• Salt 3 gm
• Pepper 3 gm
• Olive oil30 ml
• Rocket lettuce50 gm
• Cherry tomato 10 gm
• Olives taggiasche 5 gm
• Lemon 90 gm

Method

In a small mixing bowl, mix egg white and rock salt well and keep aside.

Season sea bass fillet with pepper and olive oil.

Cover a small oven tray with wax paper and place the egg white and salt mixture on it.

Place the first fish fillet skin side down on top of the mixture, then the basil and thyme and finally, the second fillet skin side up on top.

Arrange the lemon slices on the sides of the fillet, making sure to cover all the sides.

Cover with remaining egg white and salt mixture.

Bake in an oven for at least 18-20 minutes at 170°C.

Make a mixed salad using the lettuce, tomato, olives and lemon and arrange them on a dinner plate.

Serve and open the baked sea salt at the table.

CANNOLI SICILIANA (TRADITIONAL RICOTTA FILLED SICILIAN CANNOLI WITH BERRY COULIS)

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Cannoli shells 3 pc
• Strawberry purée 20 ml
• Pistachio nuts 60 gm
• Icing sugar 3 gm
• Strawberry, fresh 5 gm

For the ricotta stuffing:

• Lemon zest: 5 gm
• Orange zest: 5 gm
• Honey 30 ml
• Ricotta 200 gm
• Mascarpone: 50 gm
• Chocolate chips 50 gm
• Sugar, granulated: 30 gm

Method

In a small mixing bowl, place all the ingredients for the stuffing and mix well.

Transfer the mix into a small piping bag and keep chilled.

In a plate, drizzle strawberry sauce and place fresh strawberries on one side (as pictured).

Stuff the cannoli shells with the ricotta stuffing.

Sprinkle crushed pistachio nuts on both sides of the open shells.

Sprinkle icing sugar on the shells and serve.