11 February 2016 || Food and well being
Needing a little help in the passion department? Don’t worry! We are here to offer you some natural aphrodisiac remedies. The right combination will help you to prepare an alternative “spicy dinner” for you and your partner that will ensure a very happy ending in the bedroom. So, let’s begin! Put aside the traditional oysters for […]
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5 February 2016 || Antipasti, Cooking tips
If you are that type of person that can’t go without a dash of chilli or a sprinkle of hot sauce over every single dish they eat, then keep an eye out for this unbelievable product: chilli jam! Chilli fans would most definitely add that spark of hotness to basically any kind of food, from […]
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31 January 2016 || Italian life
We celebrate Valentines Day every year, but who exactly was the Saint of Lovers? 1) St. Valentine isn’t just the Patron Saint of courting & engaged couples, lovers, love and happy marriages; his remit also includes epilepsy, fainting, greetings, plague, travellers, young people and … bee keepers (he is said to ensure the sweetness of […]
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25 January 2016 || Uncategorised
It’s almost that time of the year again – Valentine’s Day – the official celebration of lovers all over the world! Saint Valentine, said to be the first person to ever send a note signed ‘from your Valentine’ was of course Italian and what better way to show someone that you love them than by preparing […]
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18 January 2016 || Recipes, Risotto, Vegetarian
Open a couple of bottles of your favourite Prosecco (one to sip whilst taking turns stirring and one to cook with) and have fun in the kitchen on Valentine’s Day with this delicious, warming Italian risotto recipe. Good quality Italian ingredients are the key for this recipe – we recommend Carnaroli or Arborio Italian risotto […]
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24 October 2015 || Eat your way around Italy, Pasta, Vegetarian
This is a traditional Neapolitan pasta dish, simple to make and suitable for a quick lunch but without sacrificing taste! It’s packed full of tasty Southern Italian flavours and typical local ingredients such as mozzarella and tomatoes. This Fusilli pasta recipe can be followed exactly as it is or used as a base – feel […]
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1 October 2015 || Fish and seafood, Pasta, Recipes, Salads
Colatura di Alici Sauce: the fishy Italian sauce known in ancient Roman times as ‘Garum’ is a magical amber essence extracted from fresh anchovies, which have been preserved with salt inside a chestnut barrel with a heavy weight on top of them! The name Colatura comes from the verb ‘colare’ which means to drip or […]
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14 September 2015 || Calabrian recipes, Main courses, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian
Paccheri alla Parmigiana Parmigiana is a traditional dish made from aubergines. It originally comes from Sicily, but is found in slightly different variations all over the South of Italy. There are many different methods and recipes for making Parmigiana. We have chosen an old Calabrian one (adapted by regional Chef Valentina Olivieri). Valentina’s recipe makes a very soft and delicate […]
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10 September 2015 || Main courses, Pasta, Recipes, Salads, Side dishes, Vegetarian
Do you often make way too much pasta and end up with a pan full after your meal? The fight against food waste can start in the kitchen with these 3 tasty recipes which will help you recycle your leftover pasta! We recommend using Vorrei’s bronze die cut pasta in all of your pasta dishes. It retains its […]
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25 August 2015 || Food and well being, Italian life
The Mediterranean Diet Did you know that the Italians live on average 18 months longer than the Brits? A comparison of health outcomes in 19 countries over 20 years published in the Lancet put Britain at number 14 in the life expectancy table, down two places since 1990. Italy fared much better rising from 5th to […]
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30 July 2015 || Recipes, Salads, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
This easy and healthy courgette salad with a vinegar and herb dressing is a very popular dish in the hot summers of southern Italy and would be great as a side dish for your barbeque or a refreshing and quick summer lunch (if and when summer arrives in the UK!) Ingredients for 4 people […]
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1 May 2015 || Calabrian recipes, Pasta, Recipes
Easy to prepare pasta & broccoli, Calabrian style This recipe originated in Southern Italy and has to be one of the easiest ever pasta dishes to prepare. You need just two or three ingredients and the pasta and broccoli are cooked in the same pan! The garlic oil (with or without anchovies) added at the […]
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17 April 2015 || Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian
A simple but really tasty and satisfying meal with just a few ingredients. Dried Porcini mushrooms can be kept in the cupboard and are just as good as the fresh ones! Ingredients for 2 people: 20g dried Vorrei dried Porcini mushrooms 1 shallot or small onion 1 tablespoon Cenzino organic extra virgin olive oil 100ml dry […]
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19 March 2015 || Drinks, Italian life, Wine and Prosecco
3 Easy Italian Aperitivi Recipes Fancy having friends over but don’t have the time to plan and cook a full dinner? Why not invite them for early evening aperitivi? The setting is informal and relaxed and the food is quick, easy to prepare and looks stunning – a platter of delicious mediterranean olives, sun dried tomatoes and aubergines, a selection […]
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14 March 2015 || Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine and Prosecco
Red, white or cruelty free? If you are vegan or vegetarian, chances are you will know that most wines are not animal friendly. Those not so familiar with a meat and fish free diet may wonder why non-carnivores worry about drinking fermented grape juice! The problem lies with the fining agents used to filter and clarify the wine. What are fining agents? The fining process is […]
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13 March 2015 || Fish and seafood, Pasta, Recipes
An authentic Italian pasta recipe with Colatura di Alici (Traditional Anchovy Sauce) Bring the taste of the Amalfi Coast to your table with this delicious recipe using our traditional anchovy sauce (colatura di alici) from Cetara (pictured below). The main ingredient of this dish is colatura di alici (anchovy sauce), an unusual and rare ingredient made exclusively […]
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6 March 2015 || Food and well being
Fake Italian Food – A €60 Billion Industry Italy is of course famous across the globe for its cuisine and fabulous local specialities that everyone loves. But did you know that according to recent research, Italian food is the most imitated and faked in the world? From China to the United States, hundreds of Italian […]
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2 March 2015 || Cooking tips, Desserts, Recipes
An easy and delicious recipe that combines one of the most famous traditional puddings with a unique Southern Italian flavour – Apple pie with bergamot marmalade. This marmalade with an intense flavour, sweet and tangy at the same time, is a perfect ingredient to add some Mediterranean flavour at your apple pie! Ingredients for the Apple Pie […]
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28 February 2015 || Eat your way around Italy, Italian life
Calabrians love peperoncino (chilli pepper), they put it in everything from pasta and risotto to cocktails and ice cream. They believe that chillies bring good luck and scare away the ‘malocchio’ or evil eye and naturally they produce the best and spiciest chillies in Southern Europe. So if a region is qualified to hold an […]
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16 February 2015 || Cooking tips
Fresh Porcini mushrooms are a little hard to come by in the UK, they are also rather pricey and don’t keep for more than a few days. Luckily, dried Porcini are a fantastic alternative. With an intense, concentrated flavour and substantial meaty texture, Porcini are wonderful in everything from risotto to antipasti and sauces. A […]
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16 February 2015 || Recipes, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
Dried Porcini mushrooms and potatoes go perfectly together in this dish! This typically Calabrian combination can be served alongside a burger (meat or veggie) or a frittata as a hearty side dish. Ingredients for 2 people 50g dried porcini mushrooms 400g potatoes 1 clove of garlic 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil Salt Pepper Sprig of […]
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12 February 2015 || Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian
Recipe for Spaghetti with Asparagus Pesto This spaghetti with pesto recipe is an alternative to the classic basil one. It’s full of flavour, easy to make and healthy and has a main ingredient (asparagus) which is said to be an effective aphrodisiac! You can combine this pesto sauce with spaghetti or any kind of pasta shape that you prefer. […]
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11 February 2015 || Desserts
Recipe for Chocolate Chilli Mousse The spicy chilli in this simple but luxurious chocolate chilli mousse complements the dark Sicilian chocolate perfectly creating a memorable flavour and the perfect aphrodisiac Valentines dessert! Ingredients for 2-4 servings 100g chilli chocolate such as Modican chilli pepper chocolate 10g butter 2 eggs 50ml cream (single is fine) Method Cut the […]
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9 February 2015 || Desserts, Recipes
Recipe for Valentines Italian Chocolate Pudding Our Valentines Chocolate Pudding (Budino in Italian) is a delicious sweet made with dark chocolate and accompanied by a refreshing raspberry coulis. A budino is a popular dessert in Italy, always nice and light and not too sweet with the consistency of a set custard. Here it is served with cream […]
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6 February 2015 || Cooking tips, Pasta, Recipes
Recipe for San Marzano Tomato Pasta Sauce. This easy recipe for San Marzano tomato pasta sauce will transform a simple tin of these very special tomatoes into a tasty sugar free, healthy sauce which goes well with all types of pasta: Ingredients for 4 people 400g tin of Vorrei’s Agrigenus San Marzano tomatoes Half an onion 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive […]
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27 January 2015 || Food and well being, Italian life
The word aphrodisiac comes from the name of the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite and since the ancient times people have believed in the power of aphrodisiac foods. But do they really work? Italian cuisine features so many known aphrodisiac foods; Why not create a fabulous meal using as many of the ingredients you can […]
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20 January 2015 || Cooking tips, Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian
What makes San Marzano Tomatoes so great? At the moment it seems that every celebrity chef is talking about them and every Italian recipe requires them. But what do we know about San Marzano Tomatoes and why are they so special? Here’s our top 6 San Marzano facts and our favourite simple sauce recipe using this much revered fruit. […]
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29 October 2014 || Eat your way around Italy, Food and well being, Italian life
We recently visited Matera and stopped by to chat to Giovanni Marvulli our ‘Cenzino’ olive oil supplier. We wanted to see his vast olive grove and learn more about his award winning organic extra virgin olive oil. Giovanni, tell us about your passion for quality organic extra virgin olive oil… Ever since I was […]
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2 October 2014 || Main courses, Pasta, Recipes
This is a healty, southern Italian recipe combining pasta and potatoes is typical of the Campania region. It’s simple to make, very cheap (especially without the bacon) and very satisfying! Ingredients for 4 people 400g Pastai Gragnanese mista corta pasta 70g bacon (optional) 70g extra virgin oliver oil 1 carrot 2 sticks celery 1 sprig parsley […]
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5 February 2016 || Pasta, Recipes
Giacomo Casanova, the greatest lover of all time, it is said, loved food, almost as much as he loved women! He allegedly feasted on 50 oysters for breakfast every day claiming that they were ‘a spur to the spirit and to love’ and perfected the art of seduction by assuring his many companions that he had […]
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2 February 2016 || Drinks
Coffee has gradually made its way towards the Olympus of healthy and energy-boosting drinks. Over the last few years, many scientific studies have been conducted into the benefits of coffee in contraposition to the undoubtedly negative side effects of its excessive consumption. The positive properties of this incredibly ancient drink are plenty and varied, but […]
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27 January 2016 || Chocolate, Desserts, Recipes, Vegetarian
At Vorrei we are big fans of super hot Italian chilli pepper and we love this Valentine’s recipe for a spicy chocolate fondue with a kick! Surprise your loved one with a fun Valentines Day gift to share! This is a really easy dessert which can be made very quickly just before you are ready […]
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25 January 2016 || Drinks, Vegan, Wine and Prosecco
We love to find out new ways of serving our favourite sparkling wine and were smitten by this Prosecco and ginger aperitivo when we tasted it in Rome at Christmas time. Of course ginger is a powerful aphrodisiac, warming up the body and increasing your heart rate just like chilli! Valentines drinks anyone?! Ingredients For […]
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24 October 2015 || Desserts, Vegetarian
If you are a liquorice lover you’ll love this fabulously decadent dessert! Making Crème Brûlée is easier than you think and the addition of our organic Calabrian liquorice powder gives these gorgeous little pots a wonderful subtle flavour. Ingredients for 10 people 1 litre Double cream 45g Organic liquorice powder 1 Liquorice root 240g Egg yolks […]
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23 October 2015 || Recipes, Risotto, Vegetarian
We love this unusual risotto recipe packed with interesting flavours, it’s pretty quick and easy to make and it’s tasty and healthy too. We have used organic liquorice powder from Calabria, the home of some of the best liquorice in the world. Just a spoonful of this spice ground from the liquorice root gives a wonderful […]
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19 September 2015 || Pasta, Recipes
When it comes to cooking easy, filling and tasty food on a budget you can’t beat pasta! Perfect for Freshers fending for themselves for the first time, a bag of pasta plus a few key quality ingredients can be quickly transformed into a range of satisfying meals that are sure to impress! Once you get your hands on […]
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10 September 2015 || Cooking tips
Capers (flower buds from the caper plant) are a popular ingredient in Italian cooking and give a distinctive aromatic flavour to many recipes. Caper powder is a finely blended seasoning made from sun dried Sicilian capers. Vorrei’s capers grow in the Mediterranean sunshine on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria and are the only ones with […]
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25 August 2015 || Food and well being, Italian life
The pasta protest on the Spanish Steps The movement began on the Spanish Steps in Rome in 1986. McDonalds wanted to open a franchise there and many Italians, who generally have a lukewarm relationship with fast food, were not happy about it. One man was particularly dismayed. Carlo Petrini, the founder of the movement descended upon […]
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31 July 2015 || Recipes, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian
Did you know that pears can be an excellent source of dietary fibres? And using them in a salad makes them even more exotic! Pears can be perfect in a salad as their sweetness will balance out the salt and pepper and other ingredients. We will also be using hazelnut vinaigrette, made with authentic balsamic […]
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4 June 2015 || Antipasti, Desserts, Recipes
An easy recipe with the most loved Italian cheese: Parmesan Savoury artisanal ice creams are becoming more and more popular in Italy where in the best, innovative Italian ‘gelaterie’ you can find basil, lavender and camomile, sunflower seed or even Gorgonzola gelato alongside stracciatella and pistachio. Salty parmesan cheese and double cream is definitely an interesting […]
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24 April 2015 || Drinks, Italian life
Savour a rich Italian coffee at home with our 12 serving suggestions! Do you know your caffe macchiato from your ristretto? Your shakerato from your marocchino? We all know that it’s hard to find a bad cup of Italian coffee but did you know how many different ways there are in Italy of drinking this […]
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3 April 2015 || Recipes, Risotto
Recipe for Risotto with Gorgonzola and Pear Mustard This week’s easy, super-tasty recipe was given to us by the ladies at Casa Forcello near Mantova in Northern Italy. Casa Forcello is an all-female artisan company which produces our fruit mustards and wine jellies in small batches with fresh fruit from local growers. A fruit mustard […]
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16 March 2015 || Drinks, Italian life, Wine and Prosecco
Apart from the sunshine, the people and the pizza, it’s the ritual of ‘Aperitivo time’ that we miss most since moving back to the UK from Rome. The Aperitif hour signals the end of the working day, a moment to relax (usually in the sunshine), drink a glass of something refreshing (generally just the one), with […]
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14 March 2015 || Fish and seafood, Pasta, Recipes
An easy, healthy, cheap (the approximate cost for each person is just £1.30) and quick to make spaghetti recipe. The secret to creating a great dish with such simple ingredients is to use only best quality, authentic Italian ones, such as extra virgin olive oil (even better if it’s organic), spaghetti from Gragnano and anchovy fillets from Cetara: […]
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11 March 2015 || Pasta, Recipes
An authentic Neapolitan recipe made with ‘Paccheri’ pasta Paccheri are large pasta tubes originally from Naples which pair perfectly with fish and other chunky sauces. The size and shape of this traditional pasta allow them to be stuffed with ricotta or other ingredients. The name “paccheri”comes from the ancient Greek meaning ‘slap’ – the noise that they supposedly make […]
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2 March 2015 || Desserts, Eat your way around Italy, Recipes, Vegetarian
This is an easy recipe for a tangy clementine marmalade tart (a very popular dessert in Italy and known as a ‘Crostata’) that looks tempting and costs very little to make. Of course it’s even easier and just as good if you use ready made pastry. Ingredients for the Clementine Marmalade Tart (6 portions) 1 […]
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28 February 2015 || Eat your way around Italy, Food and well being
Discover the Bergamot! Bergamot are a citrus fruit, greeny yellow in colour, spherical in shape with an unusual and striking bitter taste. They are a type of cross between a lemon and a bitter orange and native to Southern Asia. Commercial growth of this fruit is virtually confined to the region of Calabria in southern Italy – specifically the province of […]
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23 February 2015 || Eat your way around Italy, Food and well being
Calabrian chilli peppers are arguably the most important ingredient in Southern Italian cuisine. They are found in recipes across Calabria and beyond and grown in every garden and on every balcony! The habitat is ideal and the peperoncini are super hot! Not only do they add fire and colour to any meal, according to recent research […]
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16 February 2015 || Pasta, Recipes
Cavatelli is a traditional southern Italian pasta shape which pairs well with thick, chunky sauces like this one. This is a filling, tasty and quick recipe using several southern staples. Ingredients for 4 people 1 clove of garlic 50g porcini mushrooms Extra virgin olive oil 360g Cavatelli pasta 4/5 sun dried tomatoes Salt 300g Pork […]
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16 February 2015 || Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian
A handful of dried Porcini mushrooms transform this tomato sauce into something hearty and full of flavour. Ingredients for 4 people 25g dried porcini mushrooms 2 small tins of San Marzano tomatoes or a jar of tomato passata Clove of garlic Extra virgin olive oil Chilli pepper – fresh, in oil or powdered Salt Pinch […]
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12 February 2015 || Recipes, Vegetarian
Recipe for Risotto with Dried Porcini Mushrooms The risotto with porcini mushrooms is a classic Italian Autumnal main course with a tasty and aromatic flavour coming from the King of mushrooms: the Porcino. In this recipe we use dried porcini mushrooms which are easy to find all year round but you can of course also […]
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9 February 2015 || Recipes, Risotto
Recipe for Risotto dell’Amore. This unusual, savoury dish ‘Risotto of Love’ combines fruit and rice and works really well. The strawberries give the risotto a burst of flavour without too much sweetness as well as a beautiful colour. We think it’s a great recipe to try for a Valentines meal with a twist! Ingredients for 2 […]
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8 February 2015 || Desserts, Recipes
Recipe for Valentines Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries This Valentines Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries is a quick and easy way to create a fabulous finale to a romantic dinner for two. The melted Sicilian dark almond chocolate, a renowned aphrodisiac for centuries, goes perfectly with the freshness and flavour of the strawberries. Our recipe is sure to awaken your senses, as well […]
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6 February 2015 || Italian life
Italian Food Superstitions. Italians are generally very superstitious people (especially the further south you go). They may deny this but even the most logical, sensible Italians seem unable to resist following the many age-old rituals that are such a big part of every day life. Anyone ever placed garlic placed on the television to help their […]
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20 January 2015 || Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian
Lagane ccu Ricotta (Lagane Pasta with Ricotta Cheese) This is a super easy (and healthy) Calabrian recipe made with Lagane and just other two ingredients! Lagane is the name for a type of pasta very popular in Southern Italy made just with durum wheat and water. You can now find authentic artisan Lagane pasta in the Pasta and […]
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20 January 2015 || Food and well being, Wine and Prosecco
A Quick Guide to Natural, Biodynamic and Organic Wine Want to complement the organic food on your table with some fine organic wine? Not sure about what to look for or what organic wine really means? Here’s a short introduction to the world of naturally produced wines… Not all wines are created equally and the […]
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17 October 2014 || Desserts, Recipes
This thick, plump rice from the Veneto region has a high starch content which gives a super velvety rice pudding! Ingredients for 6 people: Quarter of a teaspoon of salt 1 cup Riso Margherita Vialone Nano rice 5 cups of milk 3 cups of sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus extra […]
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2 October 2014 || Main courses, Pasta, Recipes
You can of course make this tasty dish with normal pasta but we recommend you try our chilli flavoured ‘Fileja’ pasta. If you haven’t heard of it before Fileja is a traditional Calabrian pasta, rolled by hand around a knitting needle or skewer. Ingredients for 4 people 350g Calabrian chilli pasta 500g of ripe […]
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Delicious Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is one of the few vegan cookie recipes that doesn't involve complicated ingredients that are extremely expensive and frustratingly… Read more
it's almost Ferragosto, Italy’s traditional midsummer holiday and families up and down the boot will be preparing for their celebrations… Read more
Italian Beach Etiquette – 5 Things You Need To Know!
Heading to the seaside in Italy this summer? Make sure you read our quick guide to Italian beach etiquette before you… Read more
Wonderful Italian Specialities You May Not Have Heard Of…
Beyond pasta and pizza, there’s so much more on offer! We all know of the Italian classics of ragu’, carbonara,… Read more
Rice Salad With Aubergine Summer Recipe
This is a rice salad with a difference - packed full of mediterranean flavours, simple to prepare and great for… Read more
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Email: info@vorrei.co.uk
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