Bill's Italian Food

Bill Granger, restaurateur and food publishing demon, is known for his simple, predominantly healthy approach to cooking. He owes much of this to a love of Italian cuisine, and the love is given an outlet here. Granger confesses it's not just the food he loves, but they way Italians live: "They don't suck coffee from disposable sippy-cups ... They lean against marble bars and drink tiny grown-up espressos." True. While this book is chock-full of those tomato and basil-laced recipes we mostly know and love, it was evidently an excuse for Bill and his lovely looking children to make a special trip. Jealous.

Details: Bill's Italian Food, Bill Granger, Harper Collins, $49.99.

Orecchiette, broccolini and chilli

I try to blanch vegetables very briefly, so they keep a bit of 'bite'. However, this dish works best when the broccolini is cooked until completely soft (and throwing it in with the pasta saves you dirtying another pan). The toasted golden breadcrumbs provide the crunch here.

350g dried orecchiette

350g broccolini, roughly chopped

30g butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

2 garlic cloves, crushed

90g (1 cup) fine fresh breadcrumbs

freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Method:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Tip in the orecchiette and broccolini and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and starts sizzling, stir in the chilli flakes and half the garlic. Tip in the breadcrumbs and fry, stirring, until golden. Transfer to a plate and return the pan to the heat.

Heat the remaining oil and garlic over high heat. Stir for a few seconds, then add the drained pasta and toss until well coated, breaking up the broccolini.

Serve scattered with the golden breadcrumbs and the parmesan.

Serves 4

Artichoke and ham lasagne

By the time I've bolognesed, bechameled and layered, I find traditional lasagne requires an entire Sunday afternoon to complete. I love the whole process when I'm in the mood, but I'm also a fan of the short cut – and this is a short cut that, I think, surpasses the original. The flavours are inspired by ham and artichoke pizza. You could use thin slices of prosciutto crudo here (such as Parma ham or San Daniele), but I prefer cooked ham (sold as 'prosciutto cotto' in Italy).

680ml bottle passata

315g fresh lasagne sheets

220g sliced good-quality cooked ham

3 x 125g balls mozzarella cheese, torn

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

400g good-quality artichokes in olive oil, drained and halved

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Method

To assemble the lasagne, season the passata with sea salt and spoon a small amount into the base of a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof dish. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets, quickly dipping the sheets in a bowl of cold water first before using them.

Spoon over one-third of the remaining passata, then half the ham slices, 1 of the mozzarellas and 1 tablespoon parmesan. Cover with another layer of dipped lasagne sheets then top with half the remaining passata, all the ham, 1 mozzarella and 1 tablespoon parmesan. Add the final layer of lasagne sheets. Scatter the artichokes over the top and spoon over the last of the passata, mozzarella and parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Serves 4–6