Mangia! - A taste of Italy

As the daughters of migrant families originating from Calabria, southern Italy, and growing up in Melbourne, Teresa Oates and Angela Villella have always been passionate in their quest to preserve the vibrant culinary customs of their forebears.

With their own photo albums annotating the pages alongside vivid photography capturing close family and friends, taking you step-by-step through the recipes, this book will transport you into the heart and soul of an Italian kitchen.

Rosa's arancini - Fried rice balls

Mum learnt to make arancini from her Sicilian friends, and then taught the rest of the family. Her secret is to add extra cheese to the rice, to make it doubly tasty and ensure it remains moist (often the ones you buy are dry and disappointing).

This recipe is very party-friendly as you can prepare the rice, eggs and bolognese sauce a day ahead and refrigerate. Arancini are traditionally made in the shape of either an orange or a pear, depending on which region or town you are from, however Rosa makes hers in a long oval shape as this makes them easier to handle when deep-frying. Arancini can be eaten hot straight after cooking, cooled to room temperature, or they taste great the next day. A party just isn't a party without arancini.

We make this slightly meatier version of bolognese sauce specifically for arancini. This sauce recipe makes twice as much as you'll need here, and the amount leftover is enough to feed two people with pasta.

1 cup (120g) frozen peas, cooked and cooled

2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

150g sliced ham, finely chopped

125g mozzarella, sliced and chopped

2 cups (200g) dried breadcrumbs

1kg medium-grain rice, cooked and cooled

1 cup (80g) finely grated pecorino, plus extra if needed

1 cup (80g) finely grated parmigiano

4 eggs, beaten

salt and freshly ground pepper

light olive oil, for deep-frying

Bolognese sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

500g coarsely minced veal and pork

salt and freshly ground pepper

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

½ quantity Salsa di Pomodori (passata), see page 180 in the recipe book.

For the bolognese sauce, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and parsley and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the mince, seasoning and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon and stirring until it is well browned. Add the passata and combine well, then reduce the heat to low and place the lid on the pan slightly askew to allow steam to escape. Cook for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.

Once cooked, set the sauce aside to cool slightly, then divide in half. Refrigerate or freeze one batch for later use, and stir the cooked peas through the other batch.

Place the chopped egg, ham and mozzarella in separate bowls and place the breadcrumbs in a large shallow dish.

Place the cooked rice in a large bowl, then add the grated cheeses, beaten egg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, ensuring all the ingredients are well combined. The rice mixture should be moist and easy to mould - if it does not bind together well, add a little extra pecorino.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper. To assemble the arancini, wet your hands with a little cold water, then take a tennis-ball-sized amount of the rice mixture and place it in the palm of your hand. Make a hole in the centre of the mixture with your thumb and fill with a heaped teaspoon of the bolognese and pea mixture, then a little of the chopped egg, ham and mozzarella (the total amount of filling should be approximately 1 heaped tablespoon).

Seal by taking a little more rice mixture and moulding it around the filling to ensure it is well protected. Shape the arancini into an oval approximately 10 cm long and 7 cm wide. Press to ensure the rice is firmly compacted together so it doesn't break apart when frying, then lightly coat the arancini in breadcrumbs. Place on the prepared tray, then repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 14 arancini. Place the tray in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the arancini to firm up.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep heavy-based frying pan until hot. Working in batches, fry the arancini, turning, for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pollo in padella (chicken in a frying pan)

Our dad, Romolo, was a bricklayer, so there were always spare bricks lying around in the backyard. Mum would put them to good use, wrapping them in foil and using them to weigh down a whole butterflied chicken to help it cook evenly. This clever idea resulted in moist, perfectly cooked chicken every time. Serve this with a salad of mixed leaves and some roast potatoes with herbs.

1 × 2kg free-range chicken

1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

4-5 anchovy fillets in oil, chopped

1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and chopped

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil, for rubbing

Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Butterfly the bird by cutting down each side of the spine and removing it, then pressing the two sides out flat.

In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, anchovy, capers, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.

Create a pocket by carefully lifting the skin of the breast and thighs with the tips of your fingers. Gently push the stuffing evenly into the pocket. Rub the skin of the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat an ovenproof frying pan large enough to hold the butterflied chicken over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and place a foil-wrapped brick on top to act as a weight. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190C fan-forced. Turn the chicken over, place the brick on top again, and cook for 5-6 minutes before transferring the pan to the oven. Roast for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Joint the chicken and serve with the pan juices drizzled over.