Fantastico Recipes

One of my favourite oriental dishes has to be vegetable spring rolls and I make it so often at home that I had to include it in my book. It’s a fantastic dish to prepare when you have parties, because you can fry them in the afternoon and then reheat them in the oven ready for your guests. Ensure the vegetables are not too wet when putting them into the filo pastry, otherwise your spring rolls will...

Anchovies are found in large numbers in the Mediterranean, particularly in southern Italy, where they are a staple food and are eaten fresh or preserved in olive oil or salt. They’re high in antioxidants, and some research suggests they may be linked to longevity. If you prefer, replace the anchovies with black olives.

Like most great concoctions, this dessert was created by chance when my wife bought a bottle of Baileys liqueur for one of our dinner guests. I thought I’d try it in the panna cotta I was making... All I can say is 'wow'!

Watermelon pudding is a traditional dessert from Sicily’s capital, Palermo. It’s usually eaten during the three-day feast of Santa Rosalina in July. It generally includes only three ingredients – watermelon, sugar and cornflour – but the garnishes vary from area to area, ranging from cinnamon, jasmine and pistachios to chocolate chips (which are thought to resemble watermelon seeds). Although...