Cucciolone
Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich

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'!

If you decide to prepare a fishy starter and want to follow it with a meat dish, the problem that you will find is that during the main course you will still be able to taste the fish. Well, I have the solution – serve my granita just after the starter and it will cleanse your palate ready for the main course. A fantastic, refreshing sorbet that is also great on a hot day with a barbecue.

I created this soup when I was cooking for friends who are vegetarian and they all watched me and wrote down the recipe so I figured if they were impressed, hopefully you will be too. I have used six different kinds of vegetables to make the wholesome soup you’d expect but the bread, cheese and beans give it an even more rustic feel. It’s the perfect evening family meal or a great starter for friends...

This zingy first-course salad takes only minutes to prepare yet is full of flavour and goodness. The peppery little leaves of the watercress are bursting with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making it one of our greatest natural superfoods, while the fennel and oranges are really rich in vitamin C. Try it with my Asparagus, Ricotta, Chilli and Parmesan Tartlets.

I cooked this dish overlooking the beach at Pescoluse, on the Puglian coast. It’s known as the Maldives of Salento and is a hidden paradise. I used swordfish, but tuna would work well too. Gremolata is a dressing of raw chopped garlic, parsley and lemon zest. It is usually sprinkled over meats, such as osso bucco or carpaccio, but it also makes a great garnish for grilled fish. Always make sure you...

I love recipes that require just a few good-quality ingredients and are simple to make yet really have the ‘wow factor’, such as this pasta dish with mussels. You don’t have to use the bottarga - the dish stands alone without it - but a Sardinian cook would almost certainly grate it over the top of the finished dish.