Tonno alla griglia con briciole
Grilled tuna steak with garlic breadcrumbs

I know that this may sound very strange to you, using black pepper in a white chocolate mousse, but believe you me, this is a dessert that all your friends will talk about. This recipe is easy, very tasty and definitely has the 'wow' factor, but make sure you use a good quality chocolate. You can also serve it straight from the freezer like a semi-freddo.

I grew up eating orecchiette, the typical pasta shape of Puglia. The name translates as 'little ears', which is exactly what the shape resembles. Italian grandmothers traditionally make the pasta by hand, shaping it while having a good old chat. The hollow in the little ears perfectly entraps whatever sauce they are served with.

If you need to make dinner in under four minutes, this is the recipe for you. It is so easy, you really won’t believe it. Once you have blended the ingredients together, that’s pretty much job done – it smells amazing too. You coat the fish and there you have it – ready to be cooked. You can cook it there and then or even prepare in the morning and cook.

This is my Italian version of bread and butter pudding, served with char-grilled fruits and sweetened ricotta cheese. In Italy the ricotta is very creamy and rich, and I just added honey to sweeten it, but in Britain you might like to add a few drops of vanilla extract to give depth of flavour.

This recipe has been handed down in the D’Acampo family for many generations, though I call it ‘Lasagne di Mamma’ because my mother taught it to my sister and me when we were about  11 years old . It's a great tradition that my wife will pass on to our own children. Allowing the dish to rest for a good 10 minutes before serving allows the layers to firm up slightly and become easier to cut neatly.

This dessert is usually associated with Germany and Austria, but it is also often prepared in the northern regions of Italy. Although the classic strudel is made with apples, it can also be made with other fruit fillings such as cherries, peaches or pears, depending on the time of year and what fruit is in season. A fantastic dessert that can be eaten warm or cold, as a pudding or served at teatime....