Italian Cuisine

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Italian Food Safari

Food Safari journeys the world of the people who taught us how to drink coffee and appreciate good olive oil; those who showed us the simple deliciousness of pizza and pasta, scaloppine and saltimbocca: the fabulous Italians. Learn how to choose the top ten ingredients to begin an Italian pantry as Maeve joins her old friend, hospitality consultant and coffee expert, Sam Cosentino who explains how to choose the best olive oil and balsamic vinegar; which tinned tomatoes Italian housewives love; how to pick the best olives, prosciutto and biscotti, in addition to extolling the virtues of crusty bread, garlic and exceptional coffee.

Next, John Buonavoglia of Paesanella Cheese gives Maeve a rundown on Italian cheeses. Rising Melbourne star Maurice Esposito (Il Bacaro) shows Maeve how to make perfect pasta using the golden rules for both fresh and dried pasta and shares his midnight snack recipe – plus we meet his beautiful mother Maria who lets you in on a few well-kept secrets.

Young chef Graziella Alessi (Sapore) goes shopping at the Queen Victoria Market for fresh salad vegies and whips up two simple delicious salads: panzanella, using ripe tomatoes, day old Italian bread, basil and balsamic vinegar; and the other salad brings a fresh burst of flavour with baby fennel and blood orange. Master chef Guy Grossi (Grossi Florentino) shows off his "Ferrari of a stove" and takes us home to demonstrate the simplicity of saltimbocca with creamy discs of semolina gnocchi – all whipped up in under half an hour.

Also in this episode, we visit artisan sweets-maker Tony Sulfaro and see gelato made at Pasticceria Papa. Maeve then joins chef Vanessa Martin (Il Piave restaurant) who shares her Venetian family's recipe for tiramisu: the lightest, most luscious and easy dessert in the world.