If you're looking for a romantic way to spend Valentine's Day with your loved one, why not try cooking an Italian meal together? From a burrata starter, to a delicious risotto main course and a prosecco poached pear dessert, these Italian recipes are sure to make your Valentine's Day extra special. So, grab your aprons and get ready to create the perfect, romantic meal for two! Love is… making memories.
Starter
Burrata & Roasted Delica Pumpkin Served with Focaccia
A show-stopper starter, burrata (like mozzarella but creamier) with roasted sweet pumpkin and a crunchy seeded topping. Love is… crafting something delicious.
- Oven tray
- Frying pan
- Knife
Ingredients
- 250g Delica pumpkin
- 25ml Honey
- Pinch Salt
- 10 Sage leaves
- 50g Pumpkin seeds
- 50g Stale breadcrumbs
- 1 Burrata
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 1 Focaccia
-
Start by roasting your pumpkin by washing it and then cutting it into chunks, season with salt, and place it in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for around 25 minutes or, until soft but not mushy.
-
Next drizzle the pumpkin with honey and sprinkle over some sage leaves and place back in the oven for 5 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, toast your breadcrumbs in a dry pan until golden brown and place them into a small bowl along with the pumpkin seeds.
-
Now you can plate, simply place your burrata in a shallow bowl and place the roasted pumpkin next to it.
-
Top the pumpkin with the breadcrumb and pumpkin seed mix.
-
Drizzle a generous amount of oil on the burrata and a good pinch of sea salt.
Celeriac, Mushroom & Hazelnut Risotto
A deliciously creamy, earthy risotto, with soft celeriac and mixed mushrooms, topped with toasted hazelnuts for a touch of crunch. Love is… care and attention.
- Pot
- Frying pan x2
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Cheese greater
- Measuring jug
- 1 Shallot
- 100g Celeriac
- 10g Dried porcini mushrooms
- 100g Mixed mushrooms
- 200g Risotto rice
- 100ml White wine
- 100g Butter
- 50g Grated parmesan & extra for grating on top
- 10 Flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 20g Toasted hazelnuts
-
Dice shallots and celeriac.
-
Add them to a pan with half of the butter, sweat them off without colour for 10 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, boil 1L of water and add to a jug along with the dried mushrooms and a good pinch of salt, this creates an intensely delicious mushroom stock.
-
Add risotto rice to a pot and toast it, stir for 2 minutes or until you smell the rice fragrance.
-
Add the white wine and keep stirring until the wine has completely evaporated.
-
Add a third of the mushroom stock and turn the heat down low, keep stirring until the rice has soaked up all the liquid.
-
Add another third of the mushroom stock and keep the rice moving until it has completely soaked up the stock again.
-
Next, taste one grain of rice, it should be soft but still a little chalky. If it’s still too hard add more stock but just a little at a time, keep cooking and stirring until the rice is al dente.
-
Meanwhile, chop and season your mushrooms, add them to a frying pan and cook on a high heat with the rest of the butter.
-
Add the mushrooms to the risotto along with grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Stir through the ingredients and season to taste.
-
Serve in two bowls and top the risotto with toasted hazelnuts.
Dessert
Prosecco Poached Pear with Vanilla Gelato
Soft poached pear soaked in a tasty prosecco syrup, the perfect celebratory dessert for Valentine’s Day. Love is… good times with your favourite person.
- Small pot
- Measuring jug
- Peeler
- Sieve
- 2 Pears
- 150ml Prosecco
- 75g Sugar
- 1 Lemon
- Rose petals
- Vanilla gelato (or mascarpone)
-
Place the pears and their peel into pot the along with sugar, prosecco and 150ml of water, make sure the mix covers the pears entirely.
-
Add a strip of lemon peel and a sprinkle of rose petals and bring to a boil, once boiling turn down the heat and simmer.
-
Cook for 15 minutes or until the pears are soft.
-
Remove the pears from the pot and strain the liquid through a sieve to remove the aromatics.
-
Place the syrup back on the heat and reduce by half.
-
Add the pears back into the syrup until you are ready to serve.
-
Once you’re ready to eat your dessert, simply reheat the pears in the syrup.
-
Serve in a bowl with a dollop of gelato (or mascarpone), sprinkle extra rose petals on top.
