A lovely trip to Italy to celebrate many things, most notably Debrah’s announcement of her retirement. Sticking to one book (mainly) worked really well, the meal hung together beautifully. We missed Janet, but she was enjoying Sicilian food!

Starters

Piedmontese lentil and bean soup – Tracey

This included garlic, onions and beans with rosemary and thyme. Very easy to make, and tasted deliciously healthy.

Crostini with mozzarella, Parma ham, figs and honey – Julie

Julie made her own ciabatta which was delicious and chewy. The recipe for the ciabatta came from her James Morton bread book. This was a simple layered starter, but the simplicity belied just how tasty it was.

Mains

Salmon with pistachio and herb crust – Debrah

The slightly surprising note of honey in amongst the breadcrumbs and get a was a very welcome addition.

Sides

Oven roasted asparagus with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts – Karen

This was the only dish that didn’t come from the Hidden Italy book, but that was easily forgiven due to how incredibly tasty it was!

Lentils with butternut squash – Jane

This looked very unappealing due to the green of the lentils turning a bit sludgy. But it tasted good with the contrast of the lemon, dried fruit and nuts against the pulses.

Puddings

Chocolate mousse with raspberries and pistachios – Justine

This was the second attempt, as the first effort went completely solid. The second time it started to do the same thing, but Jus rescued it, and very successfully too. Beautifully served in tea cups that came from her grandad’s house.

Tiramisu – Sue

Sue made a milder version than suggested in the recipe – it turned out very light and lovely with the Amaretto. There were a few people who were not normally tiramisu fans who were totally won over!