Cook Like an Italian with Silvia Colloca, serie 2020

Silvia starts with the basics. How do Italian home cooks shop for pantry staples and fresh produce? After visiting an Italian deli that's been running since the 1960’s and her local fruit and vegetable shop, Silvia prepares a rustic Tuscan chickpea pasta for her daughter Luna, bakes two succulent and savoury Schiacciata breads, and makes her mothers apple and mascarpone cake. Proving that when an Italian pantry is well stocked, you only need a few fresh ingredients to create simple yet memorable meals.

Family recipes are an eternal source of happiness for Italians. Silvia shares her family’s most cherished meals, starting with her Nonna’s Sunday lunch spectacular, a rich sausage stew served at the table over a giant bed of soft polenta. Plus a timeless family favourite, pasta with potato and provola. And direct from Italy via webcam, Silvia’s mum helps her bake her great aunties famous Abruzzese style waffles.

For Italian home cooks, recipes have never been as important to them in the kitchen as their instincts senses. Nothing Silvia makes will be measured or mixed with kitchen appliances, it's all hands on. Starting with delicious mini pizzas made from leftover bread, and a delicate prawn and lemon risotto, she finisehs with her mothers foolproof yoghurt and berry loaf. Trust your hands and eyes, and these dishes will never fail.

Bread is sacred in Italy, it’s there at almost every family meal and should never be wasted. Silvia shares three delicious ways to repurpose leftover bread, starting with a rustic, healthy orecchiette pasta, a baked fish dish with roasted bread and a dessert so spectacular you wont believe its made with stale bread.

When Italians gather at the table to celebrate there is always love, chaos and show stopping things to eat. So with Silvia’s best friends coming to stay for few days she is out to impress, making one of her Nonna’s most delicious, crowd pleasing pasta feasts. Plus a delicate ricotta and semolina cake that is a true show stopper, and not to be out done, Silvia’s friend Rose shares an old Sicilian savoury doughnut recipe.

Italians are without a doubt some of the most resourceful home cooks on the planet, they believe in the time honoured art of cooking once and eating twice. Silvia makes divine ricotta filled Italian crepes, and then using the leftover ingredients shows us how to create a rustic story pie from the north of Italy and a heart baked pasta, pasta al forno.

Italian culture is famous the world over for its art, history and architecture, but food is integral to an Italians identity. Silvia explores how to make three meals that have become national treasures, like the 1000 year old recipe for pasta Amatriciana, a seafood dish from the Puglia region that is largely unknown to the outside world, and a pizza dish so cherished, its recipe is protected by the EU and the United Nations - pizza Napoletana.

For Italians, food has always formed a huge part of how they connect with their roots, which means keeping their culinary traditions alive is essential. Silvia and her dear friend Lina make one of Italy’s most treasured Sunday recipes, the famous ragu Napolitana. Silvia also makes an old school antipasto treat to engage all the senses. Silvia’s Mum in Italy joins her via webcam to help her create a special dessert using a stale old panatone.

Italian home cooks are masters at the art of speedy meals, because their pantry and fridge are often stocked with essential ingredients, which combined with a little creativity can become incredible meals in no time. Silvia prepares a super quick seafood risotto, cooks a Sicilian pesto penne in eight minutes flat, and a lemon and almond sweet treat that can be prepared in a jiffy.