Side Dishes
Eggplant/aubergine caponata
Crunchy brussels sprouts with hazelnuts
They key to enjoying them is not to overcook them! This recipe keeps them crunchy and tasty.
Braised fennel, pomegranate and orange
A colourful side dish for the fall!
Lentil and celeriac salad
A great way to eat lentils when the weather is war. This salad has great bite and a lovely flavour.
Peperonata ~ Stewed bell peppers
This dish is even nicer the day after it has been made and is delicious warm, cold and at room temperature!
Baked Tomatoes Filled with Rice
You can only use parboiled rice in this recipe since the grains stay separate. Non parboiled rice will turn into a sticky blob!
White beans cooked in rosemary, tomato and balsamic vinegar
Creamy white beans in a tangy, herby tomato sauce - this is a Greek-style interpretation of the Tuscan fagioli all'uccelletto. These beans are great served hot or cold, either as an antipasto or as a side dish.
Cauliflower with Tomato, Rosemary & Fennel Seeds
Even self-professed cauliflower haters will love this dish, if you can convince them to try it.
Stuffed baked onions
Simple flavours - onion and smoked cheese - that combine perfectly for a dish that complements practically all main courses.
Carciofi alla romana – braised artichokes
These make a tasty little side dish or aperitif.
Cannellini beans with tomato and herbs
Literally the name means “in the manner of little birds”: this is the way that small birds were cooked up when they were brought home from a morning’s hunting. Cannellini beans are so much nicer...
Panzanella ~ Tuscan bread and tomato salad
This is a great dish to make a couple of hours in advance in the summer, to have ready waiting for you in the fridge when you get back home. It is light yet satisfying.
Slow-cooked green beans in a tomato sauce
This is a signature dish of the late great Mario, the multitalented father of Tina who used to be one of our amazing instructors at our cooking classes in Italy. You may say that you like your green beans to be firm and crunchy, but after tasting this dish you may also appreciate their sweet, melt-in-the-mouth quality when slow cooked.
Polpettine di patate
Tuscan potato croquettes
The flavours of the nutmeg, garlic and parsley really stand out in this simple peasant side dish/appetizer.
Cecina – Baked chickpea pancake
There are versions of this all the way up to the French Riviera. In Livorno (Leghorn) it is served as an energy-packed sandwich.
Creamy celery in tomato sauce
This is an original and tasty dish, ideal for using up leftover celery (those heads are always a little large to use up in one go…) It tends to come out creamier using spelt flour to coat, but wheat flour is fine too.