Confusingly, there is another label, mozzarella di latte di bufala (which must also carry the name or registered trademark of the producer between the words mozzarella and di latte). This means that the mozzarella must be 100 per cent buffalo milk. However, it can be made anywhere in Italy and, of course, true aficionados of mozzarella di bufala Campana will say its unique taste is all to do with the particular quality and characteristics of the terrain where the buffalo graze.
Because real, traditionally made unpasteurised buffalo mozzarella is at its best only for a day or so, if we want to buy it in London the producer has to drive it to the airport just hours after it has been made, put it on a plane overnight, then have it collected and sent out to customers in the morning. So, of course, it is expensive and not always easy to find. However, there is another version allowed under DOP rules, which says that the whey in which the mozzarella is kept (in little packets or pots) can be pasteurised, so that the cheese will last longer. This is the one you are most likely to find in delicatessens, and at least you know it has been made traditionally in Campania, from pure buffalo milk.
Another beautiful cheese is burrata, which is made in a similar way to mozzarella, but with cow’s milk. The stretched curd is made to form a little ‘pouch’ which is filled with mozzarella-like strings of curd, mixed with cream from the whey, and the pouches are knotted and dipped in brine. Traditionally they are wrapped in bright green asphodel (lily) leaves, which look beautiful against the milky white cheese.
Burrata is brilliant as part of an antipasti with salami or prosciutto – put it in the middle of the table and let everyone scoop out a little of the rich creamy cheese with a spoon.
In England, people love big fish, like salmon or sea bass, with no bones left in to negotiate. But Italians have a bit of a love affair not only with octopus, squid and cuttlefish but also with little fish, cooked whole, head and bones included. I have always loved those cheap little fish like mackerel and sardines, which are so full of flavour yet so underrated because they don’t have any snob value. We always have one or two of these oily ‘blue fish’ on the menu, and they are a very healthy option. Sardines and mackerel contain the fatty acids called omega-3, which are thought to protect the heart, and help the working of our brains and immune systems. Again, we go back to the idea that good quality food doesn’t have to be expensive. I believe you are being more generous to someone if you give them cheap and healthy sardines than if you spend a lot of money on farmed salmon, which is so controversial in terms of the health of the fish and our environment.
At home in Italy we would prepare these fish really simply, perhaps whole under a marinade. In the restaurant, of course, it is crucial that we don’t serve things that are too fiddly to eat, or that will cause people to end up with food splashed down their clothes. So I’m afraid that some of these recipes require you to fillet the fish first – or, if you don’t want to do it yourself, ask your fishmonger to do it for you.
Sgombro all’aspretto di zafferano Mackerel with saffron vinaigrette
This is the dish that Tony Blair ate when he came to the restaurant – I was impressed by his choice of healthy proletarian food. Where I come from in Lombardia, we are quite close to the Ligurian Sea but for some reason we get more fish from the Adriatic – mackerel is one that we used to have all the time when I was little – in addition to our usual diet of fish from the local lakes. Fat and flavoursome, mackerel actually have a better flavour when they are well cooked (unlike most fish) and, because they are very oily, the flesh won’t dry out the way other fish do.
Sometimes I make this dish without the pancetta but with a little saffron instead. You brush the mackerel fillets with oil and a few saffron threads, then season them with salt. Heat a pan and add a little oil. When it is hot, put in the fish, skin side down, pressing it down so that all the skin comes into contact with the pan. Don’t fiddle with it, just leave it for three or four minutes, until the skin turns golden, and you will see the flesh starting to turn white, rather than translucent. Once the flesh has turned white almost to the top, turn the fillets over and finish them off very briefly on the other side for about a minute. This is a dish of hot fish with a cold salad, which is why you need to choose fairly robust leaves, such as rocket. Note: if you are using saffron vinaigrette that you have made earlier and kept in the fridge, warm it up in a pan (but don’t let it boil) before using it, to bring out the flavour.
2 large mackerel (each about 80-90g)
8 thin slices of pancetta or Parma ham
4 handfuls of mixed green salad leaves
2 tablespoons Giorgio’s vinaigrette (see page 51)
3 tablespoons Saffron vinaigrette (see page 52)
bunch of chives, cut into short lengths
salt and pepper
Take one of the mackerel and cut down either side of the central bone, so that you can remove this ‘panel’ completely, leaving you with 2 small, boneless fillets. Repeat with the other mackerel. You don’t need to season the fish, as there will be enough saltiness from the pancetta.
Wrap each fillet completely in pancetta, without overlapping it. Cut each fillet crossways, at an angle, into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size of the fillet.
Place a non-stick frying pan on the hob until it is moderately hot, but don’t add any oil. Put in the fish ‘parcels’ and cook until the pancetta is crisp and golden on each side (about 3-4 minutes in all).
While the fish is cooking, quickly season the salad leaves, toss with Giorgio’s vinaigrette and arrange in the centre of your serving plates.
Carefully remove the fish ‘parcels’ from the pan, then dip them into the Saffron vinaigrette and toss them around gently, and arrange them around the salad. Drizzle over the rest of the Saffron vinaigrette and sprinkle with the chives.
Sardine alla rivierasca Fried stuffed sardines
Sardines are my favourite of all the oily fish, with an amazingly rich flavour. My grandmother used to fry sardines in really hot oil, then take them off the heat and keep them on one side. She would put some sliced onions into a big pot on the hob with plenty of oil (enough to cover the sardines later), add a splash of white wine and vinegar and let everything warm up to make an infusion. Then she would pour this over the sardines and leave them for twelve hours. Finally, she would take out the sardines, break them up and serve them with pasta. Or sometimes she would just put the pot on the table and let everyone take a bit of fish and eat it with some bread. This is a little more complicated, and a dish to make in the summer, when fresh sardines are plentiful, but make sure the ones you buy have really silvery skins. If they are being sold on a stall and the sun is out, or they are under the lights in a fishmonger’s, you should