Made In Italy with Silvia Colloca

Silvia Colloca travels through Central Italy on a culinary celebration of traditional Italian cuisine. Her breath is taken away by stunning seaside dining on the Adriatic sea, where she learns how to make mussles in white wine broth on a bygone fishing pier called a trabocco. Heading inland to her family home in Torricella, Silvia calls upon locally produced white wine to create a superbly simple dish, pollo in potacchio (chicken in a pot). Continuing on to Ascoli Piceno, Silvia visits a 17th century farmhouse for an education in cooking stuff fried olives. Then, returning once again to her family home, Silvia hands down an ancient pasta recipe to some of her family’s newest members, culminating in the creation of maccheroni alla chitarra con fiori di zucca e zafferano (home-made spaghetti with zucchini blossom and saffron sauce).

Silvia Colloca continues to explore the culinary traditions of Central Italy. Her first stop is an old farmhouse that epitomises rural cuisine. It’s here that Silvia explores the magic of country-style cooking and gets a lesson in how to prepare coniglio in porchetta (stuffed rabbit). Silva’s travels then take her on to Abruzzo, where she sources some of Italy’s finest extra virgin olive oil, and celebrates its versatility by turning it into torta all'olio e albicocche (apricot and olive oil cake). Molise is the next destination where Silvia visits an Agriturismo (rural restaurant) and enjoys the delights of cucina povera (peasant-style cooking). Here, this cost-effective, rustic cuisine is typified by the preparation of stuffed baked polenta. After a trip to the vibrant fresh food markets of Isernia, Silvia returns to her family home and, with the help of her sister, demonstrates how to make foolproof potato gnocchi with zucchini and pecorino sauce.

Silvia Colloca journeys to Ascoli Piceno and immerses herself in Italian cafe culture; inspired by the experience, she returns to her family home in Torricella to make the perfect coffee dunking cookie – tozzetti (almond-and-lemon biscuits). Back on the road travelling along the Adriatic coastline, Silvia visits the bustling seaside town of San Benedetto del Tronto and turns some of Italy’s finest seafood into unforgettable finger food. Heading back through Central Italy’s interior, a wrong turn results in the most spectacular surprise when Silvia stumbles across a local specialty, agnello rosolato con patate (slow braised lamb with potatoes). Then, back in Torricella, the local ‘Butcher Girls’ prepare the makings of Silvia’s magnificent cavatelli alla molisana (homemade pasta with meat ragout).

Silvia Colloca ventures to the seaside village of Vasto, where she wrestles an octopus in exchange for a delectable seafood salad recipe called polipo con patate (octopus and potato salad). She then pops into Sulmona Markerts, Abruzzo, to purchase the freshest peaches for her spectacular summer dessert pesche al vino con mascarpone (wine-drenched peaches with mascarpone cream). Continuing on to her mother’s birthplace, Torricella in Abruzzo, Sivlia reconnects with life at its simplest and catches up with her cousin Rosanna who shares her take on a family classic called pallotte cacio e ovo (cheese-and-egg balls). Then travelling south to Molise, Silvia collects some roadside onions and teams up with her brother to make mouth-watering onion focaccia.

Silvia Colloca takes in the fresh sea air of San Benedetto del Tronto and discovers the secrets behind fritto misto, an Italian seaside speciality. She travels to Ascoli Piceno to witness the creation of some of the country’s finest ricotta. Inspired by her experience, she heads home to Torricella and transforms luscious curds of ricotta into a sensational ricotta, chocolate and cherry tart. Silvia then calls on the local wine of Abruzzo to make magnificent savoury Italian waffles.

This week, Silvia Colloca visits San Vito Chietino on the picturesque Adriatic coast, and with the help of her cousin, and ingredients fresh from the sea, learns how to make tacconcelli al ragú di pesce (pasta squares with fish ragout). Silvia then traverses through glorious green fields of spelt and finds inspiration for the most remarkable ciabatta. Influenced by the Italian poet Dante’s gruesome tale, Divine Comedy, Silvia heads south to Urbino for an education in lamb offal. Here, Luca, a local chef demonstrates how to transform a cluster of organs including heart, liver, kidneys and lungs into a delicacy triumphant with flavour and texture. And then in Abruzzo, Silva collects eggs from the freshest and most sustainable source possible – the local hens – and makes her son’s favourite dunking cake, lemon and ricotta ring cake.

In Torricella, Silvia Colloca visits her beloved neighbour, who shares her take on the most heavenly flatbread, pizza scima (white wine unleavened bread). Silvia then journeys to Sulmona to take advantage of the fabulously fresh produce at the local farmers' markets. Returning to her family home in Torricella, she gives her father a cooking lesson, culminating in a glorious zucchini gratin. The next stop is Silvia’s mother’s birthplace in Abruzzo, where, with the help of the village mayor and some generous locals, she learns how to transform locally grown organic goods into the joys of a summer barbecue, Italian-style. Heading north to Fara San Martino, Silvia soaks up the beauty of breathtaking mountain springs and acquires some of the best pasta money can buy. Determined to do the illustrious pasta justice, Silvia calls in her mother to create her specialty, pasta rotta con lenticchie (broken pasta and lentil soup).

Silvia Colloca travels to Macerata in Le Marche, where she receives lesson in an Italian peasant tradition – vincisgrassi (or lasagne, Marche-style). Heading south to Castelbottaccio in Molise, Silvia and her mother embark on a quest to find a long-lost recipe for sponge cake peaches (pesche di Castelbottaccio). Next up is a nostalgic trip to Abruzzo, a land Silvia holds close to her heart, where she reminisces on cherished childhood memories and visits one of her dearest childhood friends. Together, they create a spring classic - lamb chops with asparagus. Then heading home to Torricella Silvia puts her bread baking skills to the test and whips up a party favourite - bread pockets with cheese and stewed capsicum.

This week, Silvia Colloca journeys to the medieval village Roccascalenga, where she calls upon the expertise of some local cooks and learns how to make heavenly, hand-rolled cannelloni with slow braised meat. Then, heading east, Silvia travels to Sulmona, where she explores the farmers' market and acquires fresh ingredients for one of her favourite vegetarian dishes - peperoni imbottiti (stuffed capsicum). Travelling on to Torricella, Silvia sweetens things up as she explores the secrets behind an Italian cheesecake called fiadone. Then, back at her family home, Silvia teams up with her brother to create an exquisite clam-and-chickpea pasta, cooked risotto-style.

Silvia Colloca ventures to the seaside town of Termoli on the spectacular Adriatic coastline. Picking up some of the freshest seafood money can buy, Silvia then witnesses it being turned into one of the most traditional dishes of Molise - spicy octopus stew (polpi in purgatorio). Travelling north to Abruzzo, Silvia finds inspiration from the delicious meat cold cuts that the region is renowned for, and makes an Italian savoury pie no picnic can go without - savoury pie with silver beets (pizza rustica). Then heading inland to Isernia, she learns how to make pasta and bean soup (sagne e fasciul'), and back home in Torricella, Silvia is accompanied by her youngest son, Miro, who lends a hand with the creation of his favourite sweet – cicerchiata, a honey drizzled cluster cake.