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I cooked this dish overlooking the beach at Pescoluse, on the Puglian coast. It’s known as the Maldives of Salento and is a hidden paradise. I used swordfish, but tuna would work well too. Gremolata is a dressing of raw chopped garlic, parsley and lemon zest. It is usually sprinkled over meats, such as osso bucco or carpaccio, but it also makes a great garnish for grilled fish. Always make sure you...

You’d have probably expected me to cook a seafood dish when visiting the picturesque cove of Polignano a Mare, in Puglia. However, despite facing the sea, the absence of safe moorings for boats has prevented the development of a fishing tradition in the town, so it relies on agriculture. The area is famous for its wonderful fresh vegetables – especially salad, olives and potatoes – so I decided...

Once considered poor man’s food, Italian fish soup can now be found in the best restaurants along the Adriatic coast. From Trieste to Puglia you’ll find the so-called brodetti (broths), although they vary from region to region. We had countless bowlfuls on our coastal journey; each was unique and all were delicious. Here I’ve used prawns and monkfish, but any white fish would work just as well....

This is my Italian version of bread and butter pudding, served with char-grilled fruits and sweetened ricotta cheese. In Italy the ricotta is very creamy and rich, and I just added honey to sweeten it, but in Britain you might like to add a few drops of vanilla extract to give depth of flavour.