Gennaro says: “In this perfect summer pasta salad, the creamy fresh celery pesto contrasts with the crunchy chopped celery heart. Use the outer celery stalks to make the pesto and the tender heart to add to the pasta salad.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 300g (10½oz) farfalle pasta
• 1 quantity of celery pesto (see below)
• 1 celery stalk from the heart, finely sliced, plus leaves for garnishing
• 12 baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 50g (1¾oz) provolone dolce cheese, cut into small cubes
• sea salt

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, make the celery pesto (as below).

Drain the pasta and run under cold water, then transfer to a bowl.

Combine with the pesto, chopped celery heart, tomatoes and cheese and either serve or store in the fridge until required.

Garnish with chopped celery leaves before serving.

Celery pesto

Ingredients

• 270g (9¾oz) celery stalks with leaves
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 50g (1¾oz) walnuts
• 6 basil leaves
• 50g (1¾oz) grated parmesan
• 80ml (2½fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
• zest of ½ lemon, plus 1 tsp juice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Remove any tough, stringy filaments from the celery stalks, then roughly chop.

Place the chopped celery and celery leaves, the garlic, walnuts, basil, parmesan and olive oil in a blender and whizz until smooth. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and season to taste.

Add the pesto to freshly cooked pasta or store in the fridge and use when required.

Gennaro says: “This Ligurian-style frittata includes sweet raisins and crunchy pine kernels, which complement the chard. I love the colours of rainbow chard but, if you can’t find it, use the white-stemmed variety or spinach instead. Served with rustic bread and a salad, this makes an easy meal. You can also enjoy the frittata cold in a panino (sandwich) for a packed lunch or picnic.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of rainbow chard, about 400g (14oz) in total
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, left whole and squashed
• 2 anchovy fillets
• leaves of 1 thyme sprig
• 15g (½oz) raisins, soaked in a little warm water
• 15g (½oz) pine kernels
• 6 eggs
• 15g (½oz) grated parmesan
• red onion, finely sliced, to garnish
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Discard the hard ends of the chard stem and finely slice the rest of the stalks and the leaves.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-large frying pan over a medium heat and sweat the garlic, anchovy fillets and thyme leaves for a minute or so until the anchovy fillets have dissolved.

Discard the garlic. Add the chard and stir-fry over a medium-high heat for a minute or so to allow the chard to flavour. Add the softened raisins and pine kernels, then lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes until the chard is tender.

Remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook off any excess liquid.

Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs in a bowl with a little salt and pepper and the grated parmesan. Pour the egg mixture over the chard and cook in the pan like an omelette. You can either flip the frittata over or you could place it under a hot grill until it cooks and turns golden brown.

Remove from the heat and garnish with some red onion before slicing and serving.

Gennaro says: “This delicious savoury tart is made for the spring, when asparagus is plentiful and at its best. If you don’t have Parma ham, use cooked ham or, if you don’t eat meat, omit altogether. Serve with a potato salad.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 375g (13oz) ready-made shortcrust pastry
• 200g (7oz) asparagus
• 150g (5½oz) ricotta
• 4 eggs
• 30g (1oz) grated parmesan
• 100g (3½oz) Parma ham, roughly torn
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• crunchy mixed salad, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/ gas mark 6. Grease and line a 22cm (8½ in.) round tart or quiche tin and line it with baking paper.

Roll out the pastry and use it to line the bottom of the prepared tin. Cover the pastry with baking paper, top with baking beans and bake blind for about 15 minutes, until the sides of the pastry have cooked through and are golden.

Using a large spoon, remove the beans and then the baking paper from the pastry case and return the pastry to the oven for a further 5–10 minutes, until the base is a pale golden colour.

Remove from the oven and prepare the filling.

Reduce the oven temperature to 130°C fan/150°C/gas mark 2.

Finely chop most of the asparagus, reserving 7 or 8 spears, then bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the asparagus for about 3 minutes until just tender, then drain well and leave to cool.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, parmesan, Parma ham, a little salt and pepper and the chopped asparagus. Fill the pastry case with this mixture, then arrange the whole asparagus spears over the top. Bake in the lower third of the oven for about 40 minutes, until the filling has set.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving with a crunchy mixed salad.