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My Italian Family Cookbook review and giveaway

May 4, 2011 - By 

Sacla’ have teamed up with rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio to produce a fabulous new family cookbook called My Italian Family Cookbook. All the dishes are full of goodness, easy to prepare and use the very best ingredients.  Lawrence says “My Dad and I have always wanted to create the ultimate Italian family cookbook, sharing our passion, our love of cooking great food with fresh ingredients and of course our treasured family recipes. Sacla’ are now a part of our family, coming from Piedmont in Italy as we do, where they still make all their delicious products including our range, Dallaglio by Sacla’ pasta sauces. The book is available from May 12th.

 

My Italian Family Cookbook combines the best ingredients with simple, wholesome family recipes and celebrates the joy of cooking and sharing food as a family. It is full of tasty dishes, my favourites include aubergine bake with parmesan and ‘pick me up’ pud.

Why not try this recipe for Polpette alla Diavola (meatballs with Diavola sauce), just one of more than a hundred tasty treats in this beautiful book.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves 4

 

 

INGREDIENTS
500g lean beef mince
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
4 spring onions, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
100g breadcrumbs
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little olive oil
300g jar Dallaglio by Sacla’ Diavola sauce
400g penne pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

Put the mince in a bowl with the herbs, spring onions, lemon zest, breadcrumbs and cinnamon.  Mix it all together and season well.

Take walnut-sized pieces of the mince and roll into balls. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the meatballs lightly until golden.

Heat the sauce in a pan and add the meatballs.

Meanwhile, cook the penne in the boiling water until al dente.

Add a ladleful of pasta water to the sauce and meatballs – this will loosen the mixture and help bring all the flavours together.

Drain the pasta well. Return it to the pan and add the meatballs
and sauce. Toss everything together.

Divide among four bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

 

GIVEAWAY

I have one copy of My Italian Family Cookbook to giveaway.

To enter

Simply leave me a comment and tell me your favourite Italian dish.

For an extra entry tweet “I want to #win a copy of My Italian Family cookbook from @gingerbread_mum ‘s #giveaway http://tinyurl.com/3as569t” and leave me a comment to let me know.

Terms and conditions

The competition ends at noon on Friday 13th May. One entry per person please. The winner will be chosen randomly and notified using the twitter name/email address provided. If the prize winner cannot be contacted within 3 days then a redraw will take place. Competition open to UK and ROI residents only.

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279 Comments on “My Italian Family Cookbook review and giveaway”

  1. Pingback: My Italian Family Cookbook review and giveaway | the-gingerbread … | Easy Family Style Recipes

  4. tweeted as @cabincrew73

    Gnocchi baked with spinach and mozeralla with a tomoto based sauce

  5. Favourite Italian dish – Gino di Campo!!! Or tiramasu if he’s not available

  9. Gino D’Acampo’s zesty broccoli and courgette spaghetti – simple, quick to make and low cost 🙂

  12. My favourite dish is still Lasagne, but with ricata cheese (no white sauce) and the proper noodles with the wavy edges.

  19. I am also tweeting from @compgirl
    Loved the review, and thanks for the giveaway!

  22. Does living in Italy make George Clooney Italian? If so, there’s no question about my favourite dish. Otherwise it’s a perfectly made classic risotto alla milanese.

  28. Calzone, which is a delicious dough filled with ricotta cheese, it’s my husbands speciality !

  31. I go through phases but carbonara is my fave at the moment with gnocchi second.

  33. I have a weakness for all lasagnes and gnocchi dishes!
    Have tweeted as well (@kazautomatic)

  34. Wild Mushroom Risotto has been a recent favourite since my teenager has suddenly developed an enormous love for both mushrooms and Risotto rice which previously She admitted to hating.

  36. My favourite dish is tiramisu. Very fattening, but oh, so delicious!

  38. I love homemade ravioli in a delicious tomato and herb sauce, made with fresh pasta ,little parcels of delicious italian treats, mmmm!

  40. My favourite italian dish is saltimbocca alla romana as it feels like something special to eat and is absolutely delicious. Either that or stracciatella because my Dad always used to make it when I was a kid so it reminds me of him and is yummy, conforting, easy to make and fairly healthy. I love Italian food!

  44. That’s tough one… I do like a good seafood risotto…. And who can beat freshly cooked pizza? Nothing beats fresh pizza in Italy.

  46. I just love Italian everything – food, gardens, men, but my favourite dish is a risotto. I add so many different ingredients to mine, so each time I make it it’s different but at the same time comforting familiar and it is always, always delicious!

  47. Spinach and Mushroom Canneloni. My absolute favourite with salad and some garlic bread. I have tweeted the message

  48. My fave Italian dish is Mushroom risotto
    I have tweeted the comp @Dorothee77

  49. penne alla vodka with parmesan shrimp so delicious it is mouth wateringly good!

  66. How do I choose as I love Italian food so much but if I have to choose it would be my homemade vegetarian pasta bake

  72. Got to be spaghetti alla carbonara – I could eat it for every meal (be the size of a house but it would be worth it)!

  73. Wild Mushroom Risoto – hmmmmm, now I’ve gone and made myself hungry

  79. Oh my days, I LOVE Italian food. How on Earth am I supposed to choose between pasta, risotto, gnocchi, pizza…?

    But if I absolutely had to go for one thing, it would have to be pizza.

  86. It has got to be pizza. Nothing can beat a fresh Italian pizza, Yummy!

  97. Got to be Spaghetti Bolognese with loads of mushroom and garlic 🙂 Always goes down a treat

  98. My little boy and me both loves lasagne and carbonara. Anything with a cheese sauce in is a hit with us both!
    Have also tweeted @_mummytojack_

  100. My fave Italian dish is taglitelle carbonara (but not with smoked ham). Creamy, light and delicious accompanied by a big helping of salad witha vinagriette dressing and a glass of dry white wine. Doesn’t that sounds heavenly?

  103. mine is gnocchi with a cream tomato sauce and garlic bread …..yum!

  108. Can’t beat a good bowl of meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, mop the sauce up with some great crusty bread

  112. Tweeted @suedong

    Penne with Mushrooms and Prosciutto is my family favourite doesnt take long to make and its a tasty meal.

  116. My favorite is definitely Ravioli. Thanks for this great competition!

  119. I love all the different varieties of gnocchi that are available in Italy, we just don’t get them here.

  122. I adore lasagne and I’ve been told I make the best lasagne on the planet! My dad never liked lasagne until I made it- he had a 2nd helping, then a 3rd helping of it so it must be good

  124. I was at a wedding in Tuscany and between the church and the dinner they set out some local produce to snack on, local cheeses, local meats sliced while you waited, local breads… Amazing!

  129. My favourite italian dish is Penne Arrabiata with vegetables, profiteroles for desert. nom nom nom.

  130. I love Lasagne all’Ouvo, which I first enjoyed when I was on honeymoon in Sorrento. It’s an egg lasagne and it’s simply gorgeous!

  131. For a bonus entry, I have also tweeted a link to the competition @emma1111111

  132. Must be Tiramisu shared with my favourite person.
    One spoon for her,one for me!

  144. It has to be spaghetti alle vongole veraci. I fell in love with this in San Remo more years ago than I care to remember. It was one of those ‘WOW!, where have you been all my life?’ moments. Such a simple dish, so easy to do wrong, but when they get it right, BOY!!! do they get it right!

  145. My favourite Italian dish is Bistecca Alla Pizzaiola

    mmmmm and the kids love it too & even better is it is very easy to make

  149. Has to be yummy homemade carbonara (with no cream) , and lots of fresh crusty bread served with a green salad!

  153. My favourite Italian dish just has to be a Ricotta and Spinach Tortellini… Mmm heaven 🙂

  154. I love Lasagne, I think because my mum used to make it as I was growing up frequently and it made a change from burnt sausages or veggie stew!!

    Nowadays I make it myself frequently!

  161. After visiting Florence last year I can safely say that every meal was amazing! If I had to pick one dish it would be the fresh seafood salad I had as a starter one night, amazing!

  164. Spaghetti alle vongole in Bianco. This was the first italian dish I had when I met the person I fell in love with. Now, when I’m not with them, I cook it at home to make me feel better.

  170. Has to be my aunties lasagne,but she wont share the recipe so i only get to hav it once a year!

  175. Spinach and ricotta Ravioli for me with a nice tomato and mascapone sauce.

  177. Basil, mozzarella and tomato with a splash of good olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

  183. its got to be lasagne, although not had in quite a while cause of my diet, and weight watchers lasagne just doent do any justice to a proper homemade one <3

  190. I love Italian food but my two favourite are lasagne and spaghetti bolognese so very tasty. Definate family favourites.

  191. Spaghetti Bolognese. We have this once a week as the whole family never tire of it!

  200. aubergine parmigiana: somethink I first tried in Italy and just have to continue making over here, its so good!

  207. Melanzane parmigiana every time! At least i think thats how you spell it! Bella!! x

  212. Chicken parmigiana and spaghetti, with plenty of mozzeralla and marinara sauce!!!!!

  216. I have only had this once, years ago during a visit to London and I still remember how yummy the meal was – Gnocchi. That would have to be my favourite, but I love all Italian foods especially Pasta mmmm

  219. I can’t think of an Italian dish I don’t like, but my favourite is a simple caprese salad. It’s got to be made with really good vine ripened tomatoes, buffalo mozarella and fresh basil, grated black pepper and good olive oil. Perfect for lunch, with fresh crusty bread, or just as a snack when I’m feeling peckish. A few olives or a dash of balsamic vinegar makes it even tastier!

  221. good old fashioned Spag Bol with garlic bread and a green salad followed by tiramasu yum yum!!

  226. Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni – oooooo I could eat it every day! My favourite!

    @sugarthief on twitter!

    Thank you! I would love this book! 🙂

  227. My favourite Italian dish is Robert di Niro, classic, tasty, and unique !!!

  232. It would have to be spinach and ricotta ravioli! With a creamy tomato sauce on top and lots and lots of black pepper!

  234. I had a pizza in rome which had spinach, mozzarella and anchovies, I loved it and make it at home.

  236. I love Spaghetti Carbonara – it’s making me hungry just thinking about it! 🙂

  241. I like gnocchi in all its forms. Especially in tomato sauce with mozarella.

  250. Pastina is my favorite dish by a mile… i love the different flavours

  251. I love Stromboli bread. I make one with Mozzarella basil and Tomato and feed an army for lunch.

  252. I love lasagne though preferably vetable rather than beef as I don’t really eat much meat. The same applies with ravioli which I find delicious in any number of sauces.
    Another thing I adore, having experienced the real deal in Genoa, is fresh Ciabatta with various toppings – absolutely gorgeous!!

  258. My ultimate favorite dish has to be lasagne, just call me garfield lol

  265. My favourite Italian dish has to be a Margherita Pizza named after Queen Margherita – a right ROYAL DISH!!!

  266. It has to be traditional Italian pizza – we have nothing like it in this country – it’s gorgeous, eaten up in the Tuscan Hills with a green salad and a glass of vino!
    re-tweeted as devonlady

  275. Pingback: My Italian Family Cookbook book winner | the-gingerbread-house.co.uk

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