TASTE team’s top picks from the ‘23 Italian issue

By TASTE, 4 August 2023

We love eating Italian food in winter. The hearty, comforting cuisine is perfect for the cold whether. This is one of the reasons why the July/August issue of TASTE is dedicated to Italian food. But the issue also has a variety of other recipes, including a celebration of citrus, brassicas like you’ve never seen before and Cape Malay classics from beloved chef Fatima Sydow. To help you navigate the issue, we’ve asked the TASTE team to share their favourite recipes.

1. Fruit cocktail cheesecake pudding

- ABIGAIL DONNELLY, FOOD DIRECTOR

My choice is dedicated to Fatima Sydow, who shares her light and recipes with her followers. Her fruit cocktail cheesecake on page 132 is my kind of dessert.

Fruit cocktail cheesecake pudding

2. Loadshedding one-pot chicken

- KATE WILSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I have been obsessing over Hannah Lewry’s one-pot chicken with chorizo and pearl couscous on page 98 that can be reinvented with the poached leeks and polenta (poached leeks!). The issue is going to be having leftovers if it’s only one chicken... I'll have to break out the big pot. I’m also keen on Abi’s carbonara risotto because CARBONARA and RISOTTO.

Loadshedding one-pot chicken

3. Citrus-and-poppy seed almond cake

- KHANYA MZONGWANA, DEPUTY FOOD EDITOR

The first thing I’m making is Clem Pedro's citrus-and-poppy seed almond cake on page 123, because for ONCE, I have the right quantity of every ingredient for a recipe – pantry friendly in real life! I also love Clem’s tempura cauliflower and Tenderstem on page 125. I have a massive Romanesco broccoli in the fridge and I need no excuse to make mayonnaise! The second thing has to be Abigail Donnelly's chargrilled chicken with bagna cauda on page 76, because I’ve never tried this combo before but it sounds bangers! Hannah’s roast pork belly with wakame seaweed rice (yum!!) on page 102 is another one I really like and want to make.

Citrus-and-poppy seed almond cake

4. Buttery balsamic chicken livers

- KATHARINE POPE, HEAD OF DIGITAL CONTENT

I’m dying to try Abigails’s buttery balsamic chicken livers on page 78. I love chicken livers, but always make them with the same spicy flavours. This sounds like a wonderful way to switch things up!

Buttery Balsamic chicken livers

5. Grapefruit- and-white-balsamic roasted chicken

- MARTIN JACOBS, ART DIRECTOR

Anything with grapefruit has my name on it, and I always keep an eye out for new variations on a roast chicken. So, I’m definitely drawn to Clem’s grapefruit-and-white-balsamic roasted chicken on page 123.

Grapefruit- and-white-balsamic roasted chicken

6. Pear loaf

- YVETTE SAMAAI, BUSINESS MANAGER

I'm definitely baking Abigail's pear loaf on page 85 this weekend. I have family coming over and it will be perfect. Fatima's sugar bean on page 130 curry is an absolute must. It's exactly what my mom cooked, the process of soaking the beans overnight reminds me of her. I can’t wait to cook this dish. And Hannah's cheat's chicken sausage meatballs with creamy soya mushrooms on page 22 – I know my family will enjoy this.

PEAR LOAF

7. Charred broccoli-percorino double-storey toastie

- ANNZRA DENITA NAIDOO, ONLINE EDITOR

Never in a million years would I have thought about adding broccoli to a cheese toastie. But fortunately, Khanya is a genius and has opened up this possibility with her charred broccoli-pecorino double-storey toastie on page 118. This makes perfect sense to me. Broccoli cheese is one of the best combos, so why not have it in toastie form? Plus, the crispy charred broccoli adds more texture to the toastie. It's a win-win.

Get your copy of the TASTE Italian issue

TASTE T184 July/August 2023 cover

You can get your issue at your local Woolworths, and it’s available for digital download via zinio.com and magzter.com. 

TASTE

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The TASTE team is a happy bunch of keen cooks and writers, always on the look out for the next food trend or the next piece of cake.
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