Sumptuous cheese corn balls served with buttered parsley rice, glazed vegetables topped with a red wine flavoured tomato sauce. You can serve pasta instead of the rice if you prefer.

In Italy, the term "alla fiorentina" is used for dishes that are typically connected to the city of Florence. Florentine is a style of cooking pasta, rice and vegetables in which spinach is essentially used. Risotto fiorentina is a classic preparation of cheesy creamy Italian rice cooked in stock and topped with cooked spinach, tomato purée and fresh Italian herbs - basil and parsley. Italian rice used for risotto is a round, short grained variety with a nutty flavour. Arborio rice is the very best kind to use. Risotto is best when freshly prepared and quickly eaten!

Piedmont, is a region in italy bordering both france and switzerland. Piedmontese food is a substantial, peasant type fare. Garlic features predominantly in their recipes. Gnocchi are often offered as a first course when soup in not served. In this recipe of piedmontese gnocchi, little potato vegetable dumplings are served tossed in a robust tomato and red wine sauce predominantly flavoured with garlic and oregano. The rules of cooking and serving pasta and gnocchi are essentially the same i. e. Boil in plenty of water. Serve the gnocchi freshly tossed in the tomato and red wine sauce. For an exciting variation, try serving the gnocchi with a pesto sauce.

The ladies of the night in Naples are credited with inventing this dish. They liked it because it is fast, easy to cook and uses very few ingredients. I think you will like it too! Spaghetti tossed with garlic, tomatoes and olives make this a quick and classic combination.

TThe Vinaigrette Salad Dressing is a pungent one, with the exotic flavour of red wine vinegar and the sharp but peppy taste of mustard. With an olive oil base, this dressing stays good in the fridge for two days, if stored in a clean and airtight container. Serve the Vinaigrette Salad Dressing atop steamed veggies or mixed greens, such as beans, broccoli or boiled potatoes, and lose yourself in its tongue-tickling flavour.

Here is a fantastic dressing with the succulence of cottage cheese, the juiciness of tomatoes, the tingling flavour of vinegar, mustard paste, and the tantalising aroma of herbs. Used popularly in Mediterranean cuisine, the Feta and Tomato Dressing is an olive oil based dressing that is definitely worth trying. It stays good for two days, if stored in an airtight glass jar in the fridge. So, dash to the kitchen and whip it up right away!

The Creamy Italian Dressing is well, creamy! That’s probably the best word to describe this luscious dressing that is loaded with mayonnaise and sour cream. And yes, it is mouth-wateringly tasty too, with a dash of herbs and garlic, and the exquisite touch of red wine vinegar. It is very easy to prepare, as all you need to do is toss the ingredients into the mixer and blend till smooth! Store it in an airtight glass jar in the fridge, where it will stay good for two days.

Mozzarella is synonymous for cheese in italy. Naples is the city of origin for this cow's milk cheese characterised with a chewy, stringy texture. Sticks of mozzarella cheese are coated with a herbed flour batter, rolled in bread crumbs and then deep fried in smoking hot oil to make this tongue tickling starter! eat these sticks as soon as they are fried to get the taste of melted cheese. Coat the cheese sticks completely with the flour batter and bread crumbs to prevent the cheese from oozing out of the covering when it is being fried. This recipe is an absolute hit with everyone who eats it! i like to serve these sticks with the tomato and red wine sauce but you can also serve them with tomato sauce or ketchup.

A taste enhancer which can be made in advance and can be stored in refrigerator for later use. This versatile sauce blends well with pastas, salads etc.

A cheesy delight served with a delicate, spicy and tangy tomato red wine sauce! Serve as a starter or evening tea snack or enjoy with a bowl of hot soup .

A spicy tangy sauce with filling and velvety beans. You can replace the lima beans with veggies of your choice as well.

Sangria comes from the Spanish word sangre, meaning blood from the colour. In Spain and the surrounding area, it is drunk at many festivals with great theatrical drama - poured directly into the mouth from a long spouted jug! The art lies in being able to drink the Sangria from varying heights without spilling any! It has now become a very well known drink, cool and packed with fruit. Ideally, Sangria needs to sit for a full day before it is served, to ensure a smooth and mellow taste. If a day is not possible, give it an absolute minimum of two hours to sit. Doubling or tripling the recipe is fine, but you'll have to switch to a large punch bowl in place of the pitcher.

This combination of fruits, wine and cake is a gourmet's delight.