Croque Madame

Pre-heat the oven to a high heat. Grate the gruyère and the parmesan. In a bowl, mix the yolks with the parmesan and cream, seasoning with ground pepper. Spread some butter on one slice of bread and place it butter side down on a baking tray. Layer the grated gruyère, one slice of ham, then repeat once more. Spread the creamy mixture on both sides of the remaining slice of bread. Transfer the sandwich to the oven and bake until golden. You can also turn on the grill to speed up this process. In a sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and, as it foams, crack the egg over it and cook over medium heat just until the white is cooked and the yolk warm. Once the sandwich is golden, remove it from the oven and top it with the fried egg, season the white with salt, the yolk with pepper and serve.

Baked Stuffed Courgettes

Remove and reserve the stem ends. With the thin blade of a knife, remove the centre pulp from each courgette, starting from the cut end, leaving a 5mm thick unbroken shell. Dice the salami slices and provolone and chop the parsley. Skin, seed and chop the tomatoes. Slice the onion thinly. In a large bowl, add the breadcrumbs, Parma ham, salami, provolone, parmesan, pecorino, parsley, pine nuts and tomatoes. Mix in enough olive oil and water to hold the stuffing together. Pack the stuffing inside the courgettes and cover them with the reserved stem ends, securing them with wooden toothpicks. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil and, turning occasionally, gently sauté the courgettes until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray. In the same pan, cook the onion until soft, then add the wine and finish with the butter, salt and pepper. Pour this sauce over the courgettes and bake in a 150C/300C oven for 45 minutes. Leave to cool then cut into slices and serve on a platter, with the sauce drizzled over.

Apple, Speck and Goat Cheese Salad

Grate the zest and juice the lemon. In a bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Core the unpeeled apples, and slice them thinly. Cut the speck slices into strips. Crumble the cheese with a fork, or cut it in cubes. In a serving bowl, combine the lettuce, apple, speck and cheese. Toss it with the dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Croque Monsieur

Pre-heat the oven on a high heat. Grate the gruyere cheese and the parmesan. In a bowl, mix the yolks with the parmesan and cream, seasoning with ground pepper. Spread butter on one slice of bread and place it butter side down over a baking tray. Layer the grated gruyère, one slice of ham, than repeat it once more. Spread the creamy mixture on both sides of the remaining slice of bread. Take the sandwich to the oven and bake it until golden. You can also turn on the grill to accelerate this process. To make a Croque Madame, top the finished sandwich with a fried egg.

Endive with Ham and Cheese Sauce

Drop the endives in a pan of boiling salted water, for 5 minutes. Drain and gently squeeze the water out. Cut each one in half and wrap it in a slice of ham. Then arrange them in an ovenproof dish. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F. To make the sauce, melt the butter and stir in the flour, mixing and cooking for 2 minutes. Add the mustard and pour in the milk gradually, stirring vigorously. When it boils and thickens, turn down the heat and add the cream and cheese. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste. Pour the sauce over the endives and finish them in the oven, until brown.

Fig, Parma Ham, Piñoli and Parmesan Salad

Trim the tops of the figs and quarter. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan. Leave to cool. Tear the Parma ham slices in large pieces. Place the figs in a bowl along with the salad leaves and pine nuts. At the last minute, season with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. Gently mix together. Serve by placing a bunch of salad leaves on the centre of the plates and garnish them with the figs and ham pieces. With a vegetable peeler, cut thin slices of parmesan to finish.

Italian Antipasti

Cut the courgettes and aubergines in 4mm slices, from top to bottom. Season them with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. In a very hot non-stick pan, grill them until soft and lightly golden. Rest on a rack.

Char the red peppers on an open flame until completely black. Tie them in a plastic bag and wait about 10 minutes. This way, you’ll be able to peel them easily, and they will have absorbed a nice smoky flavour. Cut them in half, scrape out the seeds, remove any internal white membranes and cut into thick slices. Arrange the vegetables in a platter with the mozzarella and the ham. Serve with good bread and olive oil.