Frankie Dettori’s Italian Family Cookbook. Frankie Dettori

them and put them in a large saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until they all open (no need to add water as the wetness from the washing will be sufficient). Discard any that don’t open, remove the meat and reserve the shells.

      Steam or cook the spinach leaves in boiling water for a minute or two, roughly chop them and place in a bowl. Add the Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, egg and seasoning, and mix well. Place each mussel on a half shell and cover with a generous dollop of the Parmesan and spinach mixture. Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and drizzle over the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve while still hot.

      Frankie

      “There’s something irresistible about eating mussels in Italy; they just taste different. It could be because I remember as a boy collecting mussels from the beach and then rushing home to give them to my mother for that evening’s meal. This is how my mum cooks mussels. If, like me, you need to avoid carbohydrates, leave out the breadcrumbs, although they do add a really nice crunch.”

INSALATE

       SALADS

INSALATA DI RUCOLA E PARMIGIANO

       Rocket and Gran Padano salad

INSALATA DI PERA, CICORIA E GORGONZOLA

       Chicory, pear, walnut and Gorgonzola salad

TONNO E FAGIOLI

       Tuna and bean salad

       VITELLO TONNATO

       Cold veal with a tuna and caper sauce

       INSALATA ALLA TORPINO

       Walnut, spinach and pomegranate salad

       INDIVIA CON ACCIUGHE

       Warm endive salad with garlic and anchovies

       INSALATA DI PATATINE, ROSMARINO, POMODORINI E OLIVE

       Warm salad of sautéed rosemary potatoes with cherry tomatoes and black olives

       INSALATA AL BALSAMICO

       Sautéed Prosciutto di Parma and balsamic vinegar salad

       INSALATA DI PISELLI

       Fresh green pea salad

INSALATA DI RUCOLA E PARMIGIANO

       Rocket and Gran Padano salad

      8 handfuls of wild rocket

      65 g Parmigiano di Gran Padano, thinly shaved

      FOR THE DRESSING:

      150 ml extra virgin olive oil

      3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

      a small pinch of sugar and salt

       Serves: 4

       Preparation time: 5 minutes

      For the dressing, whisk the olive oil into the balsamic vinegar very slowly, until emulsified. Season with a small pinch of sugar and salt. To serve, place the rocket leaves in a bowl and drizzle over the dressing. Top with the shaved Parmesan.

      Marco

      “This brilliant Italian salad became wildly popular in London restaurants a few years ago. And this was when chefs started mucking about with it, adding all manner of things, such as pine nuts, bacon, croutons or, God help me, poached eggs. I don’t add anything as this dish stands up on its own either as a starter or light lunch, or as an accompaniment to a grilled or roasted meat dish.”

INSALATA DI PERA, CICORIA E GORGONZOLA

       Chicory, pear, walnut and Gorgonzola salad

      100 g caster sugar

      2 ripe Conference pears, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes

      4 heads of yellow chicory, halved and with the bitter core cut out, and thinly sliced lengthways

      40 g walnuts, roughly chopped

      100 g Gorgonzola, cut into 1 cm cubes

      FOR THE DRESSING:

      25 g walnuts

      3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

      150 ml walnut oil

      a pinch of sugar

      salt

       Serves: 4

       Preparation time: 10 minutes

       Cooking time: 10 minutes

      To make the dressing, place the walnuts and white wine vinegar in a food processor and, with the motor running, trickle in the walnut oil until emulsified. Add a pinch of sugar and season to taste.

      Sprinkle the caster sugar into a pan and cook over a high heat for a few seconds until the sugar begins to caramelize and turn golden brown. Then add the cubed pears and cook for 10 minutes until they begin to caramelize. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. To serve, place the sliced chicory, walnuts and Gorgonzola in a bowl, add the caramelized pears and sugar, mix in the dressing and divide between 4 plates or bowls.

      Marco

      “When I bring the kids to Frankie’s for an early supper, I always try to eat with them and this is one of my favourite light suppers. Gorgonzola is a fantastic cheese - it has the bite of a good Stilton, tempered with the creaminess of a Taleggio, and is perfect with the crunchy walnuts and sweet pears.”