0:00:02 > 0:00:07# O mio babbino caro
0:00:07 > 0:00:14# Mi piace, e bello, bello
0:00:14 > 0:00:17# Vo'andare... #
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Ever since I first visited Italy over 20 years ago,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23it's held a special place in my heart
0:00:23 > 0:00:25and continues to pull me back.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29It's full of life, love and joyfulness -
0:00:29 > 0:00:32all the things I want my Christmas to be.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35So this year, I'm celebrating this
0:00:35 > 0:00:38by throwing a party inspired by Venice,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40one of Italy's most magical cities.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46This glittering city works such magic on me.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47I mean, why wouldn't it?
0:00:47 > 0:00:51And although I'm not planning a Venetian masked ball,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53I have to say, in all honesty,
0:00:53 > 0:00:58my Christmas party inspiration definitely comes from Venice.
0:00:58 > 0:01:06# ...Babbo, pieta, pieta! #
0:01:07 > 0:01:11CHATTER AND LAUGHTER
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Merry Christmas!
0:01:28 > 0:01:30LAUGHTER AND MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH
0:01:35 > 0:01:38At Christmas time, I am really in my element.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42I mean, not least because it gives me an excuse to throw a party.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45I've never really given a themed party,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47but I'd have to say that, this year,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50it's an Italian-inspired Christmas I'm after.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Nothing formal, nothing stressy. All easy.
0:01:54 > 0:02:00Above all, I need to be surrounded by people I like
0:02:00 > 0:02:02and food I love.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11To kick off, I'm going to make a gleaming, ruby red,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Venetian cocktail with a hint of spice.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16OK. Avanti.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20MAN: They look very Christmassy, don't they?
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Very beautiful.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25- The colour is amazing.- The flavour's absolutely fantastic.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29With that, I'm going to serve some bite-sized canapes
0:02:29 > 0:02:32or "cicchetti" as the Venetians call them...
0:02:34 > 0:02:35MAN: Do you want a song?
0:02:35 > 0:02:37That's nice, that's very good.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41...followed by a couple of no-stress main-course dishes.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45There's a hearty pasta with Brussels sprouts, cheese and potato,
0:02:45 > 0:02:50which is my Anglo take on a much-loved Italian winter warmer.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00My jewelled Renaissance salad has to be on the table, simply because
0:03:00 > 0:03:02its beauteous red leaves take me right back
0:03:02 > 0:03:06to the market stalls of Venice every time I see them.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10And then there's my show stopper,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12the stuffed roast turkey,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15burnished bronze and beautiful on the buffet table.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Mmm. That's beautiful.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21That is beautiful, isn't it?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24For the grand finale, I'm going to make
0:03:24 > 0:03:27two of my favourite festive desserts -
0:03:27 > 0:03:30cappuccino pavlova...
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Mmm!
0:03:34 > 0:03:36...and my Italian Christmas pudding cake.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41It's time for indulgence, after all.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48# Let's make Christmas merry, baby
0:03:50 > 0:03:54# Let me be your Santa Claus
0:03:58 > 0:04:02# Let's make Christmas merry, baby
0:04:04 > 0:04:09# Let me be your Santa Claus. #
0:04:12 > 0:04:17My atavistic refugee mentality means that I always feel at my most secure
0:04:17 > 0:04:19when I'm surrounded by food.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22And I have to say, at this time of year,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25my hungry hoarding reaches its peak.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27I feel I've got an excuse.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32So...essentials for my Italian Christmas are the sweet breads,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34cos that is what Italian Christmas is about.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36So panettone.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39That is sweet yeasted bread
0:04:39 > 0:04:42enriched with candied fruits and dried fruits.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45It looks a bit like a Christmas present to myself, doesn't it?
0:04:46 > 0:04:52If you really can't face the idea of the fruits, as some people can't,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54then I would advise you get pandoro.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Pandoro just means "golden bread", and that's what it is.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Exactly the same as panettone, without the fruit element.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Now...up a level, in every sense,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09marrons glaces - they are my seasonal splurge.
0:05:09 > 0:05:15Candied chestnuts of a really rich intensity.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I couldn't resist these -
0:05:18 > 0:05:22gold and silver covered buttons.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23Chocolate inside.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27I feel it's sparkly, it's Christmas, I must have them.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29A bit more savoury now
0:05:29 > 0:05:31but only a bit.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36This is what every Italian I know has on their Christmas table -
0:05:36 > 0:05:38mostarda di Cremona. Mustard fruits.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Can you see these are candied fruits?
0:05:41 > 0:05:42That's the sweet element.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44The old cherries gleaming at me.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48And the liquid, that viscous liquid,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51is a mustard-hot syrup.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56It's unbelievable with cold meats.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Oh, and I have to show off my Christmas limoncello.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Limoncello is a lemon liqueur quite sprightly and sharp
0:06:03 > 0:06:05and normally a bit clearer than this.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09But it's Christmas, so this is an indulgent cream version.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12And I have to say now, I feel I'm primed,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16I'm poised, I am ready for Christmas.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23My Italian Christmas pudding cake
0:06:23 > 0:06:26is THE sweet centrepiece of my party table.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29So I want to get started on it early doors
0:06:29 > 0:06:33so I start the day with a sense of accomplishment.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Not that I should be feeling smug, cos this is incredibly easy.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41On top of those two eggs, I want 75 grams of caster sugar
0:06:41 > 0:06:45and then leave it to whisk away.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48I want it really aerated and slightly pale in colour.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Now, the thing about Italians at Christmas, I'm told,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58there are two central puddings.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01There's the panettone, which is a thing of joy,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and also something called crema de mascarpone,
0:07:04 > 0:07:09which, give or take, is what I'm getting on with there.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14I'm kind of conflating the two traditions
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and adding something of my own,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19if that's not too impertinent.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24It's really no more than an assembly job.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25I've got the panettone here,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28which I mix with the contents of this bowl,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30but there's plenty more to go in.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33Mmm!
0:07:33 > 0:07:37That is a wonderful amount of sunny froth there.
0:07:40 > 0:07:46I'm going to do a bit of a different operation now.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Because I don't want to whisk any more,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I'm just going to add the mascarpone.
0:07:53 > 0:07:59I've got 500 grams of mascarpone...
0:08:01 > 0:08:05..and I have 250ml of double cream.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10There are a lot of people coming to the party...
0:08:10 > 0:08:12in my defence.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15A bit of a stir.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18But really I want to fold all this in
0:08:18 > 0:08:21without losing the bubbles from the egg yolks.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Gently.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33And then I'm going to be patient and let everything mix together,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37till I have a wonderful, voluptuous cream.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40And now some Marsala.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Mmm...like liquid amber.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Quite a bit -
0:08:46 > 0:08:49125 millilitres.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Pour it in as slowly as I can bear.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58Just so that nothing splits and it just blends in smoothly.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Right.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07It's very odd how a dark drink can make a mixture paler, but it has.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10This is...
0:09:11 > 0:09:14..some of my special cream,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17which I need to top the cake before serving it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22But for now, I'm going to crown this mascarpone cream
0:09:22 > 0:09:25with some of my absolute favourite things,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27especially at this time of year.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Some marrons glaces - that's candied chestnuts
0:09:30 > 0:09:33that are dense and grainy
0:09:33 > 0:09:36and sweet and really unlike anything else.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40If you're lucky enough to find ones that are already broken,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42buy them, because they're cheaper.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Since you're crumbling them, there's no point having the whole ones...
0:09:46 > 0:09:48beautiful though they are.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52These are my ultimate Christmas treat.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55That's what I always want to find in my stocking.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Some pistachios - very Italian.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Got a lot here, but I want a really wonderful, nubbly filling.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Going to keep some back for the topping as well.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15The tender green of those chopped pistachios is so beautiful
0:10:15 > 0:10:17that I'm loathe to cover them up.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Except I've got such a good thing to cover them up with.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Teeny-weeny little chocolate chips. They're so sweet.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28They look like they've escaped from Toy Town.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31And I want about 125 grams.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Any chopped chocolate will do, but these delight me.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38In they go.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Going to keep these out of reach, to be on the safe side.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And stir everything together.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50It all looks a bit runny at this stage, just like the topping did,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54but you've got to remember that it will all firm up in the fridge.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59But I don't want it so stiff that it doesn't cut voluptuously.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So, this is how I go about my base.
0:11:04 > 0:11:10The wonderful thing about panettone is that it's strangely pliable.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13You just squodge it in.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15If you tear it, you can fix it again.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19And if you've got any gaps you need to fill in, you just fill them.
0:11:23 > 0:11:30My spirit of choice to saturate these slices is Tuaca,
0:11:30 > 0:11:31which, anyway...
0:11:31 > 0:11:35I've always thought is like panettone in liqueur form.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40It's a strangely unfamiliar Italian liqueur
0:11:40 > 0:11:43that mixes citrus and vanilla.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47But otherwise, any orange liqueur would be very Christmassy.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51All I'm going to do now is put half this mixture in...
0:11:52 > 0:11:56..spread to cover...
0:11:56 > 0:11:58to smoothing.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02And then another layer...
0:12:02 > 0:12:04of panettone.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Another soaking with liqueur.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I just need to add the rest of this mixture,
0:12:21 > 0:12:27top it with a final layer of liqueur-soaked panettone,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31and then I can cling it and fridge it and I'm happy.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55# Sotto un manto di stelle
0:12:55 > 0:13:00# Roma bella mi'appare
0:13:00 > 0:13:05# Solitario il mio cuor disilluso d'amor
0:13:05 > 0:13:09# Come l'ombra cantare... #
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Posso avere qualche cicchetti? Ma scielga lei.
0:13:17 > 0:13:18- MAN: Faccio io?- Si.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24When I first came to Venice, what I absolutely loved, and still do,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27is their tradition of cicchetti, which are like small bites,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30people gather together, they stand around, they talk,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34they relax, they eat, they drink, and...
0:13:34 > 0:13:40there's something so convivial in an informal and yet focused way.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42I mean, the food is serious.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Now, I think that's exactly the atmosphere you want for a party...
0:13:46 > 0:13:48well, I want for a party, and...
0:13:48 > 0:13:51although I can't claim my panettone stuffing squares are Venetian,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54there is something about the fact that they're cut into small pieces,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57that they can be handed around on plates, people eat them,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00the party is obviously going to be in full swing.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04# There's a very good reason
0:14:04 > 0:14:08# Why the holiday season
0:14:08 > 0:14:15# Is a wonderful time for a boy and girl to fall in love
0:14:15 > 0:14:20# They're kissing by the mistletoe
0:14:20 > 0:14:23# Tingle, tingle Tingle, tingle
0:14:23 > 0:14:27# Mmm, and away we go
0:14:27 > 0:14:29# Jingle, jingle... #
0:14:29 > 0:14:32While I love the sweetness of panettone -
0:14:32 > 0:14:36and, really, it's a key factor in this recipe -
0:14:36 > 0:14:40you don't really get it unless you counter with a bit of salt.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44That's why I've got 375 grams of pancetta in there.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47And now four shallots -
0:14:47 > 0:14:50like onions but milder and sweeter.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Italians start off so many savoury recipes
0:14:56 > 0:15:01with something called a "soffritto", which is really an onion mix.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04And Italians never - at least, I don't think they ever do -
0:15:04 > 0:15:08cook something savoury without celery,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10and I'm all for them with this.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12We want two sticks in here.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Just brings a sort of grassy freshness,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18so even people who don't like celery love this.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21I've talked about the need for salt
0:15:21 > 0:15:24to counteract the sweetness of the panettone,
0:15:24 > 0:15:29but I also think sharpness is essential, hence some apples.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33I mean, they're not terrifically sharp - any eating apple will do -
0:15:33 > 0:15:40but I always have apples in any of my stuffing recipes.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42This one is no exception.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48I'm too lazy to peel the apples, but I have made a concession
0:15:48 > 0:15:50and I am taking out the pips and the core.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56The herb of choice in a soffritto generally is parsley,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00but I want the blessed bitterness of sage.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Everything is about balance.
0:16:02 > 0:16:08Although I have not been terribly balanced about my processor work.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11A more patient person would have blitzed in stages.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12And here goes.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16I might have to do a bit of a scrape down, but it's not too hard.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And while I wait for this to blitz down,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28I'll warm some garlic oil in a pan so that I can fry it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Wow!
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Not terribly attractive at this point, but do not panic.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Right, in, this pancetta porridge,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46is what it looks like, goes into my pan...
0:16:48 > 0:16:51..just to cook it gently.
0:16:51 > 0:16:52SIZZLING
0:16:55 > 0:16:56Mmm.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05It is like a mush, but that is what I want,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07because the wetter this mixture is,
0:17:07 > 0:17:12the squidgier the panettone stuffing squares will be when we eat them.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Obviously this will be baked on party day,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19but for now, I just want to make sure
0:17:19 > 0:17:25that the vegetables are softened and the pancetta is cooked.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27But only just cooked.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29I love these kind of recipes,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32which are, one, not demanding in the first place,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36but, two, you can get the majority of the stuff done in advance,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38because it's really important
0:17:38 > 0:17:42not just to make lovely food at this time of year
0:17:42 > 0:17:44but to keep as sane as possible.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50I know it doesn't look that different
0:17:50 > 0:17:52from when it went into the frying pan,
0:17:52 > 0:17:53but that doesn't really matter...
0:17:55 > 0:17:58..because it's going to look all very different later on.
0:18:01 > 0:18:02In that goes to a big bowl.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Use a bigger bowl than you think.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10Into this go 200 grams of vac-packed chestnuts.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13I cannot have Christmas without chestnuts.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20The Italians know that lemon brings out the taste
0:18:20 > 0:18:22of absolutely everything else,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25so it's the zest and juice of a whole lemon here.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34This sort of kitchen pottering makes me feel very calm and grounded.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Also adds more liquid, which is what I want.
0:18:47 > 0:18:48And now...
0:18:50 > 0:18:52..look at this.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56The panettone, 500 grams, glorious and golden.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00I sliced it before because I wanted it to be a teeny bit stale -
0:19:00 > 0:19:01all the better to soak up
0:19:01 > 0:19:05the flavours and juices from the mixture here.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Don't let anyone ever talk you into cutting out the crusts.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14They've got a particular flavour.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17This is just the smell of Christmas.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18Mmm!
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Or I should say the smell of Natale.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26If you think about it, it's the British tradition as well,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28to have dried fruits this time of year.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30It feels like a bit of mediaeval feasting.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Rich, spiced, glorious.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42When I feel the food,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46that's when I start getting excited about eating it.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53Finishing off my panettone squares is the work of minutes.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55All I do is beat a couple of eggs
0:19:55 > 0:19:59and squelch them into the stuffing mixture.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01I squidge this into a foil tray
0:20:01 > 0:20:04and pop it into a 200-degree oven to bake,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06for roughly half an hour.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11Then I whip the tray out of the oven and cut the stuffing into squares,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14which go onto small plates to be nibbled as canapes.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18I think of these as little savoury brownies.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Next on my cicchetti list, Parmesan shortbreads.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34To start with, I put 150 grams of plain flour into a mixer...
0:20:37 > 0:20:41..along with 75 grams of grated Parmesan...
0:20:43 > 0:20:46..100 grams of soft, unsalted butter...
0:20:49 > 0:20:51..and one egg yolk.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Just four ingredients, and that's it.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Blitz all together until the golden dough begins to form a clump.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Then I just knead a little before dividing into two.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Now time to start turning these into little canapes.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18I roll each ball of pastry out into a cylinder shape,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21making sure the ends are blunt and flat.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Wrap each one in clingfilm,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28twisting each end like a Christmas cracker,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31before chilling in the fridge.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38After a good 45 minutes, they'll be easy to slice into thick discs -
0:21:38 > 0:21:41about the size of a pound coin will be perfect.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Then bake in a 180 oven for about 20 minutes,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48by which time the discs should be turning
0:21:48 > 0:21:49a pale gold around the edges.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55# Che m'importa del mondo
0:21:55 > 0:21:59# Quando tu sei vicino a me
0:21:59 > 0:22:04# La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la La-la-la
0:22:04 > 0:22:07# La-la-la
0:22:07 > 0:22:10# Che m'importa del... #
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Although it's certainly true that my Italian romance started in Florence,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16I haven't been entirely faithful to that city
0:22:16 > 0:22:18because I do have a bit of a thing about Venice.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22I got to Venice a bit later on, but it stuck with me.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24And I first came in winter.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26I think it's so important to come in winter -
0:22:26 > 0:22:28you really see Venice in a different way.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33It's so beautiful and so totally seductive.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39# ...Amore, amore, stringimi forte
0:22:39 > 0:22:41# Amore, amore... #
0:22:42 > 0:22:46I came here in winter with my sister, my late sister, Thomasina,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and rented a small flat not very far from here,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51just down the road, actually.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53And we had a kitchen, very important,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56so we cooked everything in sight,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58and although we obviously did cook a lot,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01we looked like we didn't do much washing up - well, there you go.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06And this is a few years later - 1992, actually -
0:23:06 > 0:23:09when I got married in Venice,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13and here I am, there's Rialto Bridge, and that's my sister,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and shortly afterwards,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18had a most fantastic bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23Sound boring, but, you know, when it's cooked perfectly, as it can be here,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26it is sensational. That's why I haven't forgotten it.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29And here am I, looking as if I've just set up
0:23:29 > 0:23:32a fruit and veg stall at the Rialto market,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34but if only that were the case.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39And what a pity that I didn't have my little rented flat,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41so I could cook everything in.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Anyway, next time.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45# ..Sleigh bells ring
0:23:45 > 0:23:47# Are you listening?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49# In the lane
0:23:49 > 0:23:52# Snow is glistening
0:23:52 > 0:23:55# A beautiful sight
0:23:55 > 0:23:57# We're happy tonight
0:23:57 > 0:24:01# Walking in a winter wonderland... #
0:24:02 > 0:24:05I am something of a pav-aholic,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08but I have to say, my cappuccino pavlova,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11or cap-pav as we call it at home,
0:24:11 > 0:24:16is my first foray into a fruit-free,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18but far from fruitless version.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Obviously a pavlova is, to some extent, a meringue,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23so you need egg whites.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Four egg whites, but I'm getting mine out of a carton,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28because at this time of the year,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31it helps me to know I can make my pav at the drop of a hat.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Pinch of salt, and then...
0:24:36 > 0:24:38whisk away.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40WHIRRING
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Once I've got soft peaks, but definite peaks,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47I can start adding my sugar and my coffee element.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49This is a cappuccino pavlova.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51So, I'll measure that out now.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55I need 250 grams of caster sugar...
0:24:58 > 0:25:02..and four teaspoons of instant espresso powder.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06And instant espresso powder is just that.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10It's like instant coffee, but stronger, and powder, not granules.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13I love it.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18Mix it up.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Mmm!
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It's a caffeine hit without having to drink anything.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34I'm too impatient for this, so I'm going to warp speed nine now.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36WHIRRING INTENSIFIES
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Just waiting for soft but pronounced peaks to form here.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47And now I have a wonderful snow -
0:25:47 > 0:25:50very appropriate for this time of year.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56But now my white snow is going to be tinted ecru.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Adding the sugar and the coffee gradually,
0:26:01 > 0:26:06because I don't want to deflate the wonderful bulked-up egg whites.
0:26:08 > 0:26:14When they first invented pavlova - though it is hotly contested
0:26:14 > 0:26:17between the Kiwis and the Aussies about whose it is -
0:26:17 > 0:26:19it must have been quite hard work,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22but now, with machinery,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24it's a rather languorous affair.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- WHIRRING STOPS - Ahh! Peace.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38And look at this, it's so beautiful.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43It's like really expensive satin lingerie, that colour.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Don't want to waste any.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54I was taught how to make pavlova
0:26:54 > 0:26:58by the grande dame of Australian cookery writing,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00and that is Stephanie Alexander.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02So, I do what she tells me,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06which means two teaspoons of cornflour...
0:27:08 > 0:27:11..and I need one teaspoonful of white wine vinegar.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Now, I'm not a scientist,
0:27:14 > 0:27:19but I have it under advisement that it's these two elements
0:27:19 > 0:27:22that make this not a crunchy meringue,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26but a pavlova that's crisp on the outside
0:27:26 > 0:27:30and just exquisitely marshmallowly within.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Mmm. Fold them together.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38It's also the way you cook it, because normally,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40meringue is at a very, very low temperature,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43but with a pav, what I do,
0:27:43 > 0:27:44and what Stephanie taught me,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46is I put it in the oven,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49you know, relatively high, moderate oven, at 180,
0:27:49 > 0:27:54and then the minute it goes in, I turn it down to 150,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56and we're talking centigrade here.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57And then it cooks for an hour.
0:27:57 > 0:28:04I leave it in the oven to get cool...overnight,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08and I can sleep the sleep of the innocent.
0:28:12 > 0:28:18I'm thinking roughly of forming this,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20these gorgeous splodges,
0:28:20 > 0:28:26into a disc of about 23 centimetres in diameter,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29but I'm not measuring and I'm not good at maths,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32so that's just the plan, Stan.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39I think we need to move from a curved implement to a spatch now.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Because what I want to do is smooth this,
0:28:41 > 0:28:46almost as if I'm forming the crown of a boater,
0:28:46 > 0:28:47or actually just a cake.
0:28:47 > 0:28:53So, smooth on the top, or smooth as I can,
0:28:53 > 0:28:58and straight-sided around the outside.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01It looks small now, but it really does swell in the oven.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05So, I have got a cappuccino pavlova.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07Obviously...
0:29:07 > 0:29:09not Italian.
0:29:09 > 0:29:14Not Italian in identity, but totally Italian in inspiration.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16So...
0:29:16 > 0:29:19This goes in the oven, I go to bed.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26All I need to do before people arrive is upend the pavlova base,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28cover it with whipped cream,
0:29:28 > 0:29:32and cover the whipped cream with a dusting of cocoa powder.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35In other words, it will look like a cappuccino.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40# Via, via, vieni via di qui
0:29:41 > 0:29:44# Niente piu ti lega a questi luoghi
0:29:44 > 0:29:46# Neanche questi fiori azzurri... #
0:29:52 > 0:29:54For me, the Rialto market is
0:29:54 > 0:29:57one of the most glorious sights in the world.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00It's a spectacle, an installation.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02And when I first came here,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04I really loved getting up early in the morning
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and, actually, it's not often you hear me saying that,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09but I'd get up early in the morning to mooch about the market
0:30:09 > 0:30:11and soak up everything and look at everything.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15And obviously, everything is just beautiful to look at, but for me,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18I'm just itching to get my hands on the produce and cook with it.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21# ...It's wonderful, it's wonderful
0:30:21 > 0:30:23# It's wonderful
0:30:23 > 0:30:25# Good luck, my baby
0:30:25 > 0:30:27# It's wonderful It's wonderful... #
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Oh! I so love romanesco.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33It's like a mixture of cauliflower and broccoli.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36In fact, that's what it is. It's a... But it's a precursor, really.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40And to me, it looks like the landscape from Avatar.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43But what I do, especially at this time of year,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45is I cook it in little florets,
0:30:45 > 0:30:48because those individual florets look like miniature Christmas trees.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Radicchio - must have.
0:30:51 > 0:30:52Matches my gloves.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55But the one I really like is the long one, Treviso.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57So beautiful.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01And that's another form, tardivo.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05Just available in winter, and I make a Christmas salad with that.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08And these, you know, if you were thinking
0:31:08 > 0:31:12of planning a winter wedding, look, what a fabulous bouquet.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16Oh! Chestnuts. Look at them in their hairy jackets.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20You can't have Christmas without chestnuts.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25In an ideal world, I really would have this round the corner at home.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29But I don't, but it's in my head and it infuses
0:31:29 > 0:31:33everything I'm cooking for my Christmas party.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35# ..I'd love to spend this Christmas
0:31:36 > 0:31:39# Standing by the fire with you
0:31:42 > 0:31:45# I'd love to spend this Christmas
0:31:46 > 0:31:49# Standing by the fire with you... #
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Right. It's turkey time.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02But not quite as we know it.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05I want 100 grams of dried cranberries.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Can't have Christmas without cranberries.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11I'm not making a sauce here, though.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13Instead I'm steeping them in Marsala.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18100ml of Marsala.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21And all I need to do is put this on the heat,
0:32:21 > 0:32:25let it come to a bubble, and then turn it off and leave them.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33While the cranberries are steeping, get a bit of oil in the pan,
0:32:33 > 0:32:38and the cranberries are part of the stuffing
0:32:38 > 0:32:45and the stuffing goes inside a boned and butterflied turkey breast joint.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49You know what a huge fan I am of the big bird
0:32:49 > 0:32:54and I'm always up for new ways of cooking it, especially for a party.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57And this makes my life very, very simple.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03On top of the shallots, I want a bit of festive spice,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05which means cloves.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Not too much or we're in toothache territory.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11And allspice.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Warm, comforting.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Mmm! Fabulously festive.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20Going to snip in some sage.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24The shallots are sweet,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27the Marsala-soaked cranberries are sweet,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30so I want a bit of bitterness.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Always balance.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35And now...
0:33:36 > 0:33:42..I've got more spicing, courtesy of one kilo...
0:33:42 > 0:33:45of Italian sausage meat.
0:33:45 > 0:33:46Lot of fennel in there.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Although it's definitely Italian-inspired,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56it would be more accurate, I think,
0:33:56 > 0:34:00to say that the inspiration here is Italian-American
0:34:00 > 0:34:03rather than outright Italian, but whatever.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06It is delish.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10What's more, it makes life at a party very, very simple,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12because carving is very easy
0:34:12 > 0:34:17and you get a lot of flavour with relative ease.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20I'm not looking to cook the sausages now.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23After all, they're going to get a good long time -
0:34:23 > 0:34:26about two hours or so - in the oven later,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30but I just want the meat to lose its pink edge a little.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31SIZZLING
0:34:34 > 0:34:35The final turn in the pan.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40I could eat it straight like this!
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Right, on with the dance.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53My seasonal sausage stuffing can cool just a bit
0:34:53 > 0:34:56while I beat some eggs - just two.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15I also need some breadcrumbs.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18And, of course, the British banger does contain bread,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20but Italian sausages don't.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23So, breadcrumbs,
0:35:23 > 0:35:28and now moving smartish to Italy, some Parmesan.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32The eggs.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Ah! Sunlight in winter.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40And finally, my syrup-slicked jewels.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Mmm! Beautiful.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Going to mess it all up now.
0:35:45 > 0:35:46I have asbestos hands.
0:35:46 > 0:35:51If you don't, use other implements or wear CSI gloves.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Just going to mix everything together,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56but not overwork it because the idea
0:35:56 > 0:36:01is that this stuffing will be tender and succulent inside the turkey
0:36:01 > 0:36:04and not compact.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09And now, time for the big bird.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13That's two years of Pilates paying off.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17It's a very heavy turkey breast joint.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21All I need to do now, just open it out a bit.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Now, although you do need to go to a butcher
0:36:24 > 0:36:28to have a whole butterflied and boned turkey breast joint,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31the ones they sell at the supermarket, which are single,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33actually involve more work,
0:36:33 > 0:36:37because rolling up a joint and then tying it is harder work than this.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41All I'm doing is squishing it in and then folding it over.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Just as I always brine a whole turkey when I roast it in my trad way,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50this stuffing really does the same job.
0:36:50 > 0:36:55That's to say, it keeps the meat from drying out
0:36:55 > 0:37:00and it oozes flavour all through as it cooks.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04The turkey meat will be succulent and tender,
0:37:04 > 0:37:06and very easy to carve.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09So, here goes.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14Fold over, lifting one side of the wing, really -
0:37:14 > 0:37:17it's like a butterfly wing - over the other.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19Convey it to your tin of choice.
0:37:21 > 0:37:26The weight of the joint itself should keep everything together,
0:37:26 > 0:37:31but it's helped by being secured with a couple of skewers.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34So, puncture this and that.
0:37:37 > 0:37:38Another one.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Always love a bit of surgery.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46Want to anoint it with goose fat.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50And this needs about two, two-and-a-half hours in a hot oven.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53And it's quite hard with a joint like this
0:37:53 > 0:37:55to tell whether it's cooked through.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57I find I put in a meat thermometer
0:37:57 > 0:38:00and when it registers 75 degrees centigrade,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02it's cooked.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06When you've got a lot of people to feed, it's a winner.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09OK, the hardest part of this whole operation
0:38:09 > 0:38:12is actually lifting the tin, so here goes.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28So, my turkey's in.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32Just one last main course dish to do before everyone descends.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35My pasta with Brussels sprouts, cheese and potato.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38It's a crowd-pleasing carb-fest
0:38:38 > 0:38:41which I love for its robust simplicity.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43And it soaks up a lot of alcohol.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47All I do is chop up a few baking potatoes into smallish chunks
0:38:47 > 0:38:50and pop them into some boiling water,
0:38:50 > 0:38:52along with a bag of whole-wheat pasta
0:38:52 > 0:38:55and a good helping of seasonal sprouts.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03When everything is just tender,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06tip the whole lot, drained, into a roasting tin.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10Then it's just a case of tossing in some chopped Gruyere cheese,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12along with some ricotta...
0:39:15 > 0:39:18..and a cupful of reserved pasta cooking water.
0:39:25 > 0:39:26A couple of final additions.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32I warm some unsalted butter and garlic oil in a pan...
0:39:33 > 0:39:37..fry a few shredded sage leaves until they're a little crisp,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40then dribble this over the pasta.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44I cover with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan...
0:39:44 > 0:39:47before baking for about 20 minutes,
0:39:47 > 0:39:51or until the surface is scorched and light gold.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Any minute now, the joint will be jumping,
0:40:09 > 0:40:14but I'm feeling calm and I'm feeling confident, and here's why.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17For a start, the turkey is stuffed safely in the oven,
0:40:17 > 0:40:21but also, I've managed a few of the finishing touches I need
0:40:21 > 0:40:22so that everything will be easy.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27I had a fabulous time finishing off the Italian Christmas pudding cake.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30I smoothed the Marsala-spiked mascarpone mix
0:40:30 > 0:40:33I'd had stashed in the fridge over the top of the cake,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37and then sprinkled it with mini chocolate chips...
0:40:40 > 0:40:42..and pistachios.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44And then the crowning glory,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47I dropped pomegranate seeds all over it.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56All I need to do now is put my party dress on
0:40:56 > 0:40:59and then I'm going to mix up my Gorgonzola and white bean dip.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02This is the work of moments.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08I'm going to tip some drained cannellini beans into the processor,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11and then I'm going to add some Gorgonzola cheese.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16On top of that, I shall dollop some yoghurt...
0:41:16 > 0:41:19some mascarpone and some grated Parmesan...
0:41:22 > 0:41:26..and then add a splosh of Marsala...
0:41:27 > 0:41:30..and a green drizzle of olive oil.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Blitz to mix.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38And then dollop out into bowls.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39And because I want to relish
0:41:39 > 0:41:42the tricolore and Christmas-coloured theme,
0:41:42 > 0:41:47I've added a plate of crudites in the colours of the Italian flag.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55HUBBUB
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Cheers, darling. Happy Christmas, darling.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00- WOMAN: Happy Christmas! - LAUGHTER
0:42:02 > 0:42:03Where's your glass?
0:42:13 > 0:42:15MAN: The pepper is beautiful.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17MAN: Let's have a go.
0:42:23 > 0:42:24- Professional drinker.- Yeah.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28I do know you're not meant to mix drinks,
0:42:28 > 0:42:33but I can't resist offering everyone my special new Christmas cocktail -
0:42:33 > 0:42:35a Venetian.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37You do two parts pink vermouth,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41which is my favourite drink at the moment.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Look at that, beautiful.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50And then one part pomegranate juice...
0:42:51 > 0:42:54..followed by one part ginger ale.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56Beautiful.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58Of course, pouring the drinks is one thing,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02and I've got to stagger around with the tray in my party shoes.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08And now, spritz of ginger fizz.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10That's my Venetian touch, really,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13because it was the centre of the spice trade.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Still, it is vermouth, which is a form of wine,
0:43:18 > 0:43:22so we're not doing the one thing my father always thought bad,
0:43:22 > 0:43:24which is mixing the grain and the grape.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27We're just adding a bit more grape.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30OK, avanti.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34# I-I-I am dreaming
0:43:35 > 0:43:38# Dreaming of a white... #
0:43:38 > 0:43:42It's a Venetian - pink vermouth, pomegranate and ginger.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45WOMAN: Oh! INDISTINCT CHATTER
0:43:45 > 0:43:47# ..Just like
0:43:47 > 0:43:54# The one that I used to know... #
0:43:57 > 0:44:00I need this turkey...here.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02- Wow!- OK?
0:44:02 > 0:44:04You're going to hurt your back like that.
0:44:05 > 0:44:06Handles.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09Very good! Thank you!
0:44:10 > 0:44:13OK, you've earned yourself a drink now.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16That is perfect.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19Now, I'm going to carve that turkey, but not yet,
0:44:19 > 0:44:22because the more it sits, the easier it'll be to carve.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25And I will get on with the salad.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28Right, this is my Renaissance salad, and it'll become clear why.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31I'm starting off with the radicchio, just a regular one.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33So beautiful.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Almost absurd that a lettuce can be coloured like this.
0:44:36 > 0:44:41And then I'm amplifying the radicchio element
0:44:41 > 0:44:43by going for a different sort,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46and this is one that... we call it Treviso.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50So, this is much longer leaved, like swords.
0:44:50 > 0:44:54I love these slightly whiter ribbed versions of radicchio.
0:44:54 > 0:44:59I've got those, and... this being winter,
0:44:59 > 0:45:03I have got some tardivo. That just means it's a late version.
0:45:03 > 0:45:08These ones are really bitter, and I adore the bitter leaves.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10Some olive oil.
0:45:10 > 0:45:15I don't even make a dressing - I just go a-drizzling and a-pouring.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17I've got salt.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19Beautiful, bit of snow.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21Some balsamic vinegar,
0:45:21 > 0:45:25which really suits it because the leaves are quite bitter.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27Which I like.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30But you don't want too much, you don't want to stain the white,
0:45:30 > 0:45:32but I want to deepen the red.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34And now, a final touch -
0:45:34 > 0:45:36pomegranate seeds.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Wouldn't be Christmas without my Renaissance salad.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47I can bear this very proudly aloft.
0:45:47 > 0:45:53# Frosted window panes
0:45:53 > 0:45:56# Candles gleaming inside
0:45:56 > 0:46:02# Painted candy canes on the tree
0:46:02 > 0:46:07# Santa's on his way... #
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Now, my challenge.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Carving the turkey.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14It's very easy to carve, I've said that.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18What I omitted to tell you is that I am a very bad carver.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20Now, I'm going to take this bit off first,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23because it's not so pretty but it tastes fantastic,
0:46:23 > 0:46:27and I have my eye on this for a bit of a sandwich later.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30Thick slices are better because
0:46:30 > 0:46:32if it's too thin, nothing holds together.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34There we are.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37Look at this beautiful creature.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40I mean, they are giant slices, but still...
0:46:43 > 0:46:45Beautiful. It's like butter.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56That's enough now, because I think they have eaten
0:46:56 > 0:46:57an awful lot of other things
0:46:57 > 0:47:00and got to save room for pudding as well.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03And anyway, my sister always says, quite rightly,
0:47:03 > 0:47:06that the whole point about turkey, as well,
0:47:06 > 0:47:08is to make sure you have enough for leftovers.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13# ...Someday soon we all will be together
0:47:13 > 0:47:16# If the fates allow
0:47:16 > 0:47:23# Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
0:47:25 > 0:47:27# So have yourself
0:47:27 > 0:47:33# A merry little Christmas now. #
0:47:42 > 0:47:46I know I've got cake on the table already, but at this time of year,
0:47:46 > 0:47:48indulgence is the word.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50It is the word of the season.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53My pav's here - bit cracked, it will be.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55Inside, it's squishy and delicious.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58And now I shall attempt a magic trick.
0:47:58 > 0:48:00I am turning it upside down.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02Well...
0:48:02 > 0:48:03Now, let's see.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05If I peel this off...
0:48:05 > 0:48:07And the reason I do this
0:48:07 > 0:48:10is because this is all squishy underneath
0:48:10 > 0:48:13and then it melds with the cream.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Slather it with cream. And I mean slather.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24You can glue some of the cracked pieces back in, if you want,
0:48:24 > 0:48:27but actually, I rather love it looking charmingly rustic.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29That's my excuse.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31But anyway, here it goes.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33So far, it's just cream.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36Now it's going to turn into a cappuccino.
0:48:36 > 0:48:42# ..Dear to us will be near to us once more
0:48:42 > 0:48:45# Someday soon we all will be together... #
0:48:45 > 0:48:50I don't mean to sound smug, but I'm very happy in my work.
0:48:50 > 0:48:56# Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
0:48:58 > 0:49:01# So have yourself
0:49:01 > 0:49:05# A merry little Christmas now. #
0:49:05 > 0:49:07Mmm.
0:49:11 > 0:49:18# O mio babbino caro
0:49:18 > 0:49:26# Mi piace, e bello, bello
0:49:26 > 0:49:34# Vo'andare in Porta Rossa
0:49:34 > 0:49:42# A comperar l'anello
0:49:42 > 0:49:50# Si, si, ci voglio andare
0:49:50 > 0:49:59# E se l'amassi indarno
0:49:59 > 0:50:08# Andrei sul Ponte Vecchio
0:50:08 > 0:50:18# Ma per buttarmi in Arno. #
0:50:23 > 0:50:25BELLS CHIME
0:50:27 > 0:50:32# In the morning, signorina We'll go walking
0:50:32 > 0:50:36# Where the mountains help the sun come into sight
0:50:36 > 0:50:40# And by the little jewellery shop we'll stop and linger... #
0:50:40 > 0:50:42- Buongiorno!- Buongiorno!
0:50:42 > 0:50:44Un machiettone, per favore,
0:50:44 > 0:50:47- e un pezzo di strudel Veneziana. - Va bene.
0:50:50 > 0:50:55# ..In the meantime let me tell you that I love you
0:50:55 > 0:50:59# Buona sera, signorina Kiss me good night... #
0:50:59 > 0:51:03While I am undoubtedly in my element feeding as many people as possible,
0:51:03 > 0:51:06I have to say, for me, at this time of year,
0:51:06 > 0:51:10a certain amount of solo indulgence is utterly necessary.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13Speaking of indulgence, I've got certain Christmas constants.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16I'd say nuts, a variety, chocolate, a lot,
0:51:16 > 0:51:19and something a bit over the top,
0:51:19 > 0:51:22and you roll these together and what do you get?
0:51:22 > 0:51:24My chocolate salami, of course.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27# I'm a slick chick
0:51:28 > 0:51:30# On a solid kick
0:51:31 > 0:51:36# Always looking ready Man, I'm on the mellow side
0:51:37 > 0:51:39# I'm a sharp queen... #
0:51:40 > 0:51:45I do know that this is supposed to be the season of peace and goodwill,
0:51:45 > 0:51:49but I've always got time for a little bit of kitchen violence.
0:51:54 > 0:52:00I am bashing 250 grams of amaretti, and they are for my salami,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02and I haven't gone completely mad,
0:52:02 > 0:52:06because the salami is not made out of pork
0:52:06 > 0:52:08but out of chocolate.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13Really glorious dark chocolate, 250 grams as well.
0:52:13 > 0:52:17It is cooled, but I'll let it cool a little bit more,
0:52:17 > 0:52:19and I can get on with creaming some butter.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23I've got 100 grams of butter, soft and unsalted.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29And 150 grams of sugar.
0:52:30 > 0:52:35And I want these to be mixed until they're light and fluffy.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40I know I've announced this as a chocolate salami,
0:52:40 > 0:52:41but just for now,
0:52:41 > 0:52:45think of it more as a chocolate refrigerator cake, Italian-style.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49So, this is lovely and creamed.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52Three eggs go in.
0:52:59 > 0:53:04If it starts looking a bit curdled at this stage, don't worry.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06Everything will work out beautifully.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Couple of spoonfuls of amaretto.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13Mmm!
0:53:15 > 0:53:17Before I add the chocolate,
0:53:17 > 0:53:21I want to add a couple of spoonfuls of cocoa.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Stir this in.
0:53:27 > 0:53:31This recipe is an indulgence in more than one way.
0:53:31 > 0:53:38It's both deliciously decadent and also just a bit of whimsy.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41And normally I don't go in for whimsy, but at this time of year
0:53:41 > 0:53:45I feel a certain amount of playfulness is to be encouraged.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48And now I can add the chocolate mixture.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00Got to scrape out every last bit.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07And this smooth mixture is now going to be roughed up...
0:54:08 > 0:54:13..by 75 grams of chopped almonds.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15I like the almonds which still have their skins on.
0:54:16 > 0:54:1975 grams of chopped hazelnuts.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25And a bit less, 50 grams, of chopped pistachios.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31I've got one more ingredient to add.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34But I think it will be more pleasurable to do so by hand.
0:54:37 > 0:54:43The remaining ingredient is this bagful of crushed amaretti.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56So, this is stage one - our pre-salami stage.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00I need it to sit in the fridge just to firm up a little,
0:55:00 > 0:55:03and then all will be made clear.
0:55:09 > 0:55:15So, my chocolate mixture has firmed up just enough, I'm hoping,
0:55:15 > 0:55:18to be able to turn it into a salami.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23This doesn't require magic so much as...
0:55:23 > 0:55:25a teeny bit of patience,
0:55:25 > 0:55:29but a tolerance for getting a bit messy.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32I've overlapped two pieces of clingfilm
0:55:32 > 0:55:38and now I am going to... form this roughly
0:55:38 > 0:55:42into a log, about 30 centimetres long.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46Now I'm going to wrap it in the cling...
0:55:48 > 0:55:53..and roll this, rather as if it were itself a rolling pin,
0:55:53 > 0:55:57because this is what will make it look more like a salami later.
0:55:58 > 0:56:05Want to get the tapered ends, almost as if it were a proper salami.
0:56:05 > 0:56:10And now this goes in the fridge to set, and then the magic happens.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20Once the chocolate salami has been in the fridge
0:56:20 > 0:56:24long enough to set solid, I sit it on some baking parchment.
0:56:25 > 0:56:27I then snip away at the clingfilm,
0:56:27 > 0:56:31removing all except for the two pieces at either end.
0:56:34 > 0:56:40Then I douse and dredge liberally with icing sugar.
0:56:40 > 0:56:41And I do this for two reasons.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45One, it really does start making this chocolate log
0:56:45 > 0:56:47look like a salami.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50And also, it stops it being too sticky as I tie it up with string.
0:56:52 > 0:56:56And I string it up by first cutting a length of string
0:56:56 > 0:57:00about six times as long as the salami.
0:57:00 > 0:57:03I tie the string to one end of the salami
0:57:03 > 0:57:07and then I start looping it around and threading it through.
0:57:07 > 0:57:12I carry on for as long as my patience and time allows.
0:57:12 > 0:57:17Once it's fully stringed, it really does look like
0:57:17 > 0:57:21the sort of salami you would see in an Italian deli with the meats.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24But, of course, it is deliciously sweet
0:57:24 > 0:57:28and is the perfect treat to slice whenever a friend comes round,
0:57:28 > 0:57:31or to eat by yourself
0:57:31 > 0:57:36should you be lucky enough to have any time alone in the kitchen.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38Mmm.
0:57:38 > 0:57:40# Tu vuo' fa' l'americano
0:57:40 > 0:57:43# Mmericano! Mmericano!
0:57:43 > 0:57:46# Siente a me, chi t' ho fa fa?
0:57:46 > 0:57:48# Tu vuoi vivere alla moda
0:57:48 > 0:57:51# Ma se bevi whisky and soda
0:57:51 > 0:57:55# Po' te sente 'e disturba
0:57:55 > 0:57:57# Tu abballe 'o roccorol
0:57:57 > 0:58:00# Tu giochi al baseball
0:58:00 > 0:58:03# Ma e solde pe' Camel
0:58:03 > 0:58:04# Chi te li da?
0:58:04 > 0:58:06# La borsetta di mamma! #
0:58:09 > 0:58:14- 21.- I am going to form this roughly
0:58:14 > 0:58:18into a log, about 30 centimetres long.
0:58:19 > 0:58:22CHUCKLES
0:58:24 > 0:58:28Oh! OK, come and do my hair!
0:58:28 > 0:58:30OK.
0:58:30 > 0:58:31This is... Sorry.
0:58:31 > 0:58:33Right, this is just about ready...
0:58:33 > 0:58:35I've got... Sorry. Awesome.
0:58:35 > 0:58:39- Action.- Right, I think this is just about ready
0:58:39 > 0:58:41to go back in the fridge.
0:58:42 > 0:58:43- I can't... - LAUGHS
0:58:43 > 0:58:45OK.