If you’re one of those people that prefers sweet to savoury then you’re in luck! Italian cuisine has always had a strong relationship with chocolate, with recipes dating all the way back to 1680. Italians are responsible for creating many chocolate dishes, such as chocolate custard and chocolate sorbet, and often incorporate chocolate into their traditional Italian dessert recipes. 

These are 8 tasty Italian chocolate desserts you should try..

1. CANNOLI

Cannoli are Italian pastries that originated on the island of Sicily and are today a staple of Sicilian cuisine as well as Italian-American cuisine.They consist of tube-like shells of fried pastry, filled with a sweet, creamy filling that usually contains ricotta. Chocolate can be incorporated in either the shell or the filling, or even both if you’re feeling really naughty!

2. TORTA SETTEVELI

The classic Italian dessert Torta Setteveli, also known as the cake of the seven veils, is a chocolate masterpiece – perfect for National Chocolate Day! It was traditionally served as a Birthday Cake in Sicily and consists of seven alternating layers of chocolate and hazelnut – delicious! The Torta Setteveli is made daily in San Carlo’s own patisserie, what other reasons do you need to try this?

3. TORTA CAPRESE

Also known as Italian flourless chocolate cake, Torta Caprese comes from the island of Capri. There are many stories about its origins, but it is often known as ‘one of history’s most fortunate mistakes’ due to the lack of flour. This means that the cake has a thin, hard exterior which covers a moist inside, and is often finished with a layer of powdered icing sugar. It can also be made with some kind of liqueur to give it a bit of a kick.

4. GELATO

Different from your typical ice-cream, gelato contains more flavourings and less air, giving it a richer flavour to other ice creams. It’s also generally lower in fat. Although chocolate gelato is sold pretty much worldwide, there’s nothing quite like ordering it in an Italian restaurant as you know it’ll be made the traditional way – San Carlo makes their own range of delightful gelato that just tastes heavenly!

5. GENOISE SPONGE

A Genoise cake is a light and airy sponge, named after the city of Genoa. It can be many different flavours as the sponge is so light that it absorbs syrups for extra layers of flavour and moisture. This means that the sponge itself can have a chocolate flavour and fruit flavoured syrup can be added – lovely!

6. PANNA COTTA

One of the most traditional Italian desserts out there, Panna Cotta is made from gelatine and thickened cream that can be aromatised with many different flavourings – namely chocolate! This dessert is totally irresistible and the perfect way to end any meal.  

7. SEMIFREDDO

Meaning ‘half-cold’ in Italian, Semifreddo is a semi-frozen dessert that has the texture of a frozen mousse. One of the most popular flavours of Semifreddo is chocolate which gives it a melt in the mouth feel – definitely a must try!

8. TIRAMISU

We’ve saved the best until last – Tiramisu! Although it doesn’t explicitly contain chocolate, it contains cocoa so it’s still a dish to be celebrated on National Chocolate Day! Made from ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered between a mix of eggs, sugar and mascarpone, flavoured with amaretto and cocoa,  Tiramisu literally translates to ‘pick me up’ so if you’re going to eat any Italian dessert today, make it this one!

If you’re intrigued by the classic Italian dishes mentioned in this post, why not check out San Carlo’s menu, or even book a table and eat a tasty Italian dessert the right way.

Despite the first real mention of the Italian staple dating back to the 13th century, today pasta is one of the world’s most popular foods. It’s versatile, convenient and satisfying – and there are so many different types to choose from…

We all know the feeling of standing in the middle of the supermarket aisle, overwhelmed by how much choice there is. Because they’re all the same, right? Well, whilst it’s true that there are around 350 different types, it’s a little known fact that each shape and style is best suited to specific types of Italian cuisine.

1. Spaghetti

Perhaps one of the most popular pasta types in the world, spaghetti consists of long, thin noodles which can be paired with a wide variety of sauces. Possibly the most well known dish is Spaghetti Bolognese, where pasta is paired with meat in a marinara sauce. This type of pasta suits meat and vegetable dishes of any sort, or even just garlic and olive oil.

2. Penne

Another popular shape, penne has a round, tube like structure, with diagonal cuts at either end. That’s why it’s best served in dishes that have a relatively thick, creamy sauce as it penetrates the tube and holds the sauce well, such as Penne Arrabbiata. This is also the best type of pasta to use in pasta bake dishes.

3. Lasagne

Contrary to popular belief, lasagne is the name of the thin sheets of pasta that make up a dish, rather than the dish itself. Lasagne is used in oven-baked dishes with the most well known dish being lasagne al forno, which likely comprises of a beef or pork ragu, layered between layers of lasagne and béchamel sauce, topped with cheese. This dish can be adapted to contain any type of filling you like, such as mushrooms instead of meat. 

4. Ravioli

Ravioli are pillow shaped squares of dough that can pretty much do anything. They can be filled with cheese, seafood, meat or veggies and topped with sauce, served in soups or simply be drizzled with olive oil.

5. Linguine

Very similar to the likes of spaghetti, linguine is a little flatter and is considered to be more luxurious. The extra surface area means that it is perfect for pairing with lighter textures, like cream based sauces or seafood. 

6. Rigatoni 

Much like penne, rigatoni are tubes with small ridges on the outside, but they are slightly wider and cut into a square rather than diagonally. As they’re a rather large shape, they’re best paired with chunky sauces full of vegetables or baked into a gratin.

7. Farfalle 

Known as ‘bow-tie’ pasta and translating to ‘butterfly’ from Italian, this pasta is shaped like exactly that. It’s a relatively small pasta, with a large surface area which is why it best pairs with a cheese, or rich tomato sauce as the ‘wings’ hold the sauce perfectly. It also compliments a cold pasta salad, and is sometimes served with grilled chicken. 

8. Fusilli 

This pasta has a spiralled, corkscrew like shape that pair perfectly with rich meat sauces or chunky vegetables as the chunks get caught in the crevices of the twirls giving the dish a lovely texture. They can also be baked into casseroles or pasta bakes for the same reason.

9. Macaroni

A simple shape, macaroni are small tubes of pasta that are cut into short lengths and often curved. Often they’re found floating in a minestrone or cheese sauce, ready to be thrown into the oven for a good old Mac ‘n Cheese so they don’t really need to hold sauces. 

10. Cannelloni

This type of pasta can either come flat or pre-rolled into large tubes, which are then stuffed with various fillings, such as spinach and ricotta cheese. This large pasta also pairs well with a simple, light sauce like tomato. 

If you’re intrigued by the classic Italian dishes mentioned in this post, why not check out San Carlo’s menu, or even book a table and eat it the right way.

Father’s Day is just around the corner on Sunday 18^th June. We’re offering two lucky winners the chance to treat their Dad and up to 3 friends or family to a special celebratory lunch this on us, this Father’s Day. All you need to do is post a selfie with your dad using the hashtag #dadandme to any of our Facebook or Twitter pages before 12 o’clock on Monday 12^th June.

Flying Pizza at Roundhay, Leeds offers the perfect setting for a little al fresco dining.

As the sun shines the retractable roof opens to reveal the chic dining terrace, complete with olive trees, bringing you a taste of Italy a little closer to home.

Our full a la carte menu is available to enjoy on the terrace, ideal for an occasion from an intimate lunch to a special celebration or party.

Join us at Cicchetti or Fumo in Manchester, Birmingham or London to try our new summer menus and specials.

Bursting with colour and flavour our new dishes are created to celebrate the best in new season produce, many of which is carefully selected in Italy.

Look out for asparagus, fava beans, bright green peas, pomodoro tomatoes and Sicilian lemons.

For Italians, eating seasonally is a way of life; as spring arrives our menus change to embrace the best in new produce. Heavy root dishes make way for colourful, lighter fare using delicate vegetables like asparagus, zucchini flowers, and spring peas and strawberries and lemons flavour desserts from gelato to tarts. Spring menus and specials available next from week.

Available as an Easter special from Good Friday through to Easter Monday at Fumo and Cicchetti restaurants, our spring lamb cooked in hay celebrates the flavours of the new season. Delicious and healthy, roasting in hay gives the lamb a delightful smokiness whilst fresh rosemary and thyme add an aromatic touch.

Why not try our recipe at home?

Serves 2 people

Ingredients

Rack of lamb cut into 4 thick sections

A few handfuls of hay

200ml white wine

40 ml olive oil extra virgin

A few sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme

5g juniper berries

5g fennel seed

20g crushed garlic with the skin left on

5 bay leaves

1 tea spoon bicarbonate of soda

salt and pepper to season

5g black pepper

Method

Place all ingredients (except hay) together in a bowl and mix

Remove and place in a dish, layer by layer, with hay between each layer

Place in the fridge to marinade for 24 hours

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees

Remove the lamb and hay from the bowl, leaving the liquid behind

Place the lamb in a roasting pan with a small amount of hay on top and underneath the lamb heat on the hob until the hay begins to smoke

Cover with a lid or foil

Place in the oven

Cook at 200 degrees for 10-12 minutes to suit your taste

Remove from the oven, drizzle with a little olive oil and chopped parsley and serve with mash, celeriac or potato gratin and green beans.

This month our Executive Chef Filippo Pagani brings you a very simple authentic Italian dish, rich and delicious. Onions have never tasted so good.

Spaghetti Cipolla is available on the new seasonal specials menu at our Cicchetti restaurants in Manchester and London Piccadilly and Covent Garden where it’s made with some very special Italian ingredients. Here we’ve shown you how to make a simpler version with readily available ingredients. Enjoy!

Ingredients to serve 4

4 Large white onions

80ml Olive oil

4g Bay leaf

200ml Prosecco

10g Salt and pepper

4 litre vegetable stock

320g Spaghetti

250g Chives

90g Butter

180g Castelmagno or Parmesan Cheese

Method:

Finely chop the onions and lightly fry with the bay leaves in a little olive oil until golden in colour.

Reduce the heat to a low level and add the Prosecco. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook the onion on a very low heat for 24 hours, adding small amounts of water as needed.  You can cook for 8 hours and leave overnight and then cook again the following day if preferred.  Or, you can cook for just two hours but the flavour will be less intense.

Cook the spaghetti, drain and leave to the side.  Fry the chives and add the onion, spaghetti, butter and cheese. Stir thoroughly.

This is the simplest, and tastiest, of dishes. Of course the hardest element is the time and patience with the onions, but we can assure you it’s worth it.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and enjoy with a fresh green herb salad.