Italy on my mind

I would like to be having my afternoon coffee here in Trieste

Easter baking means putizza! Recipe is in my cookbook “Istria”

**RECIPE**

LEMON and RICOTTA GELATO - it is tennis season in Australia so that means hot weather and …. Gelato! This recipe is from my first cookbook from 2016 “Italian Street Food” (gelato is the ultimate street food for that evening passeggiata!). Publisher

100 ml full-cream milk
180 g sugar
250 g ricotta (the freshest you
can find)
peel from 1 lemon, white pith removed
250 ml pouring cream
zest of 1 lemon

Place the milk and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Using a stick blender (ideally with a whisk attachment if you have one), mix the milk and sugar then add the ricotta – about 50 g at a time – making sure it is incorporated and smooth before adding the next piece. Add the lemon peel, cover with an upturned plate and set aside in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Remove the lemon peel and stir through the cream. Pour into an
ice-cream machine and churn for about 30 minutes until firm. Stir as much of the lemon zest as you like through the prepared gelato.

Place in an airtight container and freeze for a few hours before eating. (Makes about 1 litre)

La dispensa invernale: i consigli di Paola Bacchia e Lino Sauro Primo agosto, inizio dell'ultimo mese di inverno australe. Cosa portare nelle nostre tavole per scaldarci le pance e il cuore? Abbiamo interpellato due esperti.

WHOLE ORANGE CAKE - based on a Claudia Rodin recipe from years ago - so delicious and moist - flourless and gluten free too. With a bag of organic oranges from a friend’s tree, this seemed like the most sensible option for using some up and making something sweet to deal with this wintery Melbourne weekend.

I used 3 oranges (about 600g), boiled them for 45 minutes, drained, allowed to cool a bit then roughly chopped (removing all the pips) and tossed in the food processor. Once totally blitzed I added 6 eggs and blitzed again. I poured the mixture into a large bowl and folded through 250g almond meal, 250g sugar, a heaped teaspoon of baking powder, a good pinch of salt and the zest of 1 extra orange (not necessary, but I have so many). Once well combined, I poured into a lined and greased spring form cake tin and baked at 150 fan for about an hour.

As hard as it is to do (the scent of orange in the kitchen is amazing… oh the wait), the cake needs to be cooled in the tin. Serve a big slice with or without a big dollop of Greek Yoghurt on the side. You could also dust with icing sugar just before serving. Makes a great breakfast cake and freezes ok too!

Cake stand by purchased from ;
Tablecloth purchased from

At Nonna's Table: un libro di ricette, ma anche una storia di famiglia Nel panorama editoriale dedicato alla cucina, "At Nonna's Table" di Paola Bacchia non è solo un libro di ricette; è un viaggio nella memoria ed un omaggio affettuoso alla mamma dell'autrice, Livia, che con la sua cucina ha saputo creare un ponte tra le tradizioni italiane e la vita in Australia.

Italy 💚🤍❤️

A very exciting collaboration with gelateria in Melbourne

This Mother’s Day, we’ve teamed up with @italyonmymind to create a limited-edition gelato tub which represents all the big-heartedness of our mammas and nonnas!⁠ ⁠ Inspired by one of the recipes in Paola’s latest book “At Nonna’s Table”, our version of Nonna’s Apple Strudel consists of layers of ricotta, apple & sultana gelato, pine nut praline caramel and caramelised puff pastry. It’s everything it sounds like and more. ⁠ ⁠ Now available in all our stores, as well as for pre-orders online, via the link in bio. A few packs including Paola’s book « At Nonna’s Table » are also up for grab, for an even more special gift! ⁠ ⁠ We think there’s something really special about this gelato and the way it makes us all feel like kids again. ⁠It’s a Mother’s Day gift to everyone, but it’s an ode to the beautiful generosity of all our nonnas. ⁠ ⁠ We hope you enjoy it!⁠ ⁠ Read more about the inspiration behind this collaboration on our website. #pidapipo

A podcast I recorded late last year with the Adam Miller (of The Great Australian Bake Off fame - runner up in 2023) has just been released as episode 2 of series 2 of the Bakeology podcast. This was hugely fun to record! We talk about my three favourite bakes to make - and yes, they are all sweet bakes and include apple strudel and putizza. There is a story behind each of the three

Have a listen below

‎Bakeology: S2 Ep 2 - Paola Bacchia on Apple Podcasts ‎Show Bakeology, Ep S2 Ep 2 - Paola Bacchia - 18 Mar 2024

AT NONNA’s TABLE - more book celebration events have been announced! Links to all of these are below

(1) Author talk at the seminal Books for Cooks (North Melbourne) on Monday 25 March at 6.30pm at Books for Cooks
(2) Book Launch at Readings (Carlton) at 6.30pm (SOLD OUT)
(3) Lunch with friends at Cumulus Inc (Melbourne) on Sunday 28 April
(4) Autumn Afternoon Tea with an author with Jane Grover (Sydney) on 4 May (SOLD OUT)
(5) At Nonna’s Table - a pre-lunch spuntino, cooking demo and in conversation with The Coastal Italian (Glebe - Sydney) 5 May

Publication Day for the book is 26 March Smith Street Books - and I cannot wait!!

Hope you can make it to one of the events

Paola X

📸 DS images - Dean Schmideg

BOOKS FOR COOKS
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/at-nonnas-table-an-evening-with-paola-bacchia-tickets-861474903627?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

CUMULUS INC
https://www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/cumulusincaustralia/cumulus-inc-lunch-series---at-nonna-s-table-with-paola-bacchia-11083747833

THE COASTAL ITALIAN
https://www.thecoastalitalian.com/event-details/at-nonnas-table-in-conversation-with-paola-bacchia