GINO D’ACAMPO is an Italian chef and TV personality. He developed a love of cooking from a young age and went on to train at the Luigi de Medici Catering college. He currently lives in London. His latest cookbook Gino’s Italy is inspired by the amazing women in his life and has over 80 Italian recipes.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘People have this idea that in every Italian family there are secret recipes that get passed down the generations. And it’s 100 per cent true! This book is my way of celebrating the amazing women in all our families. I want to show my love and appreciation for everything they have done for me.’

Drawing on the wisdom of his late mother, his 15 bossy aunties, and a whole nation of home-cooking nonnas, Gino shares the secrets to making the very best version of much-loved Italian classics. Recipes include:

· Grilled scallops with parsley and hazelnut butter
· Oozing baked risotto
· Slow-cooked pork shoulder with super-crispy crackling
· Biscoff and espresso cheesecake

With over 80 recipes for the ultimate Italian classics, ranging from quick weeknight meals to classic blowouts, this is Gino’s most iconic book yet.

RECIPE:

GRILLED SCALLOPS WITH
PARSLEY + HAZELNUT BUTTER
Capesante alla griglia con burro di prezzemolo e nocciole

This is an amazing recipe if you really want to impress your guests or your family. The butter will take you minutes to prepare in the morning or the day before, and the scallops only take four or five minutes to grill. Not only do they taste fantastic, but they look stunning. You can substitute the hazelnuts with pistachio nuts if you prefer, or if you have nut allergies and need to eliminate the nuts completely, the parsley butter will still work well.

SERVES 4

• 20g unblanched (skin-on)hazelnuts
• 100g salted butter, softened
• small handful of flat leaf parsley leaves,
  roughly chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ echalion shallot, roughly chopped
• 12 large prepared scallops, each sitting
  on a half shell
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the hazelnuts on a small flat baking tray and toast under the grill for 2 minutes. Shake the tray and continue to grill for a further 2 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven, place the hazelnuts on a clean tea towel and allow to cool slightly. Rub off the skins with the tea towel and roughly chop the hazelnuts.

Tip the chopped nuts into a food processor. Add the butter, parsley, lemon juice and shallot. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and process until well mixed. Transfer the mixture into a small bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside, or leave in the fridge until needed.

If you prepare the butter ahead of time, remember to take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you need it, so it is not fridge-hard.

Lay out the shells with the scallops inside on a large flat baking tray and season each with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put 1 heaped tsp of the parsley and hazelnut butter on top of each scallop. Grill for 4–5 minutes.

Remove from the grill and either serve up 3 scallops per person, or place the shells on a large serving platter in the centre of the table. Either way, a real ooooooh moment…