TAKING IT SLOW

RELAX OVER A LONG LUNCH WITH THIS MENU FROM FRANCESCA'S ITALIAN KITCHEN

Plan a long lunch with an extract from Francesca’s Italian Kitchen by Francesca Voza & James Stapley

WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM and you have time on your hands, what better way to relax than over a casual, leisurely lunch. Don’t let the label ‘lunch’ constrain you; the best laid-back affairs can extend well into the evening. We’ve chosen the sort of delicious dishes that delight us, those things we would like to eat while whiling away the hours.

Start with a cheeky, fresh cocktail (or serve it more traditionally as a palate cleanser) as you pass around the crunchy fritto misto. Pile your plates high with pasta or tender little gnudi – like a nude ravioli without the pasta wrapping – and a crisp salad before closing with the pretty-as desserts.

One of the defining features of Italian food is using what is fresh and delicious close to your home or region at that moment. If you travel around Italy, a dish will vary from region to region or even from one restaurant to another. James Stapley explains that he never intended the food at Francesca’s Italian Kitchens to be strictly authentic Italian, but to echo this ethos of fresh, local ingredients treated well, producing food that is unique to a time and place.

So, make this menu your own by using your favourite local ingredients for a Kiwi take on a Italian long lunch.