Celebrity cook and writer Nigella lawson shares a recipe for a chocolate cake made for a friend with Celiac disease and says there are camera tricks behind-the-scenes while shooting her shows
Italian food is popular worldwide, even in India. Are there misconceptions about itIJ
One reason I wrote a book that became a TV series, was that I felt not since the Roman Empire has Italy colonised the world so effectively as it has with the food. So I wanted to look and see why it was so popular. And I think the truth is that it’s incredibly simple and straightforward. I also believe, though purists may disagree, that it lends itself to be incorporated into various cuisines of the world, because it’s a home cuisine, not a restaurant cuisine. Now what I find very interesting is I’m forever reading Italian food never uses butter, Italian food and so forth. I’ve lived in North Italy. I lived there for a year when I was 18/19 and have been back every year since. They use lots of butter in Northern Italy. In a way of course it doesn’t make sense to talk of Italian food, because Italy has existed only from 1860/1861. And since Italy has regional cuisine, if you come from one part, you’re not going to cook food from a neighbouring region.
Do you have favourite Italian foodIJ
It’s difficult to ask a greedy person about favourites. I think there are three recipes in my book I feel have spread most energetically. like a chocolate olive oil cake which is incredibly easy to make. It doesn’t contain chocolate, but cocoa. And I created it because a friend has celiac disease and felt mournful he would never be able to eat chocolate cake again. I use a light olive oil.
You can use something that is not strong. I also use ground almonds in place of flour. I also have a one-step no churn coffee ice cream which tastes like the most fantastic gelato in Italy, but is made with condensed milk, cream, coffee liquor and instant espresso powder.
And you don’t need a machine. You just stir it, whip it all together and put it in a box to freeze.
There are lots of theories about my third dish. Eggs in Purgatory. I ate it a lot when I was young because I couldn’t afford much in the way of ingredients.
What you do is fry some chilli and garlic in a small pan. Then you add a can of chopped tomatoes. And when it’s bubbling, crack open an egg or two. Then cover with grated parmesan and semi-cover with foil or lid. Cook the eggs four- five minutes in bubbling chilli tomato juices, then dip bread in.
Can anyone cookIJ
Everyone who wants to cook can. I think you do need to pay attention, because timing is important and you need to learn to trust your instincts. So you do need to be able to concentrate for short periods of time. I think that if you’re not interested, it’s hard, because your senses are not awake while cooking. And to do that you do need some confidence. But first you need to get just competent. I’m so obsessive. It’s hard to imagine I wasn’t interested in food as a child.
Are you a fan of Indian foodIJ
A great fan. I mean we’re lucky in london. Well everywhere. But in England we do have lots of Indian food. Quite a sophisticated array. So it does interest me. I’ve got a lentil and pasta soup in the book. Add bolder Indian spices to the tomatoes I told you about. It would be delicious.
What’s on behind the scene of your showsIJ
A lot of credit goes to my incredible cameraman, who has been copied enormously.
And food programming has changed because of that. Also, I’m never scripted. Even when I started, I just talked. I have such an instinctive relationship with Neville and Chris the soundman. It’s like a ballet, we move, it’s a teeny teeny crew. Because there’s only one camera, everything is relit between takes. We do everything five times and therefore it’s beautifully lit.
(Nigellisima is featured on TlC from Monday to Friday at 10 pm).