Birra, Pizza, Pasta - a few-a Ma Favorita things...

I was called a name this week. It wasn't by those nasty neighbours who I've never really liked that much who sneered and jeered as I sauntered by in full get up. It wasn't behind my back by the new intake of freshly whipped assistants keen to impress in the kitchen. It wasn't by dear old Johnnie when he discovered that I'd used the last of his vintage Chianti to oomph up todays experimental lunchtime soufflé. No, it was by young, Hull-born, Italian chef and London-based restauranteur Joe Hurd. He called me a Mangia Foglia. It turns out he wasn't being offensive at all, it's just an Italian term for Vegetarian, seemingly. I'm a Leaf Eater.

I was invited to eat leaves while experiencing a Pizza and Pasta Masterclass with La Favorita and Birra Moretti ahead of the Gran Tour pop-up beer and street food festival, popping up at Summerhall from the 9th -12th July. We were in the experienced hands of the lovely Manuel from La Favorita and Joe, who showed us to spin, stretch, slap, slide and hand-crank our way to Italian perfection. It might sound like we were breakdancing, but we were cooking, learning and laughing, honest. All with a cold beer in our hands.

Although Fanny was often critical of the range and diversity found in Italian cuisine, she did her very best to promote it. Back in the 1970's when most of us were only just getting to grips with Spaghetti Bolognese, sprinkling dried parmesan from our storecupboard tubs or going 'wild' with Lasagne, Fanny was publishing her Common Market Cookery book focused on Italy. Fanny's version of Italian food you understand, but mostly fairly authentic. Ish.

She sashayed round Italy for the Nationwide programme on the BBC and encouraged us to delve deeper to rediscover the regional Renaissance recipes using a whirlwind of polenta, pomodoro and parmesan. What on earth would she have made of todays trends for Italian street food, wonderful gelato and beers? No doubt get her food colourings out to create a special pizza for La Favorita - perhaps based on the colours of Il Tricolore?

So how do todays Italian offerings compare? At La Favorita, Manuel wow'd us with expertly made (our own creations magically disappeared, I imagine the staff thought they were so good they ate them...) hand-stretched, wood-fired pizzas, fresh and inspiring toppings, even a melting, flavoursome vegan cheese made an appearance. To go with the freshly made pasta Joe created a simple Salsa di Pomidoro by sweating the finest tomatoes, garlic, chilli, shallots, olive oil and basil before our very eyes. According to Joe, we just won't accept the 70's style of Italian food anymore, why would we when we can all easily travel to Italy and we all know more about the ingredients, flavours and dishes.

As we settled down to munch on our own work (ok, I'm pretending we made these spectacular pizzas now), eat more leaves (for me) and throw back another beer, we were reflecting on all that we had learned throughout the Masterclass. Poor Joe though, he clearly hadn't learnt enough himself. He was keen to swot up and learn from the real deal - Fanny herself. I've got a new name for him in return, Fanatico di Fanny. I wonder what tips he picked up, will he change his recipes and embrace the 1970's once more? We'll find out at the Gran Tour on Thursday. No doubt he'll squeeze a last minute Fanny Cradock Italian Masterclass into the programme? See you there?

I was invited along to the La Favorita Masterclass by Chris from Cow PR and will be enjoying more Italian fare and masterclasses at the pop-up food and beer festival, the Birra Moretti Gran Tour in Edinburgh at Summerhall from Thursday 9th July. Advance tickets are priced at £10 plus a £1 booking fee. This allows you to enjoy two Birra Moretti, two dishes from any vendor and a gelato.

Mamma Mia! It's a Puff Pastry Pizza!

Fanny proudly declares this recipe is one of her own brought back from 'foreign parts' for our delight. Today, it seems strange to be introducing a pizza to the nation, but I am sure back in 1970 it was a continental revelation. My own memories of 1970's pizza were frozen Findus French Bread, which were pretty tasteless I remember, and not very Italian - so at least Fanny has the right country in mind. In fairness to Fanny she suggests that I can make this pizza with either 'ordinary' bread dough as they do in Italy, or with her very own 6-minute rough puff paste. Fanny doesn't give me a recipe for bread dough, ordinary or not, so I am taking the hint and making her rough puff...

Following the previous techniques for paste, I mix the flour, fats - I'm using Cookeen this time for that authentic 1970's feel - salt and water. This contains more fat than before. After rolling it into a flat panel, Fanny tells me to fold one end right over to the centre, then the other to meet it, then fold again to make four layers. Turning it 'half clockwise' I repeat these steps, and then turn, roll and fold twice more. It now needs to be stored in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Oh. No pizza tonight then. Where's that home delivery leaflet...? So, next day, I roll out the paste to a sort of circle and place it on a baking sheet.

The toppings for the pizza seem familiar enough - tomatoes, tomato purée, cheese and optional pimento. Fanny suggest her beloved anchovies and olives too, but neither are for me. 

Fanny tells me the tomatoes should be skinned and rough cut, and in case I have ever felt that this was a tiresome chore she gives me a technique for skinning them 'at speed'. I can't say I've ever felt the usual process of plunging in boiled water was lengthy or time consuming, but ever the good student I am willing to give it a go Fanny-style. The technique is to fork a tomato and hold it at the side of a strong flame, and watch the skins roll back.

Sorry Fanny, but for me this took an age, perhaps I wasn't doing it right, maybe my flame wasn't strong enough or I wasn't bold enough? Plus with four tomatoes to skin, I'd say it would be much quicker to plunge. Regardless, the skinned tomatoes are skinned and rough cut, and then I notice that Fanny does not ever mention them again - another recipe step missed out to test me.  For the assembly of the pizza everything seems back to front, of course. Slices of Emmenthal cheese (this is how she spells it - not very Italian at any rate) on first, then I presume the tomatoes that Fanny forgets, herbs, sliced grilled peppers, season. And then a lattice of tomato purée over the top. Really.

Before baking Fanny urges me to cover the surface with something she has invented herself - Garlic Oil. She proudly gives the recipe, essentially crushed garlic and olive oil which is left for a month in a stone jar. A month. Not wishing to delay this pizza any longer, I use some I bought in the supermarket - I wonder if Fanny sold her invention? I drizzle rather than 'cover' hoping that's what Fanny means.

The pizza needs to bake until it's a 'good golden brown', again no timings, but mine looks good after about 20 minutes. Fanny says I can serve it hot or cold. Fanny has used bread dough in her picture, and it does look like a pizza.

My version looks similar actually, and works really quite well - the pastry is crumbly and very flaky, but it's tasty and way better than those French Bread things. not exactly fast food with all the techniques and inventions, but i suppose it would be next time! It's not a pizza as I'd know it, but thanks to Fanny for bringing it over to the UK all those years ago!