Gino's Italian Express

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Fill a large saucepan with four litres of water, add one tablespoon of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Gino is the author of several best-selling books including Gino's Healthy Italian for Less, Gino's Italian Coastal Escape, Gino's Italian Escape and Gino's Italian Adriatic Escape and Gino's Hidden Italy. I went on eight journeys in total and all were incredible in completely different ways – we travelled through spectacular mountain passes and rolling valleys and vineyards, alongside glistening lakes and sparkling coastlines, past pretty fishing villages and straight into major city centres. Put the onion and rosemary in a large shallow casserole or sauté pan. Add the oil, season the onions with salt and add the pancetta. Fry over a high heat for about eight minutes or until softened and lightly golden, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice and fry for about three minutes, stirring continuously, until the grains are coated and shiny. Pour over the wine and let it bubble for one-two minutes or until evaporated.

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Meanwhile, heat the oil, butter and rosemary in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. As soon as the rosemary starts to sizzle, add the onion and fry for about eight minutes, stirring occasionally. Brush two large baking sheets with oil. Halve the dough and shape into two equal-sized balls. Place each in the centre of the oiled baking sheets. Brush the top of the dough with a little oil and cover with cling film. Leave to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. WHEN I was filming in Pisa I saw this dish in many restaurants, so out of curiosity I had to try it. It was really delicious and fresh-tasting, and I loved the contrast of textures between the crisp crust and the tuna steak. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, pecorino and parsley. Stir for about 30 seconds until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Top with a little extra parsley and pecorino.

I HAD never seen an avocado until I came to London in 1994. They just weren’t a feature of southern Italian cuisine.However, since I have been travelling around Italy for the TV series, I realise they are actually very common in northern Italy, featuring on lots of restaurant menus. THIS is my son Luciano’s favourite pasta dish. He loves the spicy pancetta with the sweet basil sauce. Spoon the mixture into a one litre shallow, rigid freezer-proof container. Cover and freeze for at least six hours or until set, preferably overnight.For this tuna and bean salad, Gino recommends using tuna in oil rather than brine Credit: Dan Jones

Break the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk lightly. Stir in half the pecorino and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Bring 2.5 litres of salted water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peas and beans and boil for two minutes. Put the tomato, olives and spring onions in a medium bowl. Add the oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Gino came across this recipe during an authentic dining experience in a local’s home Credit: Dan JonesIncluding all the recipes from Gino's major ITV series coming in Autumn 2019, Gino's Italian Express is the must-have cookbook for those wishing for a taste of Italy. About the Author Gino's son Luciano loves this dish due to the flavour combo of spicy pancetta with a sweet basil sauce Credit: Dan Jones Add the pork, season with salt and pepper and fry for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the mascarpone, peas and parsley and cook for one minute. YOU don’t need to be gluten-free to love this flourless chocolate cake. It has a wonderful rich, chocolatey flavour and a dense, fudgy texture, making it more of a dessert than a cake. Tip into a sieve placed over the sink. Rinse under cold running water for one minute to cool, then leave to drain thoroughly. Tip into a large mixing bowl.