Four Capri recipes, without pretending there is only one version.

FIRST COURSE · HOT-WATER DOUGH

1. Ravioli capresi with tomato

The traditional pasta sheet starts with flour and very hot water, with no egg in the dough. The filling combines caciotta, grated cheese, eggs, and marjoram; the dressing remains a simple tomato sauce with basil.

Ingredients

For the dough: 300 g Italian “00” flour or plain flour, 180 g boiling water plus a little more if needed, 18 g extra-virgin olive oil, one pinch of salt.

For the filling: 220 g grated semi-aged cow’s-milk caciotta, 60 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 2 medium eggs, 2 tbsp fresh marjoram leaves.

For the sauce: 500 g crushed peeled tomatoes or passata, 1 garlic clove, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, basil, and salt.

Method

1. Put the flour in a heatproof bowl. Add the oil, salt, and almost all the boiling water; combine with a spoon first. Once safe to touch, knead until smooth and firm, adding only as much extra water as needed. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mix the caciotta, Parmigiano, eggs, and marjoram. Keep the filling refrigerated while rolling the dough and do not taste it raw.
3. Divide the dough, roll it to about 2 mm, and place teaspoonfuls of filling 5–6 cm apart. Fold over the sheet, press out the air, seal, and cut 5 cm rounds. Keep them separate on a lightly floured surface.
4. For the sauce, warm the oil with the garlic, add the tomato, and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes. Remove the garlic, season with salt, and add basil.
5. Cook the ravioli in gently boiling salted water for 3–5 minutes. Once they rise, give them about one more minute; open one to check that the pasta and filling are piping hot. Lift with a slotted spoon and dress with the sauce.

Contains: cereals containing gluten (wheat), eggs, and milk. Caciotta and Parmigiano may carry specific label information; an alternative flour requires a different formula, not a one-for-one swap.

COLD DISH · SUMMER

2. Caprese salad

The technique is mainly about not covering the ingredients: ripe but firm tomatoes, well-drained fiordilatte or mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, basil, and, if you like, a little oregano.

Ingredients

• 600 g ripe but firm tomatoes
• 400 g fiordilatte or mozzarella, drained
• 40 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 10–12 basil leaves
• dried oregano, optional, and salt

Method

1. Let the cheese drain, then pat it dry gently. Wash and dry the tomatoes and basil.
2. Cut the tomatoes and cheese into slices of similar thickness and alternate them on a plate without compressing them.
3. Season just before serving with salt, oil, hand-torn basil, and a little oregano if using. Serve immediately or keep covered and refrigerated in line with the cheese label.

Contains: milk. Check the cheese label and do not rely on the absence of other visible ingredients to rule out cross-contact.

ONE-POT DISH · SEAFOOD

3. Totani e patate: squid and potatoes

This is a seafood one-pot dish: the squid cooks first in the tomato base, then the potatoes absorb the liquid. Toasted bread is optional, but useful for gathering the sauce.

Ingredients

• 800 g cleaned squid, bodies cut into rings and tentacles retained
• 700 g potatoes, cut into roughly 3 cm cubes
• 300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 120 ml dry white wine, optional
• about 350 ml hot water
• 1 garlic clove, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, optional chilli, parsley, and salt
• optional toasted bread, to serve

Method

1. Buy squid from a traceable seller, have it cleaned correctly, keep it refrigerated, and pat it dry. Use a board and utensils separate from ready-to-eat food.
2. Warm the oil, garlic, and chilli in a casserole. Add the squid and cook for 4–5 minutes.
3. Add the wine and let it reduce for 2–3 minutes; for a wine-free version, use the same amount of water. Add the tomatoes and 150 ml water, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and enough of the remaining hot water to keep a moist base. Cover and cook for another 20–25 minutes, stirring gently, until the potatoes and squid are thoroughly cooked and the sauce has thickened. Season and finish with parsley.

Contains: molluscs; wine may contain sulphites. If serving bread, add cereals containing gluten unless using a specifically suitable product. Stocks or packaged products can introduce other allergens: check their labels. Cooking cannot guarantee that no residual alcohol remains.

DESSERT · ALMONDS AND CHOCOLATE

4. Torta caprese

Its structure comes from almonds and eggs rather than flour. The centre should stay moist while the surface forms a thin crust: waiting for a skewer to come out completely dry risks overbaking it.

Ingredients

• 200 g blanched almonds, finely ground
• 200 g 70% dark chocolate
• 180 g unsalted butter, plus a little for the tin
• 170 g sugar
• 5 medium eggs, separated
• one pinch of salt and optional icing sugar

Method

1. Heat a conventional oven to 170°C/340°F. Butter a 22 cm springform tin and line the base and side with baking paper.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a bain-marie, keeping water out of the bowl, then leave to cool slightly.
3. Beat the yolks with 120 g sugar until pale. Mix in the chocolate mixture, followed by the almonds.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk the whites with the salt and remaining 50 g sugar until glossy but not dry. Fold them into the batter in three additions.
5. Pour into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes: the edge should be set and a skewer in the centre should carry moist crumbs, not liquid batter. Cool completely before removing from the tin; add icing sugar only when serving.

Contains: eggs, milk, and nuts (almonds). Chocolate and icing sugar may list soya, milk, gluten, or traces: check every pack. Having no flour in the formula does not automatically make the cake suitable for someone who must avoid gluten; verified ingredients and a suitable preparation environment are still necessary.