If you’ve been tuning into Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy each week, you’ll already know every episode leaves us with a new addition to our shopping list. Episode one introduced us to the fiery Calabrian chilli paste behind Tom’s hearty sausage and butterbean stew, while last week’s Rocket Pesto Chicken Parmigiana had us stocking up on peppery wild rocket.
And tonight’s episode (ITV, 7.30pm) might just be the most tempting yet.
The best part? You don’t need to hunt down rare, expensive Italian produce to recreate it. We’ve found the exact M&S ingredients Tom uses, including the £3.75 hero product that gives the dish its signature depth of flavour.
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M&S
Tom Kerridge Cooks Italy Episode 3: Umbria & Campania
Tonight’s episode begins in Umbria, where Tom joins third-generation truffle hunter Alessandro and his expertly trained dogs on the search for prized black truffles, often referred to as the region’s ‘black gold’. Inspired by the ingredient, he creates an indulgent Truffle Mac & Cheese using this M&S Collection Parmigiano Reggiano & Truffle Butter (£3.75, 100g).
Creamy, rich and packed with powerful flavour, it’s exactly the sort of comfort food we’ll be adding to our autumn dinner rotation. And thanks to that clever shortcut ingredient, it’s surprisingly easy to recreate at home, in just 30 minutes.
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Tom’s journey then continues to Campania, where he visits the growers behind M&S Flat Leaf Parsley (85p, 25g). There, he discovers how carefully controlled growing conditions and generations of expertise produce herbs bursting with flavour before using them to create a simple Baked Cod with Parsley Butter.
Fancy making Tom’s Truffle Mac & Cheese yourself? Read on for the full list of ingredients and recipe.
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Tom’s Truffle Mac & Cheese recipe
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 x 250g M&S Collection Creste di Gallo
100g M&S Collection Parmigiano Reggiano and Truffle Butter
1 British Echalion shallot, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
150g chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced
50g plain flour
750ml whole milk
150g Italian Fior di Latte mozzarella, diced
200g mascarpone cheese
50g pecorino Romano PDO, finely grated
6 tbsp M&S truffle pesto
80g grated mozzarella
MethodPreheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 3min, then drain.Heat 40g of the truffle butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When foaming, add the shallot and cook for 2min.Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5-7min, until the mushrooms are browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.Melt the remaining truffle butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1-2min, stirring well.Gradually whisk in the milk, whisking thoroughly between additions. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens.Reduce the heat and add the diced mozzarella, mascarpone and half the pecorino. Stir until melted, then mix in the truffle pesto. Season to taste, then stir through the cooked pasta.Transfer the pasta to a large ovenproof dish. Spoon over the mushroom mixture and sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and grated mozzarella.Bake in the centre of the oven for 10min. For an extra-golden top, switch on the grill and cook for a further 1-2min, until golden and bubbling.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia’s food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Dining and Cooking