We love the warmer, longer days. They’re a time for salty sea dips and afternoons on rugged beaches. For licking ice cream off our finger tips and enjoying impromptu garden parties with loved ones. Our friends over at The River Cafe have shared one of their favourite Italian recipes so you can cook up a golden hour supper alfresco style. Buon appetito!

Method:

First make the fresh pasta. Put the flour and salt in a food processor and add the eggs and egg yolks. Pulse-blend until the ingredients start to come together into a loose ball of dough. Lightly dust a flat surface with semolina and a little extra flour, then knead the pasta dough for about 3 minutes or until smooth. Wrap the ball in clingfilm and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes, and up to 2 hours.

To make the filling, first rehydrate the porcini by soaking them in warm to hot water. Blanch the spinach in boiling water. drain and chop. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the marjoram and spinach, and stir to combine the flavours. Season, then cool.

Drain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic gently. Add the porcini and continue to fry very gently for 10 minutes, adding a little of the porcini liquid from time to time to keep the mushrooms moist. Season and leave to cool then chop.

Put the ricotta in a large bowl and mix lightly with a fork before adding spinach, parmesan and nutmeg. Season and set aside. Dust a large work surface with flour and roll out the pasta dough to a large sheet, as thin as possible. Cut the edges to straighten.

Spoon the porcini along the edge of the pasta nearest to you, in a line about 3cm wide. Cover the rest of the pasta sheet with the spinach and ricotta mixture. Now, starting at the mushroom edge, gently roll up the pasta sheet away from you into a large sausage shape. Place the pasta roll on a clean tea towel and wrap in the cloth. Secure with string to hold the roll in shape, tying at either end like a Christmas cracker and also in the middle.

Bring water to boil, add sea salt and the pasta roll, then cover and simmer for around 15 minutes.

To make the sage butter, heat the butter gently and, when very hot, add the sage leaves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Unwrap the pasta roll and place it on a board. Cut across into 1cm slices. Serve 4-6 slices per person, with extra grated parmesan and some sage butter. Enjoy!

We hope you feel inspired to enjoy a taste of Italy at home this summer. Delve into our kitchen and dining essentials to find everything you need to cook up a storm.