Our team's favourite Italian dishes

Somehow, when you’re eating pasta in Italy it’s a completely different experience to scoffing those emergency midweek dishes we all whip up at home. Authentic Italian pasta is beautifully simple, full of flavour and uses the freshest local ingredients to create dishes that are truly next level. Here are a couple of our favourites:  

“Spaghetti e aglio (spaghetti aioli) - I love this dish as it’s so simple but full of flavour! The garlic, olive oil & chilli are synonymous with southern Italy and every time I have eaten this, it reminds me of summer holidays on the Italian coast. It’s also really easy to cook at home with the addition of lardons!” 
Leon Stevenson-Wood, Interior Designer 

“It has to be a lasagne for me! I love the rich ragù, layered with fresh pasta and topped with plenty of gooey cheese. Italians know how to do it best!” 
Dean Robinson, Head of Brand

When you think Italian, this classic springs immediately to mind. And, again, eating the real deal in Italy is nothing like eating pizza at home. Traditional pizza-making is a true Italian art and once you’ve tasted the crisp, oven-fired bases adorned with tomato sauce that tastes of sunshine and melting buffalo mozzarella, you won’t look back. Add in a few toppings and a flourish of fresh basil and you’ve got yourself the pizza dreams are made of!

Check out our team’s top pizza picks:

“If I had to pick one Italian dish it would have to be a Pizza Napoletana! Along with the gooey mozzarella and tomato sauce, I can’t resist a pizza with salty anchovies on! Delicious!” 
Rachael Cockle, Sales Centre & UK Operations Assistant Manager

“I love pizza, nothing beats a proper Italian pizza, especially when you get one with authentic nduja sausages from Calabria!” 
Ellie Taylor, Senior Ecommerce Executive

And speaking of nduja…

This speciality of Calabria is so popular with our team, it gets a category all to itself. In fact, since basing our new Airone Beachclub there, we’ve developed a full-blown nduja obsession. And we think you might be heading for one too.   

“Nduja is a spicy, spreadable pork salami sausage originating from the southern part of Calabria. It’s on the buffet at Airone Beachclub most nights either as a meat or mixed with more chilli and olive oil as a dressing. I’d never come across it before but made with the famous local chillies its ace. Check it out - but beware it’s hot!” 
Pip Tyler, Overseas Director

“Mine is nduja - spicy Italian sausage from Calabria, which you can spread straight onto bread or use as the ingredient that gives a Pizza Calabrese a real punch”. 
Andrew Parry, Head of Club Development

With such an abundance of gorgeous fresh produce at their fingertips, it’s no wonder Italians make fantastic salads. From the crisp leaves and, frankly enormous, plump tomatoes to the tangy dressings and tasty little extras, they make a perfect refreshing lunch on a hot day. Pair them with a glass of chilled Italian white wine for that relaxed holiday vibe. 

“I love Salad Caprese made with burrata cheese – it tastes so fresh and the rich centre is delicious”. 
Iain Stevenson-Wood, Head of Hotel Operations & People

“I love the Frisella, just like bruschetta. The combination of fresh sweet tomatoes and fragrant basil on crunchy garlic bread is a pure Italian taste sensation!”
Holly Roberts, Head of Customer Relationship Marketing

Burrata is mozzarella’s creamier cousin, made from an indulgent mixture of buffalo milk mozzarella and cream. Break the mozzarella-like exterior to find a soft, tempting creamy centre. 

If you’ve worked up an appetite trying out all those inclusive Neilson Beachclub activities, you might fancy something more substantial. No problema, you don’t earn a reputation for enjoying la dolce vita without knowing how to cook up hearty food that feeds the belly and the soul.   

“I’m a big fan of warm arancini on a cold day, ticking all the hot snack boxes. They are the sophisticated European cousins of the humble scotch egg”. 
Nic Newman, Digital Marketing Manager

If you haven’t discovered arancini before, you’re in for a treat. Translated, their name means ‘little orange’ and while they bear a certain resemblance to the fruit, they’re actually stuffed balls of soft risotto rice, coated in crispy breadcrumbs and fried. Fillings include stringy melted mozzarella and meaty ragù. This is Italian street food at its most satisfying. 
 
“Gnocchi (especially when served with fresh pesto) is my favourite, but I’ve never been able to recreate that amazing texture you find in Italy”. 
Alex Cox, Marketing Executive 

Try these tiny potato dumplings as an alternative to pasta. They’re filling, rustic and highly addictive. 

Is your mouth watering yet? So, when will you be joining us in Italy?