Little fried cheese pastries. Four different types of cheese and a sliver of salami. Yes, they taste as good as they sound. You're welcome.

Four cheeses! Need we say more? A beautiful balance of gorgonzola, pecorino, fontina and parmesan, this decadent sauce is easy to make and pairs perfectly with gnocchi or any kind of pasta.

Different cheeses can be used if the ones mentioned are unavailable. Gruyère, mozzarella, mild brie blue, provolone, vintage cheddar or raclette ­ mix and match until you find a combination you like best. Note

Although these crisps make a great snack on their own, you can also use them to accompany dips or soup. Make crisps in two large sheets, then break into shards to serve. Add sesame seeds to the mix if you like.

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

Beurre bosc pears can be substituted for corella pears. Note

Gorgonzola is a creamy, blue cheese from Italy; if unavailable, use blue Castello. Note

Goat cheese, with its strong earthy taste, is available in both soft and firm textures, in various shapes and sizes, and often rolled in ash or herbs.

You can make these in a standard muffin pan; line the holes with paper cases, or a folded square of baking paper, as we did here. Note

Turkish bread is also called pide by some bakers and in some supermarkets. It is also available in individual rounds. Note

Do not add any salt to the cottage-cheese mixture as this will cause the filling to become too wet. Buy zucchini just large enough to make 5-inch-long strips once trimmed and sliced. Note

Once you have your technique sorted, these little triangles of tasty goodness can be flipped and folded and put together in no time.

Any thick crusty-style bread can be used for this delicious dish. Serve it as a decadent supper on cold winter nights.

To some, these tasty morsels may simply be melted cheese on little toasties, but we know better. The robust and distinctive flavour of gruyère makes all the difference. Serve with piping hot bowls of soup.

The frying pan goes under the grill in this so you need a frying pan with an ovenproof handle, or cover the handle with a few layers of foil to protect it from the heat of the grill. Note

A simple, savoury classic with pots of flavour, pasta al quattro formaggio can be made using penne, or other short cut pasta, in place of the gnocchi.

Whole baked feta in the Greek-style, with oregano, paprika and pepper, makes a fabulous starter or shared platter. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Making your own pizza bases is not difficult and it’s rewarding, but, if time is short, buy the bases and use the topping ingredients we’ve suggested. Note

Unbaked pinwheels can be frozen for up to a month. Bake them straight from the freezer, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time. Note

This baked ricotta is perfect for picnics, just cover with chilli and parmesan and bake it that morning.

The perfect alternative to the ever-predictable round of brie cheese. Baked chilli and oregano fetta is melt in the mouth and bursting with flavor.

Lamb option; cook lamb fillets in heated large non-stick frying pan until browned all over; slice thinly. Place on top of non-vegetarians’ portions of pizza; cook as above. Note

Mini parmesan scones with goats cheese & tapenade make delicate, tasty little canapes.

Roasted blueberries with brie makes a great starter, or buffet dish. You can bake a whole brie for 30 minutes in a medium hot oven if you prefer a warm dish for sharing.

This creamy and lemony dip is delicious and dead easy to make. You can adjust the lemon juice and garlic to taste.

Hot, oozy and deliciously spiced, these cheese fritters with fresh mint salsa are perfect for handing round at a party. Just make sure you have napkins on hand for your guests.

Alternatively, the frittata can be made in a 24cm/9½-inch non-stick ovenproof frying pan, cooked, covered, over a medium-low heat for 12 minutes, then transferred to a hot grill (broiler) for 3 minutes or until browned lightly. You will need an ovenproof frying pan if it goes under the grill (or cover the handle with a […]

We used corella pears for this recipe. You will need a bunch of watercress weighing about 350g in total to yield the leaves required for this salad. Note

if you can’t find orecchiette pasta, replace it with penne. Note

Serving ideas; drizzle with olive oil, and serve with thick slices of warm toast. Note

This tasty rustic-style loaf is a winning recipe for picnics, parties and barbecues.

Take a trip to the fish markets for the freshest produce you can find for these individual seafood mornay pots topped with crispy gratin. They're absolutely delicious.

If you're looking for a simple, tasty and appealing platter for a party then marinated baby bocconcini with prosciutto is your friend. Salty meat wrapped around mild, sweet cheese and spiked with basil. Perfect.

The slightly astringent flavour of quince is the perfect foil to the sweet creaminess of cheesecake, especially when doused in fresh lemon juice. This quince and vanilla cheesecake has our favourite granita biscuit base. Yum.

These tasty little Greek-style cheese and spinach filo triangles are delicious served with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Great as finger food or for an after-school snack.

Caramelised onion, also called onion jam, is available in jars from large supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

Marinated bocconcini makes a great addition to antipasto platters or fresh green salads, use baby bocconcini, if available. Recipe can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Note

Naples is widely credited as the birthplace of pizza, where it was originally sold to the city’s poor by street vendors. The world’s first pizzeria was opened there in 1830 and is still in operation today. The beauty of the napoletana pizza lies in its simplicity. We recommend using only the best and freshest ingredients […]

To remove excess liquid, drain the cheese mixture in a fine sieve lined with muslin for 40 minutes before adding to the kofta mixture. After deep-frying the kofta in batches, drain them well on layers of absorbent paper before adding them to the tomato tamarind sauce. Note

Pimp your potato bake with traditional Puttanesca flavours of olives and pancetta.

Cook ½ cup (100g) white short-grain rice for this recipe. Note

Don’t assemble or cook pizzas until just before serving to keep them from becoming soggy. Note

Place pastries on trays; brush with egg, sprinkle with seeds. Bake about 15 minutes or until browned lightly. Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Parmesan cheese can be used instead of romano cheese. Pastries can be served warm or cold. Uncooked pastries are suitable to freeze. It is best to cut pastry into the 26 rounds […]

The basil mixture, without the lemon rind and juice, can be made several days ahead; keep tightly covered in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months. Add the lemon just before serving. Make sure you cook the haloumi just before serving, as it becomes tough and rubbery on cooling. Note

Preserved lemons can be bought from delicatessens and some supermarkets. Remove a piece of lemon from the jar, discard the lemon flesh. Rinse the rind under water; dry, then chop finely. Note

This recipe would also be delicious using cauliflower instead of broccoli, or a mixture of both. Note

Any poached fruit will work here, but use something with a more robust flavour, stone fruits are a good choice. Note

Pastizzi are a traditional Maltese food. These flakey pastry pockets are traditionally filled with either fresh ricotta or mushy peas, but nowadays, the variety of fillings are endless and can be sweet or savoury. Fillings are usually distinguished by the unique shape, ricotta-filled pastizzi are diamond shaped, pea-filled pastizzi are a rounded semi-circle. It is […]