A Simple Sunday Lunch

Italian Sunday lunches are rarely about complexity. They are about rhythm: something prepared slowly, dishes placed in the middle of the table, and food that improves conversation rather than interrupts it. The best meals rely on a handful of good ingredients, treated simply and given time 

These three dishes I often prepare when friends come over, shared across a long afternoon. Nothing is complicated, everything can be prepared at an easy pace, and most importantly, each recipe rewards relaxed cooking rather than precision.

Bruschetta with Burrata, Fried Sage & Anchovies

Bruschetta with Burrata, Fried Sage & Anchovies

Ingredients
Good sourdough or country bread, sliced
1 large burrata (or stracciatella)
6–8 sage leaves
Anchovy fillets in olive oil
Olive oil
Zest of ½ lemon
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Toast the bread slices until golden and crisp at the edges but still slightly soft in the centre. You can do this under a grill, in a pan, or directly over a flame for a more rustic finish.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry briefly until crisp — this takes only a few seconds. Remove the sage and set aside on kitchen paper. 

Tear the burrata open and spread generously over the warm toast. Sprinkle a little olive oil, place the anchovy fillets on top, and finish with the crisp sage leaves, finely grated lemon zest, and a few turns of black pepper.

Butter Beans with Basil Pesto, Ricotta & Lemon

Butter Beans with Basil Pesto, Ricotta & Lemon

Ingredients

For the pesto
A large bunch of fresh basil
A handful of pine nuts
1 garlic clove
25 g parmesan cheese, grated
4–5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
Salt and black pepper

For the dish
1 jar butter beans
250 g ricotta cheese
Zest of 1 lemon (plus a little juice if desired)

Method

Toast the pine nuts in a large dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.

Transfer the toasted nuts to a blender or food processor and add the basil, garlic, grated parmesan, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and the olive oil. Blitz until you reach a soft, spoonable pesto consistency, adding a little more olive oil if needed to loosen the mixture. (And honestly — a good-quality ready-made pesto works perfectly well too.)

Prepare the butter beans depending on the season. In winter, serve them warm and comforting by heating them gently in a pan with a little of their bean stock for about 3 minutes. In summer, keep things lighter by simply draining and rinsing the beans without warming them.

Spoon the beans onto a serving plate and add generous dollops of ricotta. Drizzle over the pesto and scatter with lemon zest, adding a small squeeze of lemon juice if you like extra freshness.

Finish with cracked black pepper and a final drizzle of good olive oil before serving.

Courgettes with Lemon Ricotta on Ciabatta

Courgettes with Lemon Ricotta on Ciabatta

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves
3-4 courgettes, finely sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
250 gr Ricotta cheese
Ciabatta, sliced
Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and chilli flakes and cook for about a minute, until sizzling and fragrant.

Add the garlic and courgettes. Cook over medium heat for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the courgettes have completely softened, collapsed, and turned jammy with lightly browned edges.

While the courgettes finish cooking, toast the ciabatta slices.

Stir the lemon zest into the ricotta and spread generously over the warm toasts. Add the lemon juice to the courgettes, season well with salt and pepper, then spoon the mixture over the ricotta.

Tip: Any leftovers are excellent stirred through pasta the next day with an extra drizzle

A simple Italian Sunday lunch, full of flavour, sunshine, and shared moments around the table.