In Nigellissima episode 5, Nigella Lawson continues to indulge her love of Italian cuisine, blending traditional flavors with her signature touch of modern simplicity. The episode kicks off with a sweet nod to the past, as Nigella shares a recipe inspired by a casual scribbled note she once found in an old, rustic Italian kitchen.
This note sparked the creation of her light and airy yoghurt pot cake, a delightful variation on a classic Italian dessert. It’s a cake that encapsulates the essence of Italy—simple, unpretentious, and bursting with sunny Mediterranean charm. Nigella takes viewers through each step with her usual warmth and ease, offering tips and tricks to ensure the cake is as light as air while maintaining a deep, rich flavor from the tangy yoghurt.
The episode unfolds with more than just desserts, as Nigella enlists the help of her niece and nephew for her next dish: a shortcut sausage meatball supper. It’s a meal that proves family cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. The sausages are transformed into meatballs, packed with robust, herby flavors, and served with a rich tomato sauce that clings to every bite. The beauty of this dish is its simplicity—it’s hearty, comforting, and quick enough to prepare on a busy evening. Nigella’s playful interaction with her young helpers adds an element of fun, showing that cooking can be a family affair, and the rewards come in the form of smiles and satisfied appetites.
As the day transitions into evening, the mood shifts slightly for a more adult gathering. Nigella hosts a girls’ night in, where she demonstrates her flair for quick and easy dishes that don’t compromise on flavor. She begins with a stunningly simple yet flavorful dish of squid and prawns, infused with the delicate notes of marjoram and the fiery kick of chilli. The combination is a celebration of fresh, bold flavors that transport the palate straight to the Italian coast. Nigella’s approach to this dish is relaxed but precise, highlighting her belief that the best meals are often those made with fresh ingredients and minimal fuss.
The evening draws to a close with a sweet finale that is a perfect reflection of Nigella’s cooking philosophy: a lighter, quicker version of the traditional Italian tiramisu, aptly named tiramisini. This dessert retains all the luxurious coffee and cream flavors of its more time-consuming counterpart but in a more streamlined form that can be whipped up in no time. The tiramisini is layered beautifully, with delicate biscuits soaking up the rich coffee and mascarpone, creating a dessert that feels indulgent yet light enough to end a meal on a high note without the heaviness.
Throughout the episode, Nigella’s passion for Italian food shines through, but what really stands out is her ability to make these dishes accessible to the everyday cook. She effortlessly breaks down each recipe into simple steps, ensuring that even the most novice of home chefs can replicate her creations with ease. Her vibrant personality and love for good food are infectious, making this episode a celebration of everything Italian cuisine stands for: simplicity, flavor, and joy.
Whether she’s baking a cake, preparing a savory meal for her family, or hosting an intimate dinner with friends, Nigella always brings a sense of warmth and enthusiasm that draws viewers in and makes them feel like they, too, can create something special in their own kitchens. Episode 5 of Nigellissima is a perfect blend of sweet and savory, showcasing the versatility of Italian food while staying true to the core principles of simplicity and flavor. Nigella invites us all to experience the magic of Italian cooking, one delicious bite at a time.
Nigellissima episode 5 recipes:
Yoghurt Pot Cake
I love this breakfast ciambella, which I call my yoghurt pot cake. It is one of the traditional cakes of Italy. I found the recipe in an Italian house one summer, and of course, I copied it down. It’s a very sunny cake. You use your yoghurt pot as your unit of measurement, which makes it really easy to make.
The ingredients are plain yogurt, flavourless vegetable oil, eggs, caster sugar, vanilla extract, an unwaxed lemon, plain flour, cornflour, and icing sugar.
Pasta risottata with peas and pancetta
My Italian friends tell me this way of cooking pasta is all the rage in Italy right now. This is the perfect thing to make when you’re tired and your children are tired – eating it is like being wrapped in a warm cosy blanket. The ingredients you’ll need are orzo pasta, pancetta cubes, garlic oil, frozen petits pois, unsalted butter, and Parmesan.
Shortcut sausage meatballs
Instead of making a meatball mixture with minced meat or meats, parmesan, garlic and egg, I simply squeeze the stuffing out of about half a kilo of Italian sausages and roll it into cherry tomato-sized balls.
Ingredients:
- 450g/1lb Italian sausages
- 2 tbsp garlic oil
- 4 fat or 6 spindly spring onions
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 4 tbsp white wine or vermouth
- 2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
- 2Â bay leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley (optional)
Method:
Once the meatballs are ready, you can eat them immediately or let them stand, off the heat but still on the stove, for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken up a bit on standing. Should your diners be other than children who baulk at ‘green bits’, sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Squeeze out the sausagemeat from the sausages and roll small cherry tomato-sized meatballs out of it, putting them onto a cling film-lined baking tray as you go. Your final tally should be around 40.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan or flameproof casserole and add the meatballs, frying them until golden-brown, as they become firmer, nudge them up in the pan to make room for the rest if you can’t fit them all in at first.
When all the meatballs are in the pan and browned, add the spring onion and oregano and stir about gently.
Add the wine (or vermouth) and chopped tomatoes, then fill half of one of the empty cans with cold water and tip it into the other empty can, then into the pan – the can-to-can technique is just my way of making sure you swill out as much of the tomato residue as possible.
Pop in the bay leaves and let the pan come to a fast simmer. Leave to cook like this, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the meatballs are cooked through. Check the sauce for seasoning, adding some salt and pepper if you like.
During this time you can cook whatever you fancy to go with the meatballs, whether it be pasta, rice, whatever.
Tiramisini
For someone who started off as a tiramisu-scorner, I have turned out to be its most slavish proponent, finding any excuse to whip up a new one. This one reverts to the original formulation – although in dinkier format. This is not because I am a huge fan of the cute – you know that – but because it means you have a tiramisu worth making for fewer people.
Ingredients:
- 100ml/3½fl oz espresso or strong instant coffee
- 2 tbsp coffee liqueur
- 4 Savoiardi biscuits (fine sponge ‘ladyfinger’ biscuits)
- 2 free-range egg whites
- 250g/9oz mascarpone
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp Marsala
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
Method:
- Let these stand in the fridge for at least 20 minutes and up to 24 hours, then dust with cocoa, pushing it through a fine-mesh strainer, just before serving.
- Make your espresso and pour it into a heatproof jug, adding the coffee liqueur, then leave it to cool – I find ten minutes outside the window on a cool day does it!
- Break each Savoiardi sponge finger into about four and drop the pieces into four small martini glasses, then pour the cooled espresso mixture over them. Press down gently, making sure the biscuits are soaked all over.
- Using an electric hand-held whisk for ease, beat the egg whites in a bowl until they form soft peaks when the whisk is removed, and set aside for a moment.
- Scrape the mascarpone into another bowl, adding the honey: I love the way its mellow sweetness marries with the Marsala (though sugar would be fine, too). Beat with the whisk (no need to clean it out first) and, when smooth, slowly beat in the Marsala.
- Fold in the egg whites, a third at a time, then dollop this mixture over the soused Savoiardi in each glass, using a spoon to whirl it into an elegant peak at the top.
