A cosy alpine menu that mixes comforting British Christmas classics with bright Italian flavours. This collection of cooking, easy recipes keeps the joy of tradition but adds little moments of surprise — crisp sage, porcini-laced gravy, sticky balsamic potatoes and a chocolate-clementine tiramisu. Each dish is approachable, full of heart and perfect for sharing.
What’s on the menu
- Starter: Cracker ravioli with roasted squash, ricotta, chestnuts and crispy sage
- Drink: Classic Negroni with a festive pink peppercorn twist
- Main roasts: Porcini-infused turkey and a stuffed porchetta showstopper
- Trimmings: Sticky balsamic roast potatoes, zingy dressed greens and a creamed spinach gratin
- Dessert: Chocolate-clementine tiramisu with ricotta-mascarpone cream
Starter: Cracker ravioli
These delicate parcels are joyful, quick to cook and brilliant for batch prep. The filling combines roasted butternut and ricotta, chestnuts for texture and a whisper of chilli and nutmeg. The pasta is rich and golden from extra yolks, dusted with rice flour so nothing sticks.
Ingredients
- 400g Tipo 00 plain flour
- 75g fine semolina
- 12 egg yolks
- 1 medium butternut squash, roasted with 250g ricotta, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and nutmeg
- A handful of chestnuts, roughly chopped
- Sage leaves brushed with olive oil and crisped
- Rice flour for dusting
Method
- Make the dough: mix flour, semolina and egg yolks. Knead until smooth and elastic, rest 30 minutes wrapped.
- Roast squash and ricotta at 180°C for about 1 hour. Mix with chopped chestnuts, season and cool.
- Roll dough thin, dust with rice flour, spoon filling at intervals, brush edges with water, fold and pinch into cracker shapes. Trim and freeze any extras.
- Cook fresh ravioli 3 minutes, frozen 5 minutes. Toss in melted butter with a squeeze of clementine, add crisp sage and a scattering of almonds and parmesan before serving.
Festive Negroni
A simple, festive aperitif: equal parts Martini Rosso, gin and Campari, stirred over the clearest ice and finished with orange or clementine oil. For a make-ahead twist, infuse with pink peppercorns for a gentle spice that lifts the drink.
Main roasts: turkey and porchetta
Two roasts make the table fun and flexible. The turkey gets a deep, meaty lift from dried porcini. The porchetta is a glorious, forgiving centrepiece: crackling, aromatic herbs and a rich stuffing with pancetta, pine nuts, dried fruit and chicken livers for silkiness.
Turkey tip
- Rub with butter, season with bay, sage and rosemary, tuck in clementine segments and aromatics. Add 20g dried porcini to the roasting tray or grate a little into the seasoning to give gravy real depth.
- Roast a 7kg bird at 180°C for 3–3.5 hours as a guideline.
Porchetta basics
- Score the skin for crackling, season generously and rub with a splash of Vinsanto or a sweet fortified wine.
- Stuff with the pancetta-onion mixture plus fennel seeds, pine nuts, dried fruit, breadcrumbs and a few splashes of the sweet wine. Roll and tie securely.
- Roast at high heat for 30 minutes to start the crackling, then turn down to 180°C and cook for 4–5 hours until tender and crisp.
Gravy that sings
Skim excess fat from the roasting tray, deglaze with wine and scrape up the sticky bits. Add a couple of tablespoons of flour to thicken, then a spoonful of blackcurrant jam for a sweet-tart lift and enough stock to reach the right consistency. Mash the veg from the trivet into the gravy and pass through a coarse sieve for a glossy finish.
Trimmings that steal the show
Sticky balsamic roast potatoes
A gorgeous curveball for the roast potato category. Parboil Maris Pipers, toss in olive oil and butter with smashed garlic, thyme, chopped onions and a good glug of balsamic vinegar. Roast in a single layer at 180°C for around 1 hour 20 until jammy and caramelized. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a scattering of peppery rocket.
Greens and creamed spinach
Simple prep makes greens sing: score tough stalks so everything cooks evenly, blanch briefly, then dress with infused vinegars — rosemary and clementine for winter brightness. For a comforting side, fold cooked spinach into sautéed onions, garlic, oregano and nutmeg, stir in crème fraîche and top with a cheese-and-oat crumble (mix oats, flour, butter and strong melting cheese) and bake until bubbling and golden.
Dessert: Christmas tiramisu
A chocolate-forward tiramisu feels indulgent and easy. Make a dark chocolate ganache with 100g good dark chocolate and 200ml warmed double cream, add a pinch of salt. Layer sponge fingers soaked in coffee with a silky mix of 500g ricotta, 250g mascarpone, honey and a splash of sweet wine. Spread ganache between layers, finish with grated chocolate and a little clementine zest, chill for a couple of hours and serve.
Make-ahead and hosting tips for stress-free cooking, easy recipes
- Freeze ravioli: Make batches ahead and cook frozen for 5 minutes on the day — instant, heartfelt comfort.
- Potatoes and veg: Roast potatoes and sides can be prepared the day before and re-crisped in a hot oven.
- Timing: Porchetta is forgiving if it rests a little longer; turkey benefits from a good rest and warm gravy.
- Prep the gravy: Use the pan juices and trapped veg from the trivet to build a deep sauce — add blackcurrant jam for balance.
- Drink prep: Infuse a Negroni with peppercorns a day or two ahead to mellow and add festive warmth.
"This is not just a recipe, this is therapy." A reminder that cooking, easy recipes are also the best excuse to slow down, laugh and share.
Serve, celebrate and enjoy
These dishes were designed to be shared. The combination of crisp textures, rich gravies and bright citrus finishes means every mouthful feels deliberate and joyful. Keep the pace relaxed, let some dishes be made the day before and focus on conviviality. Cooking, easy recipes like these make the day more memorable, not more stressful.
This article was created from the video Jamie Oliver's Italian Christmas | Full Episode with the help of AI.
Italian Christmas Feast: Simple twists for cooking, easy recipes that sparkle. There are any Italian Christmas Feast: Simple twists for cooking, easy recipes that sparkle in here.
