It all started with the arrival of a book about pizza, which got the Eat Out team musing about our favourite dishes and accoutrements (don’t you love this word? It sounds so much more elegant than ‘things’) of the Italian persuasion. So, in this new feature, where we share five of our current favourite things, Jeanne Calitz selects Italian-themed delights worth chewing over.

Five favourite things: Italian

1. Artisan pizza to make perfectly at home
Be warned, this is a dangerous book to have on hand. Artisan Pizza, by Giuseppe Mascoli and Bridget Hugo, will have you drooling over the pages. They start with the basics – making your own dough, bases, tomato sauce etc. – and then get busy with seductive toppings like pancetta, caramelised onion and blue cheese. There are also loads of practical tips and short cuts. The recipe for making pizza in an ovenproof pan looks easy as, well, pie, and perfect for those of us not yet equipped with a proper pizza pan. (Jacana, R220)

2. Le Creuset pizza pan
Which brings us to the next point of business: where to get a proper pizza pan. We’re currently ogling Le Creuset’s blue cast iron pizza pan (32 cm, R870). Sure, there are lots of other (cheaper) pizza pans out there, but how many of them are sky blue and come with a lifetime guarantee?

3. Burrata
Of course, no local Italian list can be complete without a mention of Burrata in Woodstock, Eat Out’s Best Italian Restaurant of 2013. If you haven’t dined there yet, it’s time to make a plan. Their pizza is wonderful, and the rest of the menu is not to be sneezed at either: imagine gnocchi with gorgonzola cream, toasted walnuts and pancetta (yes, it is as good as it sounds) and parpardelle with slow-cooked short-rib and red pepper ragu…

4. Bottega Limoncello & Prosecco
Allow yourself a moment to rejoice in the wonder that is limoncello. This fragrant lemon liqueur, traditionally served as a chilled digestif after dinner, is sunshine in a glass, and proves to be a welcome guest at any dinner party. We were recently delighted to find that the authentically Italian Bottega Limoncello – as well as a range of great Bottega Proseccos (sparkling white wines) – are now available in South Africa. Keep an eye out at local liquor stores.

5. Truffle flavoured olive oil
Please try this at home: parboil some regular potatoes, drain them and let them cool. Cut every potato in half and line them up in a baking tray. Drizzle liberally with Willowcreek’s truffle flavoured extra-virgin olive oil (R55 for 250ml). Spice with salt and pepper, and roast until golden brown. That is all.