This is a recipe that makes a small amount of crab meat go a long way. The addition of the tomatoes and courgettes makes the flavor much sweeter and really brings out the taste of fresh crab meat. If you can get hold of a crab and cook it yourself then the result will be much better but you can get a good result with picked pasteurised crab meat.

This recipe is a great way to cook aubergine as by boiling them, you remove any bitter juices and you ensure they are cooked. The combination of aubergine and tomato is a classic too. Perfect for vegetarians - try with a glass of Primitivo di Puglia. Have a lovely weekend!

Coppa di Parma is a ham made from the shoulder of the pig, rather than the leg. It has a fairly high fat content so it's very versatile and usually very reasonably priced. The combination of salty, fatty, coppa with the sweet prawns and lots of parsley creates a beautiful flavour.

This is an all year favourite for me. The ingredients can vary depending on what's available, but the mix of fish, tomatoes, and chilli makes for a bright and flavourful dish. Open a bottle of Pinot Bianco (riserva if you can find) and enjoy the weekend.

This pasta dish is one of my all time favourites. It is quick and delicious, which makes it a perfect Friday night dish.

Whether you are back to work this week or enjoying one last weekend of respite, my penne with zucchini and prosciutto dish will be a welcome pick-me-up. It is quick and easy, and pairs well with a glass of verdicchio from le Marche - this beautiful white wine is perfect.

Spaghetti carbonara is another classic Italian dish and a consistent crowd pleaser. This is an incredibly quick recipe, but the secret to success is in the consistency, the pasta to sauce ratio, and the quality of ingredients.

This is one of those really quick sauces that can be made in the time the pasta takes to cook! Get the scallops in the shell if you can - they have a firmer, sweeter texture and than the ready-prepared scallops.

For this weekend I wanted to prepare a delicious taglierini with brown shrimp and artichokes. The recipe is made with beautiful sweet shrimp and young artichokes, which only have a tiny bit of choke inside.