Big Mamma Group is the team behind some of London’s best-loved Italian restaurants, from Gloria to recent addition Carlotta. It’s known for its highly Instagrammable interior and, most importantly, its decadent and fun Italian cuisine, including giant bowls of pasta, cheese wheels, and gelato towers. And now, the restaurant group is publishing some of its signature recipes in its latest cookbook. Big Mamma: Italian Recipes in 30 Minutes: Shower Time Included. As the name suggests, they can all be made in less than 30 minutes. Here are three that you might want to try at home.
Big Mamma Group Recipes
Large capri salad with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil
For 4 people

material:
- 4 pieces buffalo mozzarella (125g/4 1/2oz each)
- Datterini tomatoes 150g (a generous 5oz)
- 5 large heirloom tomatoes (e.g. green zebra, pineapple, black krim, for various colors)
- 1 pinch of brown sugar
- 1 bunch of fresh basil (really fresh, not the wilted clump of leaves lurking at the bottom of your fridge)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil QB
- Fior Di Sale QB
- Pepper QB
Method:
- As you can see, this is easy and delicious. Cut the Datterini tomatoes in half and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
- Place them on a baking tray and place in the oven at 210C fan/230C/450F/GM 8 for up to 4-5 minutes. The tomatoes should be charred and black. Let it cool.
- Cut heirloom tomatoes into quarters and season with olive oil, basil, fior di sale, pepper, and lots of love. Stir in cooled, charred tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Scatter plenty of basil leaves over the salad. And I have a good appetite!
Do you have a minute to spare?
Would you like to go on a bigger journey tonight? You can always book a ticket (or two, or three…) to Verona.Apart from being a home This city, the setting for Romeo and Juliet, is a maze of beautiful backstreets. Verona is also close to Venice, but unlike its larger neighbors, it receives far fewer tourists.
Caponata’s goal

Sicilian caponata recipe
For 4 people
material:
- 800g (1 ¾ lb) eggplant
- 200g (7oz) white onions
- 800g (1 ¾ lb) zucchini
- Datterini tomatoes 200g (7oz)
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) vine-ripe tomatoes
- 40g (5 tablespoons) capers pickled in coarse salt
- 200g (1 cup) green olives, seeded and soaked in salted water
- 40 g (1/3 cup) toasted pine nuts
- 50g white sugar (3 1/2 tablespoons)
- Basil QB
- 40ml (2 1/2 tablespoons) white wine vinegar
- sunflower oil QB
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil QB
- Salt QB
- Pepper QB
Method:
- Cut the onion into strips. Cut the eggplant, zucchini, and ripe tomatoes into 3cm cubes. Cut the olives into two.
- Boil onions, capers, zucchini, and olives in olive oil in a pot. Add 20g (1 1/2 tablespoons) sugar, Datterini tomatoes, vine-ripe tomatoes, and pine nuts. Simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Fry the eggplants in a heavy saucepan with hot sunflower oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetables from the other pot, then add the vinegar and remaining sugar. mix. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Increase the heat to caramelize the sugar and evaporate the vinegar. Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes to create a caramel-like flavor.
- Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves (wash in cold water first) and leave to cool (ideally on the balcony, but never in the fridge). Serve caponata just like you would at home in Italy. Arrange on a large plate and let everyone eat freely. It tastes even better that way. Bravo, Capo.
Do you have a minute to spare?
Listen to the podcast “What You Need to Know” to expand your thinking as you cook.
spaghetti al limone
Spaghetti with procida lemon, traditional recipe

For 4 people
material:
- 500g (1 lb 1 1/2 oz) spaghetti
- 2 Procida lemons (if these are not available, you can use other varieties as long as they are unwaxed)
- 1 clove of garlic
- chili flakes QB
- Mint, finely chopped QB
- basil (optional)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil QB
- Salt QB
- Pepper QB
Method:
- Finely chop one lemon and transfer to a pestle and mortar. Beat the lemons with the garlic, chile flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once the ingredients are mixed well, transfer to a frying pan and stir-fry. Gently mix it into the olive oil with the juice of the other lemon.
- Add the spaghetti to a pot of boiling salted water, but remove the pasta a few minutes before it’s fully cooked and drain it (save some of the cooking water for next time). ).
- Add the spaghetti to the lemon juice in the skillet, pour in the reserved cooking water and stir (called “mantecale” in Italian). A few seconds before turning off the heat, sprinkle with mint and basil leaves (if using).
- Arrange the spaghetti into pasta bowls, add a little olive oil to each and serve. It feels like summer vacation, right?
Do you have a minute to spare?
Here are some names of Italian chefs, so choose one or two to award to your future child. We don’t want to pressure you, but if you choose one, your child will be the coolest kid on the planet: Virginia, Monia, Stefania, Brenda, Lucia, Andrea. , Luca, Alberto, Leonardo, Mattia.
Big Mamma: Italian Recipes in 30 Minutes: Shower Time Included is published by White Lion Publishing.
