1. The Painted City:
stroll by the
Adige River
in Verona
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With high-speed trains
whisking you between
Verona and Florence in
just 90 minutes, a two-city
mini break has never been
easier. On a whirlwind long weekend,
I experienced the flavour and charm of
both and even got off the tourist trail.
VERONA
Hit the streets
Verona, the city of star-crossed lovers,
is a little jewel. Built along the banks
of the Adige River, it is filled with
charming squares and marbled streets.
It’s great place to explore on foot,
as a city-centre ban on buses and cars
means there’s no traffic to dodge.
As you walk, be sure to look up. The
layers of ‘The Painted City’ (a term
coined in the 16th century for all its
painted façades) from Roman times
through to modern day are on display
everywhere, and the frescoes on the
Casa Mazzanti in the Piazza della Erbe
are as vibrant as they were in the 1500s.
Perfect ingredients
Italy is the only place where you can talk
to someone for half an hour about where
to get the best mozzarella. Italians don’t
leave their ingredients to chance – they
are discussed and considered at length.
In greengrocers tucked away down
narrow little side streets, fruits and
vegetables of every description are
lovingly displayed, along with stern
signs not to touch. Once inside, the
conversation about the ingredients
and what they’re being used for begins,
and eventually the perfect specimen
is selected. Allow them to choose
you some fruit for your ramble.
A sunny lunch on the terrace of
the Osterio Mondodoro restaurant
(osteriamondodoroverona.it) on the
Via Mondo d’Oro provides perfect
sustenance. With a menu emphasising
lighter dishes, you won’t go away feeling
weighed down. My starter of quinoa,
peas and white asparagus was so fresh
it felt like a bite out of a spring garden,
and the main course of lake char with
polenta was seasoned perfectly to
enhance the delicate flavour of the fish.
The region’s crisp, refreshing Soave
white wine was the perfect complement.
There are several vineyards
surrounding Verona and they are well
worth a visit. I was fascinated by the
Allegrini vineyard (allegrini.it), with
its Villa Della Torre. It’s littered with
strange pagan and Christian symbols –
like something from a Dan Brown novel,
only better. A wine tasting there was an
excellent introduction to Valpolicella
wines, including the intense Amarone.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Palazzo Victoria
(palazzovictoria.com) on Via Adua,
a boutique hotel beside Porta Borsari.
Like Verona itself, the hotel is an
eclectic mix of styles and eras that all
somehow work – from the graffitied wall
in reception to the overstuffed white
leather chairs designed by Gaetano
Pesce and the fragments of medieval
frescoes in my suite. If, after a long day,
you don’t feel like venturing out, the
hotel’s Victoria Club bar is a vibrant and
friendly local hangout and the Borsari
36 restaurant is one of Verona’s finest.
FLORENCE
Hidden gems
What is there to say about one of the
world’s greatest cities? Of course, you
must go to see the statue of David, the
cathedral and the Ponte Vecchio, but
also take time to see beyond all that.
Our three-hour guided walking tour
with brilliant private guide Marina
Menegoi – your hotel concierge can
arrange this – took in the key sites, but
also tiny churches, hidden courtyards,
and deserted streets. Well off the tourist
trail, we visited the Oltrarno district,
home to artisan workshops and quirky
coffee shops. A highlight was the
apothecary of Santa Maria Novella
(smnovella.it), originally established
in the 13th century by Dominican
monks for their herbal remedies. This
wonderland of perfumes and potions
(all cruelty-free) combines technology
and old-fashioned service – you don’t
VERONA &
FLORENCE
Kathi Hall enjoys fresh,
local dishes and wanders
off the beaten track
The apothecary of
Santa Maria Novella
– a ‘wonderland of
perfumes and potions’
‘Eclectic style’ at
Palazzo Victoria
Asparagus
‘lovingly
displayed’
Chefs in action
at Borsari 36
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2. Hands-on time 15 mins
Total time 1 hr 10 mins
1 tbsp olive oil
2 x 400g packs Sicilian-inspired
pork sausages
500g cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes, crushed
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped
1 x 300g mini portobello mushrooms
1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
300ml white wine
For the polenta
750ml hot chicken stock
150g dry polenta
40g Parmesan cheese, finely
grated
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely
chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.
Toss the oil and sausages together in a large
roasting tin, then roast for 10 minutes.
2 Add the tomatoes, garlic, fennel seeds, chilli
flakes, rosemary, mushrooms and red onion
to the sausages, pour in the wine; mix. Roast
for 40 minutes; turn the sausages over and
cook for a further 15 minutes, until they are
sticky and the tomatoes have created a sauce.
3 Meanwhile, to make the polenta, put the hot
stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly,
and cook for 2 minutes until thickened and
smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and
season to taste.
4 Ladle the polenta into bowls and serve with
the sausages, tomatoes and mushrooms,
and pour the pan juices over the top.
Sprinkle with the flat-leaf parsley and serve.
■ 844cals; 51g fat (19g sat fat); 43g protein;
5g fibre; 38g carbs; 9g total sugars; 2.7g salt
Creamy polenta with roasted Italian sausages
Serves 4
handle the goods, the counter staff do
that for you, but you can place orders
via freestanding tablets. There’s even
a little tea room with the most
delectable cakes and pastries.
Passionate cooking
A true Florentine legend is Fabio Picchi,
owner of Cibreo (edizioniteatrodelsale
cibreofirenze.it) on the corner of the
Sant’Ambrogio food market. A great
bear of a man, Picchi looks like Neptune
himself with a snowy white mane and
beard. He champions Tuscan food
‘before pasta’ and cooks the freshest
ingredients on the
day, so there are
no printed menus.
Your host talks you
through the dishes,
telling you where all
the ingredients have
come from. It really
is storytelling at its
finest. The 10 taster dishes before the
meal included chicken liver pâté, tripe
(Florentines are mad for it), artichoke
hearts, baby carrots and broad beans
with cured cheese. This was followed
by chicken and ricotta meatballs in
a tomato sauce, then rabbit stew.
My companion opted for raw scampi
that were so fresh, the chef wouldn’t
dream of insulting them by putting
them to the flame.
‘Your host
talks you
through the
dishes – it’s
storytelling
at its finest’
Stay in style: stunning views
from the Il Salviatino hotel; and
the luxury bathroom, above
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3. Hands-on time 30 mins
Total time 1 hr 30 mins
Get ahead The recipe can be made a couple
of days ahead and stored, covered, in the
fridge. It also freezes well, for up to 1 month.
1 x 460g pack skinless chicken thigh
fillets, trimmed and roughly chopped
100g white bread, roughly torn
1 x 28g pack flat-leaf parsley, tough
stalks removed
1 garlic clove, peeled
125g ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
zest of 1 lemon
40g Parmesan cheese, finely grated,
plus extra to serve
For the sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
a large handful of fresh basil,
roughly torn
1 tbsp honey
1 Put the chicken in a food processor and
pulse until it is coarsely minced. Tip into
a large bowl. Put the bread, parsley and
garlic in the food processor and process
until you have fine breadcrumbs. Tip these
into the bowl with the chicken and add
the ricotta, egg, lemon zest and Parmesan.
Season and mix everything together until
well incorporated. (This is usually easiest
to do with your hands.)
2 Roll the mixture into about 36 walnut-
sized meatballs and put on a tray. Cover
and chill while you prepare the sauce.
3 For the sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of the
olive oil in a large, deep heavy-based
saucepan and fry the onion until tender.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and then
half fill the cans with water. Pour this
into the pan and add the basil and honey.
Season, then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Blend the sauce until smooth using a
stick blender or food processor.
4 Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying
pan and cook the meatballs, turning
frequently, for 4-5 minutes until golden
all over. Drop the meatballs into the
bubbling sauce and cook for a further
15-20 minutes. Serve with linguini, extra
Parmesan and a few basil leaves.
■ 380cals; 19g fat (6g sat fat); 29g protein;
3g fibre; 22g carbs; 11g total sugars; 0.8g salt
FOR THE MEATBALLS
Mondelli Chianti Riserva, £8
Riserva means that this wine has
been aged for a minimum of two
years. Savoury soft with a whiff
of cinnamon spice, it’s wonderful
with tomato-based meat dishes.
FOR THE SAUSAGES
Taste the Difference Soave
Classico, £8
This is superior Soave from
Classico vineyards. Soave means
smooth in Italian and there’s a
soft nuttiness that is surprisingly
good with polenta or rice dishes.
Chicken and ricotta meatballs in tomato sauce
Serves 6
Verona is surrounded by the famous
vineyards of Valpolicella and Soave.
The hills of Soave Classico make some
of Italy’s best whites, while Valpolicella’s
reds range from thirst-quenching,
cherry-fruited bottles (perfect for pizza)
to complex Amarone. Chianti rules the
roost in Florence and its bittersweet
cherry acidity from the Sangiovese
grape flatters tomato dishes. The most
intense, complex Chiantis come from
the Classico zone between Florence
and Siena, but for lighter dishes, opt for
freshly fruited and cheaper basic Chianti.
AND TO DRINK
GETTING THERE
 British Airways offers return flights
daily from London Gatwick to Verona,
from £84, and return flights twice daily
to Florence, from £116.
 High-speed trains run between
Verona and Florence eight times a
day, from €14 one way.
 Rooms at Palazzo Victoria, Verona
(palazzovictoria.com), start at €264 per
night. Rooms at Il Salviatino, Florence
(salviatino.com), start at €362 per night.
PROPSTYLING:TAMZINFERDINANDO.WINERECOMMENDATIONS:REBECCADUNPHY.PHOTOGRAPHS:
4CORNERS;ANDREWDEARDEN;ANTONINOAZZURRO;CORBIS;GETTYIMAGES;GIANMARIAGIRARDI
Where to stay
They practically needed a court order
to get me out of Il Salviatino (salviatino.
com), a five-star 15th-century restored
villa in the foothills of Fiesole with views
over Florence. Relaxed and luxurious,
it’s just a 15-minute shuttle ride to the
city and the perfect Tuscan base. I could
have stayed at the villa all day; strolling
through the gardens, enjoying the spa
and library and then sipping an apertif
on the terrace. Perfect!
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