8:07am Friday 16th July 2010
AMOUTH-watering pizza topped with a healthy twist is among the latest showpiece creations of a Worcestershire chef.
Felice Tocchini, of the Fusion Brasserie in Hawbridge, Stoulton, near Pershore, has invented sweet and savoury versions of a ‘five-aday pizza’, that he hopes will encourage youngsters to choose healthier options and eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
The pizza will be on show at the Taste of Birmingham festival running from today until Sunday.
Once again, Fusion is the only restaurant outside the city to be invited to the food and drink showcase at Cannon Hill Park.
Tuscan chef Mr Tocchini runs Fusion and its sister bistro Fusion Too at Blackminster Business Park, near Evesham, with wife Fiorinda.
He will also be cooking up a special three-course taster menu including local Hillworth Farm lamb and showing off his Worcester Dunker biscuits – which don’t fall apart when dipped in tea.
Promoting healthy eating, Mr Tocchini showed school youngsters his five-a-day pizza ahead of the big bash. “There is always negative publicity around fast food but I want to help dispel the myth that pizza is always bad for you,” said Mr Tocchini.
“If we can incorporate more fruit and vegetables into everyday life, it can only benefit the health of future generations. I have created both a savoury and sweet version of the pizza, which shows that fresh produce can be delicious as well as having nutritional benefits.”
The Italian is no stranger to creating healthy and innovative food ideas, having previously developed the ‘sprouty cake’ – also aimed at encouraging children to eat more vegetables – and the ground-breaking dunker.
The unflappable Italian chef invited your Worcester News into his kitchen to cook up the starter and main course he’ll be plating up at the festival. To begin, customers can taste smoked haddock and herbs fishcake with warm rosette of house-cured salmon gravadlax sweet chilli sauce.
The fresh haddock fillets are cooked, boned and flaked into mashed potato mixed with herbs and then turned in with an egg yolk. Mr Tocchini then shapes the fishcake patties into rounds, rolls them in breadcrumbs, then seals in a hot pan and puts them in the oven on a high heat for four minutes. Another crowd-pleaser will be the loin of Hillworth Farm lamb stuffed with blackcurrant forcemeat, served with crushed sweet potato scented with ginger, minted sugarsnaps and a licor 43 reduction (Cuarenta Y Tres).
However, any suitable liquor can be substituted instead.
Finally, punters will be able to try a dessert with some variety, serving limoncello pannacotta, white chocolate and strawberry cheesecake, orange and passion fruit posset, with lavender shortbread. For more details visit fusionbrasserie.com and visitbirmingham.com/taste.
TO COOK THE LAMB
Preheat the oven to 220C° To make the stuffing: Cook the onion in a little oil add a little stock, blackcurrant, cook for a minute. Add the breadcrumbs and mint, adjust seasoning.
Remove excess fat (if needed) from the lamb and fill with the stuffing.
Roll and tie with string at 3–4cm intervals, to make a sausage shape.
Season with some salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a roasting tray, place the meat in the tray and cook on a high heat for a couple of minutes turning it regularly so that it is golden brown all over.
Place in the oven and cook for 15- 20 minutes (longer if you like it well done) turning occasionally.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving it and serving.
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