Dreaming of an Italian getaway packed with authentic food, fantastic wine and plenty of sunshine? So are we. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the experts at Pasta Evangelists to whisk your tastebuds to the home of that dolce vita lifestyle – and inspire your next trip to one of Italy’s most delectable cities

So many of our iconic travel experiences are fuelled by food. And when we’re on a break from exploring the world, it’s natural to want to enjoy a taste of a destination at home. Pasta Evangelists (@pastaevangelists)  practise exactly what we’re preaching – bringing the finest Italian flavours to the UK market under the watchful eye of head chef Roberta d’Elia and transporting diners to several spots on our Italian route network out of London Gatwick. 

Verona (in Veneto), Bari (in Puglia – Roberta’s home), Turin (in Piedmont) and Catania (in Sicily) all inspired a recent limited-edition takeaway menu designed by Pasta Evangelists in collaboration with British Airways. Each dish celebrated a food culture specific to the destination and, as with all Pasta Evangelists dishes, made for a fabulously faff-free night in. 

More celebrations took place over at Pasta Evangelists’ dedicated Pasta Academy in Farringdon, London, where regular masterclasses in all things pasta, pesto and olive oil turn regular Italophiles into total pros, week in, week out. And while many of its workshops are themed around specific Italian destinations, they all have a few things in common: they’re led by local experts, they all end in a delicious tasting and, perhaps best of all, they include unlimited prosecco. 

Wondering which of our Italian destinations you should visit next? With chef Roberta’s help, we check out the cities that inspired our limited-edition menu.

Home to Europe’s oldest library, this storied city is ready to romance you with its history, its architecture and its grub. “When in Verona,” says Roberta, “you should absolutely visit Casa Perbellini, the base of our hugely talented executive chef Giancarlo Perbellini, whose culinary artistry is carried out in a warm, intimate setting. I’m always speechless after my visits here.” Back on the tourist trail, swing by Juliet’s balcony and her bronze bust, admire the 16th-century lawns of the Giardino Giusti and wrap up with a sundown drink at the centuries-old bar, Antica Bottega del Vino. Roberta’s top sight-seeing pick? “The Arena di Verona, a remarkably well-preserved Roman amphitheatre and a thriving home of opera.”

Pasta Evangelists’ head chef Roberta describes Turin as a “paradise for food lovers”. And even after the shortest visit here, it’s not hard to see why. At the foot of the mighty Alps, Turin is the capital of Piedmont, one of the top wine regions in Italy – so whatever you eat, you know you’re in for a cracking wine pairing. As recommended by Roberta herself, make sure to take a tour of the Royal Palace and wander the Mole Antonelliana – the National Museum of Cinema – followed by dinner. During which, glug local vino, scout out dishes laden with earthy truffle and finish the whole thing off with a dessert made with local gianduiotto chocolate. 

Salty samphire, cherry tomato-punched focaccia, bitter broccoli orecchiette: these are just some of the ingredients that perfectly capture the flavours of Puglia’s pint-sized port city, halfway up the heel of Italy’s boot. “Bari is always my favourite place to visit,” says Roberta, who grew up in the north of Puglia, on the outskirts of Foggia. “The stunning Basilica di San Nicola and the impressive Swabian Castle are two notable architectural landmarks worth seeing. My favourite market is the fish market at the Porto Vecchio, where you can watch the catch being auctioned.” She also has a soft spot for its picturesque old town, Bari Vecchia, where winding, narrow streets are dotted with flower-filled balconies and doorways waft the scent of freshly made pasta. Architecture fiends will want to continue south to the mediaeval village of Alberobello – where white-washed trullo houses enjoy UNESCO-protected status. 

When it comes to cooking the perfect pasta dish, you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone stricter than chef Roberta. “The worst thing you can do to pasta? Overcook it and turn it into mush!” Luckily for Roberta, poorly cooked spaghetti is not on the menu in Sicily’s eastern port of Catania, which inspired a recent king prawn, pistachio, lemon and chilli pesto pasta on the Pasta Evangelists menu. “I love the recipe for its fresh and aromatic flavours – enhanced by the unmistakable flavour of Sicilian pistachios,” says Roberta. For a sweet version of the island delicacy, head to gelato emporiums Don Peppinu and Gelateria Zio Pietro dal 1964 – both serve pistachio gelato in famous Sicilian style: sandwiched in a brioche bun. 

Have an opinion on The Club that you’d like to share? Let us know

This article has been tagged Advertorial, Food + Drink