Italy Cooking Adventure: 9 Italian Recipes to Make Together

Quesbo Little Chefs · Around the world · Destination 20

Let simple ingredients shine.
A little taste of Italy.

From colourful minestrone and handmade pizza to comforting pasta bakes, golden Milanese escalopes and chocolate-flecked stracciatella ice cream. Nine recipes to cook, share and remember in your tasty passport.

Our destinationItaly
CapitalRome
Discover9 recipes

Ciao! Welcome to Italy, the next stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Find a grown-up cooking companion, lay out your ingredients and discover how a few carefully chosen ingredients can make a memorable meal.

These nine family recipes inspired by Italian cooking bring together our original three-recipe menu and six more favourites. Choose one recipe today or enjoy them over several cooking sessions. Children can help with the suitable preparation jobs listed in each recipe; a grown-up manages knives, raw meat, hot pans and the oven. Allow the full chilling or freezing time for desserts.

Choose a recipe · nine tastes of Italy

A little taste of Italy

Italian cooking is intensely regional: pasta shapes, breads, cheeses, vegetables and desserts change from place to place. This expanded adventure explores how carefully chosen ingredients become a satisfying soup, pizza, pasta dish, golden escalope or chilled dessert.

Our original menu explores three different pleasures: building a vegetable soup, kneading and stretching dough, and watching warm cream become a chilled dessert. The six additions introduce a simmered beef sauce, crisp breading, carefully layered pasta and delicate chocolate shards. These approachable home-kitchen recipes offer a small taste of Italy’s varied cooking traditions.

Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure

Luca placed tomato, mozzarella and basil on the counter. Quesbo waited for the secret ingredient. There was no secret. The secret was ripe tomato, good dough and not adding twelve unnecessary toppings. Minestrone used what was in season; panna cotta needed only gentle vanilla. The passport stamped SIMPLICITY.

Which ingredient would you like to notice most clearly in each dish?

The original three-recipe menu: begin with minestrone, mini Margherita pizzas and berry panna cotta, or use the recipe menu above to jump to the six additions.

First taste 01 / 03

Tiny-Pasta Minestrone

Seasonal vegetable and bean soup

A colourful bowl of beans, tomato, courgette, carrot and tiny pasta. This family minestrone leaves room for seasonal vegetables and finishes with soft spinach.

Minestrone with white beans, tiny pasta, carrot, celery, courgette and spinach
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes6 bowls
Prep20 minutes
CookingAbout 35–40 minutes
Allow in totalAbout 1 hour
DifficultyWith an adult
AllergensCelery; wheat in ordinary pasta; milk in optional Parmesan. Check stock and pasta labels for other allergens.

Ingredients

Soup

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 1 courgette, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 400 g chopped tomatoes
  • 1 × 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 80 g tiny pasta
  • 100 g spinach
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Grated Parmesan, optional

Cook together

Little hands can
  • Drain beans away from sharp tin edges.
  • Tear washed spinach and measure pasta.
  • Choose a seasonal vegetable to try next time.
Grown-up jobs
  • Chop firm vegetables and grate garlic.
  • Handle the hob, hot pan and ladle.
What you will need

Large saucepan, Wooden spoon and ladle, Knife and chopping board, Measuring jug, Colander

Let’s cook

  1. Soften the vegetables

    An adult heats the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onion, carrot and celery gently for 7 minutes, stirring, until beginning to soften.

  2. Add courgette and garlic

    Stir in the diced courgette and grated garlic and cook for 2 minutes without letting the garlic burn.

  3. Build the soup

    Add tomatoes, drained beans, stock and oregano. Bring to a simmer, then cook gently for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

  4. Cook the tiny pasta

    Add the pasta and simmer for its packet cooking time, stirring regularly so it does not stick. Add a little water if needed to keep the soup spoonable.

  5. Add the greens

    Stir in the spinach during the final 2 minutes of pasta cooking. Check the pasta is tender and the spinach has wilted.

  6. Serve your first taste

    An adult ladles into bowls. Offer Parmesan separately if suitable, and allow children’s portions to cool before tasting.

From the table: Minestrone varies with the season, region and household. This is one approachable home version.

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Main meal 02 / 03

Mini Pizza Margherita

Tomato, mozzarella and basil pizzas

Make four individual pizzas with a simple tomato topping, melted mozzarella and fresh basil. Kneading, stretching and choosing a light topping are all part of the adventure.

Four small Margherita pizzas with melted mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes4 individual pizzas
Prep35 minutes, plus about 1 hour rising
Cooking10–12 minutes per batch; allow longer if needed
Allow in totalAbout 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes
DifficultyWith an adult
AllergensWheat and milk. Check any cheese substitute for allergens.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 7 g instant yeast
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 325 ml warm water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Topping

  • 250 g passata
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 250 g mozzarella, drained and torn
  • Small bunch fresh basil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Cook together

Little hands can
  • Measure ingredients and knead with clean hands.
  • Stretch dough on a cool work surface.
  • Tear mozzarella and arrange toppings.
Grown-up jobs
  • Manage the hot oven and trays.
  • Check that the base is cooked through, then cut and serve.
What you will need

Large bowl, Suitable baking trays, Rolling pin, optional, Oven gloves, Pizza cutter or knife for an adult

Let’s cook

  1. Mix the dough

    Mix flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add warm, not hot, water and 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir into a soft dough. Never taste raw flour or dough; wash hands and clean surfaces after handling it.

  2. Knead and let it rise

    Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until roughly doubled. A cool room may need longer.

  3. Prepare the oven and toppings

    An adult preheats the oven to 240°C conventional or 220°C fan, within the appliance and tray limits. Drain mozzarella well. Use lightly oiled baking trays suitable for this temperature; there is no need for children to work with preheated trays.

  4. Shape four pizzas

    Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Stretch or roll each into a thin round about 20–22 cm wide, with a slightly thicker edge. Place on the prepared cool trays, leaving room between them. Bake in batches if needed.

  5. Keep the topping simple

    Spread passata lightly over each base, leaving a rim. Sprinkle oregano and distribute torn mozzarella. Avoid piling the toppings in the centre. Keep the basil for after baking.

  6. Bake and finish

    An adult puts the trays in the hot oven. Bake for about 10–12 minutes, or longer until the bases are cooked through and golden underneath and the cheese bubbles. Cool slightly, add basil and share the final 1 tbsp olive oil across the pizzas. An adult cuts and serves them.

From the table: This is a practical home-oven version, inspired by the simple tomato, mozzarella and basil combination.

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Sweet finish 03 / 03

Berry Panna Cotta

Soft-set vanilla cream with a berry topping

Gently warmed cream and milk become a chilled, softly wobbly dessert. Small glasses make serving easy, and a spoonful of cooked berries adds a bright finish. Start this recipe well before your meal.

Small glasses of vanilla panna cotta topped with cooked mixed berry compote
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes6 small glasses
Prep20 minutes, plus cooling and at least 4 hours chilling
CookingAbout 10 minutes
Allow in totalAllow about 5 hours, or make the day before
DifficultyWith an adult
AllergensMilk. Gelatine is not vegetarian; check its source and all ingredient labels.

Ingredients

Panna cotta

  • 300 ml double cream
  • 200 ml whole milk
  • 60 g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 gelatine leaves as in the chapter — check your brand’s quantity for a soft set of 500 ml liquid; leaf strengths vary

Berry topping

  • 250 g mixed berries, fresh or frozen
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Cook together

Little hands can
  • Count out the glasses and measure sugar.
  • Help soak gelatine in cold water.
  • Spoon cooled berries onto the chilled dessert.
Grown-up jobs
  • Heat the dairy mixture and cook the berries.
  • Dissolve gelatine, pour warm liquids and manage chilling.
What you will need

Two small saucepans, Jug, Six small heatproof dessert glasses or ramekins, Mixing spoon, Fridge space

Let’s cook

  1. Prepare the gelatine

    Check the packet quantity for softly setting 500 ml of liquid: three leaves are the chapter’s starting point, but brands differ. Soak the required leaves in cold water for about 5 minutes, or as directed, until softened.

  2. Warm the vanilla cream

    An adult gently heats cream, milk, 60 g sugar and vanilla in a saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves and the mixture steams. Do not let it boil hard.

  3. Dissolve the gelatine

    Remove the pan from the heat. Lift the softened leaves from the water and squeeze gently. Stir into the hot cream until completely dissolved, following the packet instructions.

  4. Pour and chill

    Let the mixture cool briefly, then an adult pours it into six small heatproof dessert glasses or ramekins suitable for warm liquids. Cool promptly and refrigerate within 1–2 hours; avoid sudden temperature changes to glass. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, until softly set.

  5. Cook the berry topping

    An adult heats berries, 2 tbsp sugar and lemon juice in a second saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until juicy and softened, stirring. For frozen berries, follow any packet cooking or boiling instructions in full. Cool promptly and refrigerate separately.

  6. Finish just before serving

    Spoon the chilled berry mixture over the set panna cotta. Keep refrigerated until serving. Gently nudge a glass and watch the soft wobble; do not shake it.

From the table: Panna cotta means “cooked cream”. The chapter explores a simple vanilla version served in glasses.

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Extend your Italian cooking adventure

Six more tastes of Italy

Explore a different texture or kitchen skill with each recipe. Try a rich Bolognese sauce, a golden escalope, chocolate-flecked ice cream or one of three comforting pasta bakes. These are separate cooking choices to enjoy across several sessions.

More tastes of Italy 04 / 09

Spaghetti Bolognese

A familiar family favourite with a slow-simmered beef and tomato sauce

A spoonful of rich beef sauce turns a tangle of spaghetti into a comforting supper. This wine-free family version uses finely chopped vegetables, tomato and a little milk. It is inspired by Bolognese ragù; in Bologna, the classic partners for ragù are egg tagliatelle and lasagne.

Spaghetti with rich beef and tomato Bolognese sauce and a light sprinkling of Parmesan in an Italian kitchen
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes4 family servings
Prep20 minutes
CookingAbout 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, with the pasta cooking alongside at the end
Allow in totalAbout 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes
DifficultyAn adult leads the hob cooking and drains the pasta
AllergensWheat in spaghetti; milk in the sauce and Parmesan; celery. Check pasta for egg and stock for other allergens.

Your ingredients

Beef and tomato sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 500 g beef mince, about 10% fat
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 150 ml reduced-salt beef stock, plus a little water if needed
  • 100 ml whole milk
  • A little black pepper, optional

Pasta and finishing touches

  • 350 g dried spaghetti
  • 30 g Parmesan, finely grated
  • A little reserved pasta cooking water, if needed

Get ready together

Equipment

Large heavy saucepan with a lid, Large pasta pan and colander, Chopping board, knife and wooden spoon, Scales, measuring jug and cheese grater, Clean digital food thermometer

Little hands can
  • Weigh the dry spaghetti and measure the tomatoes and milk.
  • Wash the vegetables before an adult chops them.
  • Set the table and sprinkle measured Parmesan over cooled servings.
Grown-up jobs
  • Handle the raw mince and clean hands, equipment and surfaces afterwards.
  • Manage the simmering sauce, boiling water and draining.
  • Check the cooked sauce and cool children’s portions before serving.

Let’s make it

  1. Get everything ready

    Wash hands and vegetables. An adult finely chops the onion, carrot and celery so they soften evenly. Weigh the pasta and measure the sauce ingredients. Keep the raw mince and its packaging away from ready-to-eat ingredients; wash hands and clean any surfaces that touch it.

  2. Soften, then brown

    An adult warms the oil in a large heavy saucepan over a medium-low heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened. Increase the heat to medium, add the mince and break it into small pieces with a spoon. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the meat has browned and any large clumps have been broken up.

  3. Build the sauce

    Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and milk, then stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook over a low heat for 45–60 minutes. Stir every so often. Add a small splash of water if the sauce catches or becomes dry; remove the lid near the end if it is too watery.

  4. Cook the spaghetti

    When the sauce is nearly ready, an adult brings a large pan of water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and stir as it softens, keeping hands away from the steam. Cook for the packet time, then check that it is tender with a slight bite. An adult reserves a small mug of cooking water and drains the rest carefully.

  5. Check and bring together

    The sauce should be thick enough to cling to pasta. An adult stirs it thoroughly and checks several places with a clean food thermometer: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Taste a cooled spoonful and add a little pepper if wanted. Toss the drained spaghetti with most of the sauce, adding a spoonful of pasta water only if needed to loosen it.

  6. Serve a little Italian-inspired comfort

    Divide the sauced spaghetti between four bowls and spoon the remaining ragù over the top. Add a little Parmesan. An adult cuts long strands into manageable lengths for younger children and lets portions cool enough to eat. Try a forkful with and without Parmesan to notice how the flavour changes.

From the table: Bologna is known for ragù served with egg tagliatelle and layered into lasagne. Spaghetti Bolognese is a familiar family interpretation enjoyed beyond that regional tradition. This version uses beef, no wine and a shorter simmer than many traditional ragù recipes.

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More tastes of Italy 05 / 09

Escalope Milanese

A crisp golden veal escalope with a squeeze of lemon

A thin veal escalope wears a crunchy breadcrumb coat in this easy-to-portion family version. It is inspired by Milan’s cotoletta alla milanese, traditionally made with a bone-in veal chop. An adult prepares and fries the meat while young cooks look after the lemon wedges and salad.

Golden breaded Milanese-style veal escalope with a lemon wedge and green salad
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes4 family servings
Prep20 minutes
CookingAbout 12–16 minutes, cooking in two batches
Allow in totalAbout 35–40 minutes
DifficultyAn adult handles raw meat and shallow frying
AllergensWheat, egg and milk. Check bread and breadcrumb labels for any additional allergens.

Your ingredients

The escalopes

  • 4 boneless veal escalopes, about 125 g each and approximately 5 mm thick
  • 50 g plain flour
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 120 g fine dried breadcrumbs
  • 80 g clarified butter, divided between batches
  • A small pinch of salt, optional

To serve

  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges by an adult
  • A bowl of washed salad leaves
  • Cooked potatoes or vegetables, optional, as an accompaniment

Get ready together

Equipment

Large heavy frying pan, Three shallow dishes and a separate raw-meat tray, Chopping board, knife and tongs, Fine-tip digital food thermometer, Rolling pin and baking paper if needed, Clean plate for cooked meat

Little hands can
  • Measure flour and breadcrumbs before the raw meat comes out.
  • Wash and dry salad leaves with supervision.
  • Set the table and compare a plain bite with a lemony bite.
Grown-up jobs
  • Prepare, flatten and bread the raw veal; clean all contaminated surfaces.
  • Manage the hot frying pan, clarified butter and tongs.
  • Check the core temperature and cut children’s portions.

Let’s make it

  1. Prepare the veal safely

    An adult trims the escalopes and checks they are a similar thickness. If needed, place each between two sheets of food-safe baking paper and gently flatten to about 5 mm with a rolling pin. Keep the raw meat on its own board and wash hands, the work surface and equipment afterwards. Set out a clean plate for the cooked escalopes, separate from the raw-meat tray.

  2. Set up the breadcrumb station

    Put the flour in one shallow dish, beat the eggs in a second and spread the breadcrumbs in a third. An adult coats each escalope lightly in flour, shakes off the excess, dips it into the egg and presses it into the crumbs on both sides. Place the coated meat on the raw-meat tray. Discard unused flour, egg and crumbs that have touched raw meat; wash hands again.

  3. Get the accompaniments ready

    Young cooks can wash and dry the salad leaves with supervision and set the table. An adult cuts the lemon into wedges. Have these ready before frying so the escalopes can be served while their coating is crisp. If making potatoes or vegetables, cook them separately and have them ready too.

  4. Fry the first batch

    An adult heats half the clarified butter in a large heavy frying pan over a medium heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully lower in two escalopes, leaving space between them. Fry for about 3–4 minutes on each side, turning with tongs, until the coating is an even golden colour. Reduce the heat if the crumbs darken too quickly. Children stay away from the hob and any splashes.

  5. Check the centre and finish the batch

    For this family version, cook the veal all the way through. An adult inserts a clean fine-tip food thermometer sideways into the thickest part: the centre should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Cook a little longer if needed. Move cooked meat to the clean serving plate. Repeat with the remaining clarified butter and escalopes, removing burnt crumbs from the pan safely between batches if necessary.

  6. Serve a crisp, golden plate

    Serve with lemon wedges, salad and your chosen accompaniment. An adult cuts the veal into manageable pieces for children and checks that it is cool enough to eat. Try one bite without lemon and a second with a small squeeze: the citrus changes the flavour without hiding the crunchy coating.

From the table: Milan’s traditional cotoletta keeps the bone attached. Our boneless, thin escalope is a practical family adaptation that keeps the breadcrumb crust and buttery flavour.

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More tastes of Italy 06 / 09

Stracciatella Ice Cream

Creamy vanilla scoops scattered with delicate dark-chocolate flakes

Stracciatella brings little crisp pieces of chocolate into a pale, creamy ice cream. This homemade no-churn version uses whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, with no raw eggs or ice-cream machine. We make a very thin chocolate sheet and break it into flakes: an easy family adaptation of the chocolate-shard idea.

Ivory stracciatella ice cream with thin dark-chocolate shards in a cream ceramic bowl
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes8 small dessert portions
Prep25 minutes, including setting the chocolate
CookingAbout 2–3 minutes to melt the chocolate
Allow in totalAbout 6½ hours, including at least 6 hours in the freezer
DifficultyEasy mixing, with an adult melting the chocolate
AllergensMilk. Chocolate may contain soya and may carry nut or other allergen warnings; check the label. Cones, if served, may add wheat and egg.

Your ingredients

The ice-cream base

  • 300 ml pasteurised double cream, chilled
  • 200 g sweetened condensed milk, chilled; not evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

The chocolate flakes

  • 75 g dark chocolate, roughly 50–60% cocoa, broken into small pieces

Get ready together

Equipment

Electric hand whisk and two mixing bowls, Spatula, Microwave-safe bowl, Small baking tray and baking paper, Freezer-safe container with lid, about 1 litre, Ice-cream scoop or sturdy spoon

Little hands can
  • Measure the condensed milk and vanilla.
  • Break the fully cooled chocolate sheet into small flakes with clean hands.
  • Help fold the mixture with a spatula and write the freezer label.
Grown-up jobs
  • Melt the chocolate and handle the hot bowl.
  • Operate the electric whisk and check the cream’s consistency.
  • Manage freezer storage and scoop only the portions needed.

Let’s make it

  1. Chill the equipment and prepare a tray

    Put a clean mixing bowl and the whisk attachments in the fridge for 15 minutes. Keep the cream and condensed milk chilled. Line a small baking tray with baking paper and make room for it in the fridge. Set out a clean freezer-safe container of about 1 litre capacity, with a lid.

  2. Make a wafer-thin chocolate sheet

    An adult places the chocolate in a dry microwave-safe bowl and heats it in 20-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until just melted. Stop before it gets very hot. Spread it over the baking paper in a thin layer, ideally about 1 mm thick. Refrigerate for 10–15 minutes until firm. Keep the bowl and melted chocolate away from small hands until cool.

  3. Whip the cream

    Pour the cold cream into the chilled bowl. An adult uses an electric whisk until soft peaks form: when the whisk is lifted, the cream makes a peak that gently bends over. Stop before it becomes grainy. In a second bowl, stir the condensed milk and vanilla together. Fold a large spoonful of whipped cream into this mixture to loosen it.

  4. Fold and scatter the flakes

    With a spatula, gently fold the loosened condensed-milk mixture into the remaining whipped cream, using broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl. Do not beat out the air. Break the chilled chocolate sheet into small, thin flakes, rather than large hard chunks. Children can help with clean hands. Fold the flakes through the pale cream, keeping a few to scatter on top.

  5. Freeze until firm

    Spoon the mixture into the freezer-safe container, smooth the top and add the reserved flakes. Fit the lid and label with the date. Freeze at around −18°C for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until firm throughout. This version sets without churning or repeated stirring.

  6. Scoop and share

    Let the container stand for about 5 minutes before scooping, just until the surface is workable; do not let the ice cream melt. Scoop small portions into bowls and return the still-frozen remainder promptly to the freezer. Notice how the little chocolate flakes snap against the soft, creamy ice cream.

From the table: Stracciatella ice cream was created at La Marianna in Bergamo in 1961. Its characteristic irregular chocolate pieces come from melted chocolate setting in cold ice cream. Our separate chocolate-sheet method and no-churn base are a home-kitchen adaptation, not La Marianna’s original recipe.

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More tastes of Italy 07 / 09

Lasagne alla Bolognese

Layers of beef ragù, silky béchamel and pasta beneath a golden Parmesan top

This family adaptation builds lasagne from three simple layers: a meaty sauce, smooth white béchamel and egg pasta sheets. The sauces are made from scratch, with stock instead of wine. Traditional Bolognese green lasagne uses spinach pasta; here, ordinary oven-ready egg sheets make the assembly straightforward.

Golden lasagne Bolognese with layers of beef ragù, pasta and béchamel in an Italian country kitchen
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes4–6 servings
Prep30 minutes, including assembly
CookingAbout 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes, with the béchamel made while the ragù simmers
Allow in totalAbout 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes, including 10 minutes resting
DifficultyAn adult leads the hob and oven work; children can help plan the layers
AllergensWheat, milk, egg in egg lasagne sheets, and celery. Check the stock and pasta labels.

Your ingredients

Beef ragù

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 500 g beef mince, about 10% fat
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 500 ml passata
  • 150 ml reduced-salt beef stock, plus a little water if needed
  • 100 ml whole milk

Béchamel and layers

  • 50 g unsalted butter, plus a little for the dish
  • 50 g plain flour
  • 650 ml whole milk, plus a splash if needed
  • A small pinch of ground nutmeg, optional
  • About 200 g dried oven-ready egg lasagne sheets, enough for three single layers in your dish; check the packet
  • 80 g Parmesan, finely grated

Get ready together

Equipment

Large saucepan with lid and a second saucepan, Deep ovenproof dish about 25 × 20 cm, 2.5–3 litres, Knife, chopping board, wooden spoon and whisk, Scales, measuring jug and grater, Foil, oven gloves and wide serving spatula, Clean digital food thermometer

Little hands can
  • Weigh the flour and measure the milk before the hob work begins.
  • Count how many pasta sheets will make each layer in the empty, cool dish.
  • Draw the layer sequence on paper and help set the table.
Grown-up jobs
  • Handle raw beef and all knives, hot pans and sauces.
  • Assemble with hot sauces, move the heavy baking dish and remove foil away from faces.
  • Check the pasta and centre temperature, then cut and cool servings.

Let’s make it

  1. Start the ragù

    An adult finely chops the vegetables. Warm the oil in a large pan and soften the onion, carrot and celery over a medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes. Add the mince, raise the heat slightly and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it into small pieces. Stir in the tomato purée for 1 minute. Wash hands and clean anything that has touched raw meat.

  2. Give the sauce time

    Pour in the passata, stock and 100 ml milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. The ragù should be thick but spreadable, not dry; add a splash of water if needed. An adult stirs well and checks several parts with a clean thermometer: the sauce should reach 75°C for 30 seconds.

  3. Whisk the béchamel

    While the ragù simmers, an adult melts 50 g butter in a separate saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Take the pan briefly off the heat and whisk in the 650 ml milk a little at a time, smoothing out each addition. Return to a gentle heat and stir for 5–8 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon but still pours. Add optional nutmeg; loosen with a splash of milk if it has become too stiff.

  4. Make three pasta layers

    Heat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan, and lightly butter a deep ovenproof dish about 25 × 20 cm, with a 2.5–3 litre capacity. Check your pasta packet for any different temperature, liquid or pre-cooking requirements. Spread a little ragù over the base. Add one layer of pasta, then a third of the remaining ragù, a third of the béchamel and a third of the Parmesan. Repeat this pasta–ragù–béchamel–Parmesan sequence twice more, finishing with sauce and cheese. Cover every pasta edge with sauce and avoid stacking overlapping dry sheets.

  5. Bake until tender in the middle

    An adult covers the dish loosely with foil and bakes for 25 minutes, then removes the foil and bakes for another 20–25 minutes, or longer if the pasta packet requires. The top should be golden and the sauce bubbling. Test the centre with a knife: it should slip through tender pasta without a hard layer. Check the middle with a clean thermometer for 75°C for 30 seconds. If the top browns before the centre is ready, replace the foil and continue baking.

  6. Rest and reveal the layers

    Place the hot dish on a heatproof surface and leave for 10 minutes so the layers settle. An adult cuts and lifts portions with a wide spatula. Separate smaller servings onto children’s plates and check they have cooled sufficiently. Look at the slice from the side: can everyone identify the pasta, beef sauce and white sauce?

From the table: Bolognese lasagne combines ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano Reggiano. The celebrated green version uses spinach egg pasta. This home version keeps those sauce layers while using readily available sheets and omitting wine.

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More tastes of Italy 08 / 09

Ham Lasagne

Lasagne bianche al prosciutto: tender pasta, creamy sauce and golden cheese

This white lasagne layers pasta with cooked ham, mozzarella and homemade béchamel, without a tomato sauce. It is a mild, comforting bake with a golden Parmesan top. Children can help plan the layers while an adult makes the sauce and manages the hot oven.

Creamy white ham lasagne with pasta, sliced cooked ham and béchamel beneath a golden cheese top
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes4 generous or 6 smaller family servings
Prep25 minutes
CookingAbout 10 minutes for the sauce, then 30–40 minutes in the oven
Allow in totalAbout 1 hour 15 minutes, including a 10-minute rest
DifficultyAn adult makes the sauce and handles the oven
AllergensMilk, wheat and egg from egg-pasta sheets. Check the cooked-ham label for any additional allergens.

Your ingredients

Béchamel

  • 50 g unsalted butter, plus a little for the dish
  • 50 g plain flour
  • 750 ml milk, plus up to 100 ml extra if needed to loosen the sauce
  • A small pinch of ground nutmeg, optional
  • A little black pepper, optional

The layers

  • 250 g fresh egg lasagne sheets labelled suitable for baking without pre-boiling
  • 250 g ready-cooked sliced ham (prosciutto cotto), torn into pieces
  • 200 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
  • 50 g Parmesan, finely grated

Get ready together

Equipment

Deep ovenproof dish, about 20 × 25 cm, Saucepan, whisk and cooking spoon, Kitchen scales and measuring jug, Grater, kitchen scissors or knife for trimming pasta, Foil and oven gloves, Digital food thermometer

Little hands can
  • Weigh the pasta and cheese before cooking starts.
  • Tear ready-cooked ham into pieces with clean hands, then return it to the fridge.
  • Count the four pasta layers and set out plates.
Grown-up jobs
  • Make the hot béchamel and assemble while the sauce is warm.
  • Handle the oven, foil, steam and heavy baking dish.
  • Check the centre temperature and serve cooled portions for children.

Let’s make it

  1. Prepare the dish and ingredients

    Heat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan. Lightly butter a deep baking dish about 20 × 25 cm. Read the fresh-pasta packet: choose sheets that can be baked without boiling first, and follow any longer baking time it specifies. Divide the pasta into four layers that will cover the dish, trimming as needed. Keep the ham and cheeses refrigerated until you are ready to assemble.

  2. Start a smooth béchamel

    An adult melts the butter in a saucepan over a low to medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute without browning. Take the pan off the heat. Add the milk a little at a time, whisking each addition smooth before pouring in more; this helps avoid lumps.

  3. Finish the sauce and organise the layers

    Return the saucepan to a moderate heat and stir until the sauce reaches a gentle simmer. Cook gently for 4–5 minutes, stirring around the edges and across the bottom. Add the optional nutmeg and pepper. The sauce should pour easily from a spoon; if it is too thick, whisk in a little of the extra milk. Reserve about one quarter of the sauce and a small handful of each cheese for the top.

  4. Build the ham lasagne

    An adult spreads a thin spoonful of sauce over the base of the dish. Add one layer of pasta, then sauce, one third of the ham and one third of the remaining cheeses. Repeat twice more, making three ham-filled layers in all. Add the fourth and final pasta layer. Cover it completely with the reserved béchamel and finish with the reserved mozzarella and Parmesan. Children can count the layers from a safe distance while the sauce is hot.

  5. Bake until tender and bubbling

    Loosely cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. An adult removes the foil carefully, keeping away from escaping steam, and bakes for another 10–20 minutes until the top is golden, the edges bubble and a small knife slides easily through the pasta in the centre. Check the centre with a clean food thermometer: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. If the top browns before the pasta is tender, cover loosely again and continue cooking.

  6. Rest, slice and serve

    Rest the lasagne on a heatproof surface for 10 minutes so the layers settle. An adult cuts portions and serves them with washed salad leaves or cooked vegetables if wanted. Check that children’s portions have cooled enough to eat: the sauce inside can remain very hot even after the top looks ready.

From the table: The Italian expression in bianco describes a preparation without tomato. Here, béchamel carries the cooked ham and cheese through the pasta layers.

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More tastes of Italy 09 / 09

Beef Cannelloni

Pasta tubes filled with cooked beef ragù and baked under tomato and béchamel sauces

Cannelloni turns pasta into little filled tunnels. This version uses fully cooked beef filling, a simple tomato sauce and a creamy white topping. Dried tubes labelled oven-ready are filled without boiling first, then baked with plenty of sauce until tender.

Beef-filled cannelloni baked with tomato sauce, béchamel and golden Parmesan in an Italian kitchen
AI-generated serving suggestion; your finished dish may look different.
Makes4 generous servings
Prep30 minutes, including filling the tubes
CookingAbout 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes, with the sauces made while the filling cools
Allow in totalAbout 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes, including 10 minutes resting
DifficultyAn adult leads the cooking and handles warm filling and oven dishes
AllergensWheat and milk. Some cannelloni contains egg. Check stock and pasta labels for celery, egg or other allergens.

Your ingredients

Cooked beef filling

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 400 g beef mince, about 10% fat
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 200 ml passata
  • 100 ml reduced-salt beef stock
  • 20 g Parmesan, finely grated

Pasta and tomato sauce

  • 16–18 dried oven-ready cannelloni tubes, about 180–200 g; choose a packet that says no pre-cooking is needed
  • 500 ml passata
  • 100 ml water, plus more only if the pasta packet requires it
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • A small pinch of dried oregano, optional

Béchamel topping

  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 40 g plain flour
  • 500 ml whole milk, plus a splash if needed
  • 40 g Parmesan, finely grated

Get ready together

Equipment

Large frying pan and saucepan, Deep ovenproof dish about 30 × 20 cm, around 3 litres, Shallow heatproof bowl, measuring jug and scales, Wooden spoon, whisk, knife and chopping board, Piping bag with a wide opening or a small teaspoon, Foil, oven gloves and serving spatula, Clean digital food thermometer

Little hands can
  • Count the dry pasta tubes and arrange them in the empty, cool dish to check the fit.
  • Measure the passata and water for the tomato sauce.
  • Help sprinkle the measured cheese only when an adult has checked the assembly area is safe.
Grown-up jobs
  • Handle raw beef, knives, hob cooking and temperature checks.
  • Fill the tubes with safely cooked, briefly cooled filling and manage the warm béchamel.
  • Lift the baking dish, uncover foil carefully and cut and cool children’s portions.

Let’s make it

  1. Cook the beef filling

    An adult warms 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and cooks the finely chopped onion and carrot over a medium-low heat for 8 minutes. Add the mince and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up very finely. Stir in the tomato purée for 1 minute, then add 200 ml passata and the stock. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to sit on a spoon without running. Clean hands and surfaces after handling raw meat.

  2. Check and cool for filling

    Stir the filling and check it in several places with a clean food thermometer: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Stir in 20 g Parmesan. Spread the filling in a shallow heatproof bowl for about 15–20 minutes until comfortable to handle, while you make the sauces. Continue with assembly as soon as it is ready rather than leaving it out. Finely broken mince helps it pass through a piping bag without blocking.

  3. Make two covering sauces

    Mix 500 ml passata, 100 ml water, 1 tsp oil and optional oregano in a jug. For the béchamel, an adult melts the butter in a saucepan, stirs in the flour and cooks for 1 minute. Remove briefly from the heat and whisk in the milk gradually. Return to a gentle heat and stir for 5–8 minutes until smooth and pourable. Add a little extra milk if necessary: the pasta needs a moist covering, not a stiff paste.

  4. Fill the pasta tunnels

    Heat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan. Check the cannelloni packet and follow any different oven setting, minimum sauce quantity or timing. Spoon about a third of the tomato sauce into a deep ovenproof dish about 30 × 20 cm. An adult fills each dry tube with the cooked filling using a piping bag with a wide opening or a small teaspoon, without forcing it hard enough to split the pasta. Arrange the tubes in one layer. Spoon any spare filling into the spaces between them.

  5. Cover and bake

    Pour the remaining tomato sauce over and around the tubes, making sure no dry pasta ends are exposed. Spread over the béchamel and sprinkle with 40 g Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover for 10–15 minutes to colour the top, following longer packet times if needed. An adult tests a centre tube with a knife: the pasta must be tender. Check that the middle filling reaches 75°C for 30 seconds. If it needs longer, cover again; add a little hot water around the edge only if the sauce has dried out.

  6. Rest, lift and look inside

    Leave the dish on a heatproof surface for 10 minutes. An adult lifts portions with a wide spoon or spatula and cuts children’s tubes into manageable pieces. Check the filling has cooled enough to eat; it can stay hotter than the outside. Look at a cut tube together and spot the pasta wall, beef filling and two sauces.

From the table: Cannelloni are filled pasta tubes that can hold meat, cheese or vegetables. Here, a beef filling and two sauces make a generous oven-baked family dish. This is a practical wine-free version using dried oven-ready pasta.

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Your tasty passport · Destination 20

You’ve tasted Italy.
Discover the joy of simplicity.

SIMPLICITY

Open your cooking notebook and make a new passport page. Write ITALY at the top, draw a dish you tried and add the date and your cooking companion’s name.

  1. Give it a taste score. Rate each dish you tried from 1 to 5. Everyone can have a different favourite.
  2. Choose your next step. Would you cook it again? Write “Yes”, “Maybe” or “Not yet”.
  3. Remember three discoveries.
    • Minestrone changes with the season and may use different vegetables, beans or pasta shapes.
    • Pizza Margherita celebrates tomato, mozzarella and basil rather than many toppings.
    • Panna cotta means cooked cream and sets in the fridge until softly wobbly.
  4. Earn your SIMPLICITY stamp. Choose a dish and name three ingredients you can taste. Explain how each one helps the dish, then draw your favourite simple combination.

Food detective — our original three recipes: Which ingredient appears in both the soup and pizza but tastes different in each dish? Tomato: compare the tomato in a spoonful of broth with the concentrated topping on a baked pizza.

A word for your journey: Ciao — hello. At the table: Buon appetito — Enjoy your meal.

Your next destination clue: Sail across the Adriatic to a country where creamy baked cheese rolls share the table with little meat logs and citrusy festival bites.

Keep your cooking passport growing

Revisit our previous stop in the Morocco cooking adventure, or browse all Quesbo Little Chefs adventures.

Quesbo — Adventure Awaits.

Food and discovery notes for grown-ups

Adapted from Quesbo’s Italy chapter, pages 153–160, with clearer preparation, supervision, timing and storage guidance. These are family home-kitchen versions; recipes and methods vary across cooks, communities and households. Our minestrone uses vegetables and beans, our pizzas are a practical home-oven version, and our panna cotta is served in glasses. Allow time for dough rising, cooling and at least four hours of dessert chilling. Gelatine leaf strengths vary: follow the packet guidance for a soft set. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested. Food images are AI-generated serving illustrations.

The six additional recipes are editorially developed family interpretations. Spaghetti Bolognese is a familiar family adaptation, while the lasagne and cannelloni have their own complete methods. The boneless Milanese escalope and no-churn stracciatella ice cream are clearly identified as home-kitchen adaptations. These recipes contain no wine. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested, and all food images are AI-generated serving illustrations.

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