Mascarpone

A fresh, thick cream cheese, originally from Lombardy and Piedmont, made with cows’ milk. In Britain it is only available pasteurised, but in Italy you can buy it farm-produced. Serve it as a pudding mixed with double cream, egg whites and sugar.

We use it in sauces, and stuff a mixture of mascarpone and rosemary under the skin of chickens before pan-roasting them.