It’s always a thrill to explore new places, especially those that are lesser known by British tourists. Like many others, we have visited the northern Italian hotspots in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-R

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(Polpette Della Quaresima) MAKES 12-16 Ingredients For the polpette 140g stale bread, very finelychopped40g grated Parmesan cheese300g ricotta, well-drained2 eggs, lightly beaten2 garlic cloves, finel

INGREDIENTS FOR THE POLPETTE ■ 140g stale bread, very finely chopped■ 40g grated Parmesan cheese■ 300g ricotta, well-drained■ 2 eggs, lightly beaten■ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped■ Handful of flat-l

From weekly shops to smart shortcuts, food writer Laura Goodman explores how rising costs and busy lives are reshaping our family meals

Forget Dracula. From charming medieval villages, brown bears and bucolic scenery to the world’s best doughnuts, Transylvania has so much more to offer