With a bit of luck, you might still have the last of the homegrown tomatoes coming off the vine this month. My daughter Alba is just coming up to two, and is taking her job as Chief Tomato Picker very seriously, carefully selecting just the red ones and placing each tomato on the patio table, before asking to be lifted up to pick the next one - a slow but very enjoyable way to harvest.
I have to admit that my own squash plants weren't very happy in pots this year, but my mum luckily had a bumper crop in her veg patch. They're perfect for autumn casseroles, grated into rosti and muffins, roasted with spices and served alongside lemony pearl barley.
Here, I share a favourite baked gnocchi and squash recipe. If you're feeling adventurous, try mashing roasted squash with ricotta, to use as a filling for homemade pasta, served with sage butter - it's on my list to try with our pile of gifted squash.
This is a wonderful rib-sticker of a dish. Perfect for a crowd, just as good warmed through next day.
SERVES 4-6
PREP TIME 20 minutes
COOK TIME 55 minutes
METHOD
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A new plot for tasty crops
Taking on a new allotment needn't be hard work. By simply following a few easy tips you can have bumper crops in no time, just like Alessandro Vitale
We love July
July is an island floating between the joy of June and the slightly fatigued month of August. It's a grown-up month: the year has shrugged off its adolescent exuberances, the weather is (hopefully) warm enough for ice cream to be one of your five a day, the sea should be swimmable without (too much) danger of hypothermia and thoughts will be of holiday shenanigans and family barbecues. School's out this month, the next tranche of glorious summer colour is washing across our borders and it's my birthday. Lots of reasons to give three rousing cheers for July!
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