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7 Masterchef Recipes

La tradizione nel piatto

7 Masterchef Italian Recipes From the World's Greatest Chefs

Italy has given the world some of its most beloved dishes — and the chefs who guard these traditions are worth learning from. From Massimo Bottura's boundary-pushing takes on classic risotto to the perfect Carbonara guarded by Roman nonnas, these seven recipes represent the full spectrum of Italian mastery. Follow each instruction precisely; in Italian cooking, technique and quality ingredients are everything.

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Jump to recipe

1. Risotto ai Funghi Porcini2. Spaghetti alla Carbonara Romana3. Osso Buco alla Milanese4. Pizza Margherita Napoletana5. Tiramisù Classico6. Branzino al Forno con Salsa Salmoriglio7. Pappardelle al Ragù di Cinghiale

Italian Masterchef Recipes

#1Hard

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini

Intensely flavoured risotto with dried and fresh porcini mushrooms, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a finish of truffle oil. The mantecatura (butter emulsification) technique is what separates good from transcendent risotto.

480
kcal / serving
45 minutes
👨‍🍳
Massimo Bottura
3 Michelin Stars, Osteria Francescana — World's #1 Restaurant
Modena, Italy

💬Bottura says risotto must never be rushed and must never wait. His rule: the guest waits for the risotto — the risotto never waits for the guest.

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 300g Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 30g dried porcini (soaked 30 min in 500ml warm water)
  • 200g fresh porcini or chestnut mushrooms
  • 1.5L chicken or vegetable stock (hot)
  • 1 white onion (finely diced)
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 80g cold unsalted butter (cut in cubes)
  • 80g Parmigiano-Reggiano (finely grated)
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt, white pepper
  • 1 tsp white truffle oil (finish)
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley to garnish

Instructions

  1. 1Reserve porcini soaking liquid (strain through fine cloth to remove grit); combine with stock in a saucepan and keep hot.
  2. 2Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat 8–10 minutes until completely soft but not coloured.
  3. 3Add fresh mushrooms, season, cook until moisture evaporates (5 min). Add soaked porcini; cook 2 more minutes.
  4. 4Add rice; toast 2 minutes stirring constantly until edges turn translucent.
  5. 5Add wine; stir until completely absorbed.
  6. 6Add hot stock one ladleful at a time, stirring continuously. Each addition should be absorbed before the next (18–20 min total).
  7. 7Remove from heat. Mantecatura: beat in cold butter cubes vigorously, then fold in Parmigiano. Rest covered 1 minute.
  8. 8Check consistency (risotto should flow slowly — all'onda). Finish with truffle oil and parsley.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Bottura's secret: use Carnaroli, never Arborio. It has more starch and stays al dente longer, giving you more control during service.

16g
Protein
62g
Carbs
18g
Fat
#2Medium

Spaghetti alla Carbonara Romana

The authentic Roman Carbonara: guanciale (cured pork cheek), Pecorino Romano, whole eggs plus extra yolks, and coarsely cracked black pepper. No cream. Ever.

560
kcal / serving
25 minutes
👨‍🍳
Antonio Carluccio
OBE, Godfather of Italian Gastronomy in Britain
Vietri sul Mare, Italy

💬Carluccio spent decades explaining to the world that Carbonara has no cream. "The egg IS the cream," he said. "If you add cream you've already failed."

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 400g spaghetti or rigatoni
  • 200g guanciale (or pancetta as substitute)
  • 4 whole eggs + 4 yolks
  • 100g Pecorino Romano (finely grated)
  • 50g Parmigiano-Reggiano (finely grated)
  • 2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
  • Kosher salt for pasta water

Instructions

  1. 1Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
  2. 2Render guanciale in a cold dry pan over medium heat until fat is released and edges crisp (8 min). Set aside; keep warm.
  3. 3Whisk eggs, yolks, Pecorino, Parmigiano, and black pepper in a bowl until combined.
  4. 4Cook pasta 1 minute less than packet. Reserve 200ml starchy pasta water.
  5. 5Toss hot pasta in the guanciale pan (off heat). Add a splash of pasta water.
  6. 6Pour egg mixture over; toss vigorously with tongs, adding pasta water tablespoon by tablespoon to achieve a creamy, glossy sauce. The residual heat cooks the eggs — do not return to flame.
  7. 7Plate immediately with extra Pecorino and pepper.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Temperature is everything. Too hot and the egg scrambles. Keep the pan off the heat when adding the egg mixture, and use the pasta water to regulate consistency.

32g
Protein
58g
Carbs
22g
Fat
#3Hard

Osso Buco alla Milanese

Braised veal shanks in white wine, tomatoes, and gremolata — Milan's defining dish. Serves with saffron risotto Milanese. The marrow in the bone is the prized reward.

620
kcal / serving
2 hours 30 minutes
👨‍🍳
Lidia Bastianich
James Beard Award Winner, PBS TV Host, Author of 14 cookbooks
Pula, Italy

💬Lidia says this dish taught her patience. "You cannot rush a braise. The collagen in the bone becomes the sauce. Time is the ingredient nobody sells."

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 4 veal shanks (4–5 cm thick, tied)
  • Plain flour for dusting
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots (all finely diced)
  • 4 garlic cloves (sliced)
  • 250ml dry white wine
  • 400g can whole San Marzano tomatoes (crushed by hand)
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves
  • For gremolata: zest 1 lemon, 2 tbsp parsley, 1 garlic clove (all finely chopped together)

Instructions

  1. 1Pat shanks dry; season well. Dust lightly with flour.
  2. 2Sear in olive oil over high heat until deep golden on all sides (3–4 min per side). Remove and rest.
  3. 3In same pan, sauté onion, celery, carrot over medium heat 10 min. Add garlic; 2 more minutes.
  4. 4Add wine; reduce by half, scraping up browned bits.
  5. 5Add tomatoes, stock, and herbs. Nestle shanks in the sauce (marrow side up).
  6. 6Cover tight and braise in oven at 160°C for 2 hours until meat is yielding but not falling off.
  7. 7Remove shanks; reduce sauce 5 minutes on stovetop if needed.
  8. 8Serve with gremolata scattered over the top and saffron risotto or polenta.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Lidia ties the shanks with butcher's twine before cooking so the meat stays attached to the bone during the long braise. Remove string before serving.

48g
Protein
14g
Carbs
28g
Fat
#4Hard

Pizza Margherita Napoletana

The original Neapolitan Margherita: 48-hour fermented dough, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh fior di latte mozzarella, and fresh basil. Protected by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana.

520
kcal / serving
48 hours (fermentation) + 90 min active
👨‍🍳
Gino Sorbillo
Naples' Most Famous Pizzaiolo, Author, TV Host
Naples, Italy

💬Sorbillo is the fourth generation of a pizza family. He says: "There are 21 rules for Vera Pizza Napoletana. I know all 21 because my grandmother taught me before I could read."

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 500g 00 flour
  • 325ml cold water
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 3g fresh yeast (or 1g instant dry yeast)
  • 400g San Marzano DOP tomatoes (hand-crushed)
  • 300g fior di latte mozzarella (torn, drained overnight)
  • 20 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. 1Dissolve yeast in cold water. Add 80% of flour; mix. Add salt; add remaining flour. Knead 20 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  2. 2Bulk ferment 8 hours at room temperature. Divide into 4 balls (250g each); refrigerate 40 hours.
  3. 3Remove dough 2 hours before baking to come to room temperature.
  4. 4Preheat oven to MAX (ideally 280–300°C) with a pizza stone inside for 1 hour.
  5. 5Season crushed tomatoes with salt only. Spread thinly on stretched dough, leaving 2cm border.
  6. 6Scatter mozzarella; drizzle with olive oil.
  7. 7Bake 60–90 seconds in Neapolitan oven, or 6–8 minutes at home oven maximum.
  8. 8Add fresh basil immediately after removing from oven.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Cold-ferment the dough for 40–72 hours. Long cold fermentation develops complex flavour and makes the crust light and digestible. Never use a rolling pin — stretch by hand only.

22g
Protein
70g
Carbs
16g
Fat
#5Medium

Tiramisù Classico

The original recipe from Le Beccherie in Treviso where Tiramisù was created in 1969. Savoiardi biscuits soaked in espresso, layered with mascarpone-egg cream, finished with quality cocoa powder.

410
kcal / serving
30 min + 4 hours chilling
👨‍🍳
Carminantonio Iannaccone
Inventor of the Modern Tiramisù, Chef at Le Beccherie Treviso
Treviso, Italy

💬Carminantonio created what became the world's most popular Italian dessert. His recipe has no alcohol and uses whole eggs, not just yolks — the original.

Ingredients — 8 servings

  • 500g mascarpone (room temperature)
  • 6 eggs (separated)
  • 6 tbsp caster sugar
  • 24 Savoiardi (ladyfinger) biscuits
  • 300ml strong espresso (cooled)
  • Unsweetened high-quality cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

  1. 1Beat yolks and sugar until pale, thick, and doubled in volume (5 min with electric mixer).
  2. 2Beat in mascarpone gently until just smooth — do not over-beat.
  3. 3In a separate clean bowl, whisk whites to stiff peaks.
  4. 4Gently fold whites into mascarpone mixture in three additions.
  5. 5Dip each biscuit briefly (1 second per side) in cooled espresso — they should be moist but not waterlogged.
  6. 6Layer in a dish: biscuits, cream, biscuits, cream.
  7. 7Smooth the top; dust generously with sifted cocoa.
  8. 8Refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is better). The texture improves dramatically with time.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The dipping time is crucial: too short and the biscuits stay dry; too long and the dessert becomes soggy. One second per side, no more.

10g
Protein
32g
Carbs
26g
Fat
#6Medium

Branzino al Forno con Salsa Salmoriglio

Whole sea bass roasted over a bed of potatoes, capers, and olives, drizzled with salmoriglio — a Sicilian herb sauce of lemon, olive oil, oregano, and garlic.

480
kcal / serving
45 minutes
👨‍🍳
Giorgio Locatelli
1 Michelin Star, Locanda Locatelli London
Corgeno, Varese, Italy

💬Locatelli learned this recipe from a fisherman in Sicily who made it on the boat. "The best ingredients need the least cooking," he always says.

Ingredients — 2 servings

  • 2 whole sea bass (500g each, gutted and scaled)
  • 400g waxy potatoes (thinly sliced)
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 12 Sicilian olives (pitted)
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • For salmoriglio: 6 tbsp EVOO, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 garlic cloves (crushed), 1 tbsp hot water, salt

Instructions

  1. 1Preheat oven to 200°C. Layer potato slices in an oiled roasting tin; season; roast 15 min.
  2. 2Make salmoriglio: whisk olive oil, lemon juice, water, oregano, and garlic into an emulsion.
  3. 3Score fish 3 times each side. Season cavities and skin generously.
  4. 4Place fish on top of potatoes; scatter capers and olives.
  5. 5Spoon half the salmoriglio over the fish.
  6. 6Roast 20–22 minutes until fish flakes easily and potatoes are golden.
  7. 7Rest 3 minutes. Spoon remaining salmoriglio over and serve directly from the dish.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Buy the fish from a proper fishmonger and ask them to gut but not fillet it. Whole fish always stays juicier and more flavourful than fillets during oven roasting.

44g
Protein
24g
Carbs
22g
Fat
#7Expert

Pappardelle al Ragù di Cinghiale

Wide egg pappardelle with a slow-cooked wild boar ragù — the signature dish of Tuscany. Red wine, juniper berries, and rosemary define its depth.

680
kcal / serving
3 hours 30 minutes
👨‍🍳
Fabio Picchi
Chef-Owner, Cibrèo Florence (Tuscan institution since 1979)
Florence, Italy

💬Picchi has served this dish at Cibrèo since 1979. He insists on sourcing wild boar from Maremma and will not serve it if the quality is wrong that week.

Ingredients — 6 servings

  • 600g wild boar shoulder (or pork shoulder), cut 2cm cubes
  • 400g fresh pappardelle (or dried)
  • 200ml full-bodied red wine (Chianti)
  • 400g can whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 carrot, 1 celery, 1 onion (all diced fine)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 6 juniper berries (crushed)
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 100g Parmigiano-Reggiano to serve

Instructions

  1. 1Marinate boar in wine, juniper, rosemary, and bay overnight in the fridge.
  2. 2Remove meat; dry well. Reserve marinade.
  3. 3Brown meat in batches in olive oil over high heat until deeply caramelised. Remove.
  4. 4Sauté soffritto (carrot, celery, onion) in same pan 10 minutes. Add garlic, cook 2 min.
  5. 5Return meat. Add reserved marinade; reduce by half.
  6. 6Add tomatoes; crush with a spoon. Season. Cover and braise on lowest heat 2.5–3 hours until meat shreds with a fork.
  7. 7Shred meat coarsely into the sauce. Cook pasta in salted water; toss with ragù.
  8. 8Serve with Parmigiano and a drizzle of good olive oil.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The overnight wine marinade is non-negotiable for wild game — it tenderises the tougher meat and removes excess gaminess. Do not skip this step.

42g
Protein
64g
Carbs
24g
Fat

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Frequently asked questions

  • Who is considered the best Italian chef in the world?

    Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana (3 Michelin stars) in Modena is widely regarded as the greatest living Italian chef. His restaurant has ranked #1 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

  • What makes Italian cooking unique?

    Italian cooking relies on exceptional ingredients used sparingly — San Marzano tomatoes, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, 00 flour. The philosophy is "cucina povera" (peasant cooking) elevated through care and seasonality.

  • How is authentic Carbonara made?

    Authentic Carbonara (Roman style) contains guanciale (not pancetta or bacon), Pecorino Romano, egg yolks, black pepper, and pasta water. No cream — the creaminess comes from emulsifying the egg with pasta water off the heat.