Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca

Silvia visits an old farmhouse in Le Marche that epitomises rural cuisine, travels to Abruzzo for a lesson in cucina povera (peasant style cooking), and in Torricella she makes a fool proof potato gnocchi.

Silvia journeys to Ascoli Piceno and immerses herself in Italian cafe culture, learns how to turn Italy's finest seafood into unforgettable finger food, and her local 'Butcher Girls' prepare the makings of a magnificent meat ragout.

Silvia wrestles an octopus in exchange for a delectable seafood salad, learns how to make cheese and egg balls the Italian way, and teams up with her brother to make mouth-watering onion focaccia.

Silvia takes in the fresh sea air of San Benedetto del Tronto and discovers the secrets behind fritto misto, an Italian seaside speciality; she transforms luscious curds of ricotta into a sensational ricotta, chocolate and cherry tart, and turns the local wine of Abruzzo into savoury Italian waffles.

Silvia turns ingredients fresh from sea into tacconcelli with fish ragout, bakes the most remarkable spelt ciabatta, receives an education in lamb offal, and makes her son’s favourite dunking cake.

Silvia's beloved neighbour shares her take on the most heavenly flatbread; Silvia enjoys the delights of a summer barbecue (Italian-style), and her father pops by for a long-overdue cooking lesson, culminating in a glorious zucchini gratin.

Silvia receives a lesson in an Italian peasant tradition - vincisgrassi; one of her childhood friends helps out with a spring classic of lamb chops with asparagus; Silvia also whips up a party favourite - bread pockets with cheese and stewed capsicum; and, with her mum's help, she revives a long-lost recipe for sponge cake peaches.

Silvia learns how to make heavenly hand-rolled cannelloni with slow braised meat; makes one of her favourite vegetarian dishes of stuffed capsicum; explores the secrets behind an ancient recipe for Italian cheesecake; and teams up with her brother to create an exquisite clam-and-chickpea pasta, cooked risotto-style.

Silvia gets an education in spicy octopus stew - a traditional dish of Molise. Later, she makes an Italian savoury pie no picnic can go without, and her youngest son, Miro, lends a hand with his favourite honey-drizzled cluster cake.