HAVING taken a trip to Italy last autumn, I have been looking for an authentic restaurant to recreate the experience.

Having opened just two months ago, Alessandro’s, in Rochford, looked like it could be the ticket.

While we perused the dishes on offer, we were served a lightly fried gnocci with tomato sauce and parmesan.

The doughy crisp delicacy was such a nice touch my boyfriend ordered the starter-sized portion of it which came with italian ham, cheese and salami.

I opted for the small, Mediterranean octopus cooked with cherry tomatoes and red wine. It was deliciously rich, and was served with a couple of slices of garlic bread.

For my main course I went for a carbonara – but this was no normal carbonara. It was made with huge tubes of mezzemaniche pasta which was perfect to soak up the intense mushroom flavour of the truffle extra virgin olive oil, the ingredient which completely transforms this dish.

Although this is a much-loved family favourite, it had been given a real grown-up twist. My boyfriend opted for the same type of pasta, but topped with king meditteranean prawns, pistachio pesto, and fresh cherry vine tomato sauce.

You could taste the ingredients were all fresh, and it was just rich enough, without being overpowering.

For dessert, my boyfriend opted for a panacotta. This was the best version he had ever tasted – and he eats it a lot of it! It was clearly made fresh, and was just wobbly enough, but still creamy enough to melt in your mouth, served with some lovely, oily pecans. I also loved my thick, rich, creamy tiramisu topped with cocoa powder.

We may not be going back to Italy any time soon – but until then, this is the perfect place to recreate the atmosphere.

by Laura Smith