KATY PIGG'S TOP PICKS
Our food developers’ guide to her favourite dishes on our menu
Sharing’s at the heart of everything we do. So, we thought we’d sit down with our very own Katy Pigg (our Senior Food Development manager and all around taste queen) to ask her to share her chef recommended Italian dishes. Chosen from our menu that is bursting with flavour and Italian favourites, Katy reveals what makes each dish special to her and why she returns to these top picks time and again.
Join Katy as she gives us a behind-the-scenes peek into how our seasonally-inspired menu is built. Exploring the flavours, craft and quality that goes into making each dish truly special. Beginning with her favourite starter, Katy walks us through her top three dishes and why these are her showstoppers.
When people ask me what to order at ASK Italian, it always brings a smile – because I find choosing just one dish is pretty much impossible. The foundations of our seasonal menu can be found in the quality ingredients we source, the Italian flavour that is infused in every dish we serve and the craftmanship that goes into each and every plate that arrives at your table. Packed full of the most popular Italian dishes, our menu delivers recipes that each have a story, a purpose and a flavour moment I’m proud of.
Here are the dishes I find myself coming back to again and again – the ones I recommend to friends, family and anyone who wants to taste the very best of what we have to offer.
To begin…
BURRATA TRIOCOLORE
Velvety burrata topped with pesto, served with slow‑roasted tomatoes, plum tomatoes, rocket and ricotta salata.
Why Katy loves it…
I can’t think of a better way to stimulate the senses and get the tastebuds tingling than with our Burrata Tricolore. For me, this is one of the best dishes at ASK Italian. Velvety burrata topped with pesto, served with slow-roasted as well as plum tomatoes, rocket leaves sprinkled throughout and finished with ricotta salata. The magic of this dish is in its simplicity. Using only the freshest ingredients, this is a dish bursting with colour, flavour and unmistakable Italian quality. The soft creaminess of the burrata perfectly balances the sweet acidity of the slow-roasted tomatoes – a perfect blend of freshness meets elegance. A balance I always look for in a starter. And of course, let’s not forget about the blend of herbaceous flavours that flow through the dish from the fragrant pesto and peppery rocket leaves.
If you do order this dish, then a side of our Rosemary Bread with Olive Oil is a must. Break of a chunk and scoop up the remaining flavours for a perfect finish. When ordered together, the bread turns the Burrata Tricolore into something of a ritual – warm bread, cool burrata, sweet tomatoes – simple ingredients coming together in the most satisfying way. So, for when I think of chef recommended Italian dishes, this is the starter that comes to mind every time.
For the main event, it is our Garlic King Prawn Tagliatelle – the ultimate in Italian comfort food.
GARLIC KING PRAWN TAGLIATELLE
Nothing quite says Italian comfort food like our Garlic King Prawn Tagliatelle. Here is a dish just oozing with Italian flare. Comforting yet vibrant, this is the kind of pasta you can enjoy whether you are having a cosy night out with close friends or relaxing with family over a long, lazy lunch at the weekend.
It’s not hard to see why this is one of our most-loved dishes at ASK Italian. This is a bowl brimming with a generous portion of prawns that melt into a rich seafood sauce. Bursting with flavours, our seafood sauce is the perfect partner to our specially selected pasta – made from Wildfarmed regenerative flour. And here’s another reason this dish is my go-to when asked what to order at ASK Italian. For me, this is a dish that is both delicious and considered. By choosing Wildfarmed flour for our pasta, we’re helping British farmers breathe life back into fields across the UK, a sustainability story that matters deeply to us here at ASK.
The ribbons of fresh tagliatelle are perfect for soaking up every last bit of sauce. The result – a dish that feels indulgent yet never heavy. The courgettes and tomatoes keep everything bright and fresh while the finishing touches of parsley, chilli and lemon add an extra zing to each and every mouthful. If you are looking for what to order at ASK Italian and are in need of something comforting then it doesn’t come much better than our Garlic King Prawn Tagliatelle.
STICKY COFFEE PUDDING
A toffee sponge smothered in coffee‑infused sticky toffee sauce and salted caramel gelato.
Why Katy loves it…
What is there not to love about a dish that is packed with so much personality. Here is a dessert that is pure nostalgia – but with a difference. We’ve taken a British classic and added a decidedly Italian twist. Layered in coffee and caramel to create something truly special – this is one of our best dishes at ASK Italian – warming, indulgent and deeply comforting.
From the moment the salted caramel gelato melts into the warm sponge you are taken on a culinary journey of pure magic. Just one spoonful of this decadent dessert is enough to make you and your friends pause mid‑conversation. It’s rich, yes, but the coffee and caramel work in perfect harmony with the toffee sponge – giving the dish a sense of balance as well as sophistication.
When it comes to choosing what to order at ASK Italian this is a dish that would top my dessert list every time – I really can’t think of a better way to end a meal.
For me, these plates represent everything we stand for at ASK Italian – food that feels generous, joyful and crafted with care. Whether you’re craving seafood pasta, a fresh and vibrant starter or a nostalgic dessert, these are the dishes I’d order every time when asked what to order at ASK Italian. And with variety running as the common theme throughout our seasonally-inspired menu, there is a dish to suit every occasion.
If you’re exploring our menu and wondering what the best dishes at ASK Italian are, I hope this gives you a delicious place to start!
