Palazzo Morosina

An Artistic Retreat

Lisa writes…The summer villas of the Venetian aristocracy are amongst the most extravagantly beautiful buildings in Italy, and while many are now open to the public, many more have sadly been allowed to decay. In 2014, English artist Felix Spicer took on the challenge of the sixteenth -century Villa Morosina di Villanova near Treviso, originally built for the ducal Morosini family. Despite its distinguished history, the property, which includes a frescoed chapel and a small lake, was almost derelict, without heating, plumbing or even a roof.

Restoration took five years, but to the delight of locals, Felix has transformed the villa into a treasure box of hand-printed silks, fantastically eccentric re-purposed furniture and striking modern art. The austere Palladian structure of the house has been retained (as has a colony of cats in the gardens, appropriately enough as Doge Francesco Morosini was the feline fanatic whose preserved pet can be seen in the Museo Correr), but the top floor has become a vast studio where Felix produces fabric, paper prints and paintings. The kitchen might have come from a Longhi interior, with a huge fireplace, hanging copper pans and open range.Scents of basil and thyme, and the odd nosy kitten drift from the covered loggia, where I was served one of the best prawn dishes I have ever tasted as the Tiepolo- pink walls of the villa blended into a rosy sunset over the Venetian lagoon.

Villa Morosina hosted its first pop-up shop and exhibition in London this spring, and more are planned. Gallery visits can be arranged appointment or by contacting fs@palazzomorosina.it

MOROSINA PRAWNS

This is such a perfect combination of Venetian colour and flavour, the delicate pink of the prawns melding with the strident crimson of the radicchio. Best eaten with fingers, preferably in a candlelit garden.

400g prawns, unpeeled.

3 cloves garlic, crushed

100g butter

1 head radicchio, sliced

1 glass sherry or dry Marsala

1 handful each of basil and parsley, chopped

1 scant teaspoon cinnamon

black pepper

6 thick slices of good bread (grano duro or sourdough)

lemon wedges to serve

Toast the bread, or better still grill on a skillet and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the garlic gently in the butter, then add five or six of the prawns, heads, tails and all. keeping the heat very low, squash and smoosh the prawns with a wooden spoon, allowing them to release all their flavour into the butter. Add the cinnamon and sherry or Marsala and continue heating very gently for about ten minutes. Peel the remaining prawns.Sieve the buttery prawn mixture into a large, wide frying pan, discarding the battered prawns. (This can be done in advance and held). When you want to assemble the dish, tear the toasted bread roughly and arrange on a platter. Heat the prawn reduction, adding the peeled prawns and the radicchio and stir through until the radicchio begins to wilt. Give it a really generous grate of black pepper and then pour the mixture over the bread on the platter, sprinkle over the herbs and add a couple of squeezes of lemon. Slurp with joy.