We join Gino at Casa D'Acampo in Sardinia ??

Ahead of his new TM cookery series, Gino reveals his best tried and tested hangover cure; how his mischievous dogs caused mayhem during filming and his secret to perfect Italian food...

How does it feel to be going back ‘home’ to Sardinia?

It’s always great going back to Sardinia, I wish I could spend more time there as for me it is home and I always look forward to getting out there.

What makes Sardinia so special?

I think the thing I like the most about going back to Sardinia is how peaceful and quiet it feels when I am there. For me it is special because I live in the mountains and where it is so quiet, it gives me a lot of time to think, write my books and do all the things I find difficult to do in the UK.

How differently do you cook when you are in Italy?

Cooking in Italy is completely different for me, mainly because the ingredients are not the same, this does not mean that one is better than the other. Clearly, when I’m in Italy because I cook Italian food, the ingredients I need to use are more readily available and I think because we get a lot of sunshine over there, they do tend to taste better. I also find when I’m in Sardinia I can cook the same recipe and it takes less time to make this, because I don’t have to work as hard on the recipe as the flavours are already there.

Were there any mishaps or funny moments during filming?

I think our biggest problem on the trip was the weather, it was definitely against us. It was nowhere near as good as we had been expecting. We were constantly following the clouds or should I say they were following us! That was the funny bit, because of this we had to keep stopping and starting the recording, then the wind would pick up, then the sea would cause a problem so in the end everything wasn’t in our favour.

How would you describe Casa D’Acampo?

Casa D’Acampo is the ultimate peaceful place and that is how I would describe it there. When I enter Casa D’Acampo straight away I feel good and most importantly relaxed. My favourite part of the house is probably the lake, I like to walk down there as it makes me feel as if I could be anywhere in the world. Definitely not to swim as who knows what will be in there, but it does help me relax.

What are your dogs Orio and Duke like on camera?

Orio and Duke were very naughty on set, they got a lot of attention from the crew which made them very excited. As you can imagine, on the trip there was a lot of food around so they were always on the hunt for some. I saw Orio a couple of times with sausages in his mouth running away! Also as they’re big dogs, well actually they’re puppies but huge ones, so when they want to play they’re basically the size of the humans, actually bigger than me so when they jump they will knock you down, no problem.

You grow your own 'Gino Vino' - what’s the secret to a good wine?

I think the secret to a good wine is to not put any rubbish in it, this could be anything from sulphites or any other dodgy ingredients which can be used by a vineyard to produce more wine, I am not bothered about mass production. I care about the quality and integrity of the wine and to make sure it has no preservatives in it, because then when I drink it I can drink more and not get a headache.

What's your best hangover cure?

The best hangover cure for me… nothing beats an egg and bacon sandwich with a packet of Wotsits!

What’s the biggest mistake people make when cooking Italian food at home?

I would say the most common mistake when cooking Italian food is people over complicate it. Italian food can be very simple to cook, but some like to overthink a dish. My motto is always to spend more time on finding the right ingredients and then you have to spend less time in the kitchen.