Breakfast the Italian Way, Even When You Are Camping
27 June 2026
A winter morning breakfast on our Dometic slide out kitchen, ready for whatever the day brings
For my Italian friends, the idea of what I am about to describe will sound quite strange, because as every Italian knows, breakfast is a sweet affair, a cornetto still warm from the oven and a properly made cappuccino at the bar, and that is that. But those same friends will also know that I have never had a sweet tooth and that I have always been perfectly happy to raid the lunch or dinner repertoire first thing in the morning, particularly when there are leftovers already sitting in the fridge or when a dish is quick enough to pull together while I sip my first morning coffee.
So in my world, polenta, eggs and mushrooms make one of the most satisfying breakfasts imaginable, and something I have enjoyed often at home as well, but it is when we are travelling that this combination really comes into its own. On those cold, bright winter days when you wake up in the caravan to pale sunshine and crisp air, you know almost immediately that a piece of toast is simply not going to be enough, and there is nothing quite like cooking a proper breakfast outdoors on our Dometic slide out kitchen, with the pan already steaming and the table set and the whole landscape spread out around you, to make you feel that travelling this way is one of life's great pleasures.
The combination I am suggesting here is quite simple: polenta cooked the night before and sliced, then fried gently in butter and finished with a little melted cheese on top, alongside a pan of funghi trifolati which you can cook fresh in about ten minutes, and a couple of eggs scrambled softly while everything else comes together, and if you had a sleep in and the morning has stretched lazily into brunch territory, a couple of good sausages on the side will leave you well and truly ready for whatever the day has in store, whether that is a long drive to the next stop, a walk through a national park, or simply sitting outside with another coffee watching the world go slowly by.
Funghi Trifolati
Italian style mushrooms
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 small knob of butter
- 400 grams of button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
- A handful of continental parsley, roughly chopped
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional, see the method for reason)
- Salt and pepper
Method
In a skillet put the oil and the butter and when the butter is melted add the garlic and gently fry without burning. Add the mushrooms and mix well, add a pinch of cinnamon, this is a trick to give your mushrooms a "forest" taste like the wild ones, but make sure it is really a very small amount of cinnamon and do not use it if you do not like this spice.
Cook till the mushrooms are soft and add fresh parsley only a couple of minutes before serving, same goes for salt and pepper, taste and add at the end to your liking.
Polenta
I will give you here the recipe for the instant polenta as it is what I would recommend while travelling.
Ingredients
- 1 packet of instant polenta (there are several brands you can find in the deli section of your supermarket or specialty shops)
- Rock salt
Method
In a saucepan put the amount of water that is specified on the instant polenta packet. Add half a tablespoon of salt and when the water boils slowly add the polenta flour mixing with a whisk so as not to make it lumpy. Cover with a lid for a minute so that it does not splatter everywhere as it will start to bubble away like a little volcano (polenta burns on your hands and arms are not fun). Now take the lid off and with a wooden spoon mix the polenta and cook for the recommended time you find on the packet (some cook in 3 minutes some in 5).
Once the polenta is cooked you can either pour it into a large serving dish and serve from there (it should not be runny but have the consistency of mashed potatoes), or you can spread it on an oiled tray and slice to serve. This latter method is the one I use if I want to keep the leftovers to fry in butter for other meals.
The polenta pack makes quite a bit, and leftover polenta (at least for us) never lasts long. However, if you do not want leftovers simply halve the content of the pack and the amount of water required.
And if you want more...
If this kind of simple, honest cooking appeals to you, my little ebook "Taste of Italy on the Road" is full of recipes just like these, designed for travelling, for small spaces, and for the kind of cooking that does not require much equipment but does reward good ingredients and a little care. You will find it in my cookbooks collection.
Visit the Cookbooks Collection