Six-time Italian Champion in Latin and Ballroom, Strictly Star and Choreographer Nikita Kuzmin freely admits that “Food is my passion. I just love food”.

Nikita is now on his first ever live solo tour of the UK and Ireland with Midnight Dancer – a classic romance story about two star-crossed lovers who meet only to be torn apart.

Born in Ukraine, Nikita left there when he was nine to follow his dance career before moving to Germany and later to the U.K. where he joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional.

At 13 Nikita was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. He has become an active campaigner raising awareness and inspiring those affected whilst sending out the message that it doesn’t have to restrict your ambitions and dreams.

Nikita enjoys all types of food except “small round vegetables like peas and lentils because you cannot see what’s inside”

“My diet consists of a mix of different things including steak and burgers and I particularly enjoy pasta as I grew up in Italy”

Nikita’s eating regime when he is on tour is variable and depends on what his sugar levels are like that day.

“I don’t do breakfast as I am not hungry in the morning but start my day with a brunch. However when I am doing Strictly because we start early in the day I do have some porridge at breakfast time.”

Admitting to being someone who must be “one of Deliveroo’s best customers as I have so many deliveries when I am on tour” he indulges himself after the show with a takeaway meal “I see it as a reward at the end of the day.

When he’s at home Nikita enjoys cooking for other people. “It’s a sign of love. I like making meals for my girlfriend, friends and family but I never cook just for myself”.

Nikita’s first experience of cooking was as a small child in Ukraine helping his grandmother make cookies.

“I still have beautiful memories of that large old family kitchen in the Ukraine”, he recalls.

“This was where we used to sit as a family and enjoy our meals. One meal in particular will always stick in my memory”. The dish in question was fried potatoes and chicken legs cooked in a special way by his nan. “No one cooked them like her. Just thinking about the dish reminds me of home”.

Image by yuusuke111 from Pixabay

Bucatini All’Amatriciana

Prep Time 10 minutes; Cook Time 29 minutes, Serves 2

Ingredients:

5 ounces bucatini pasta; a quarter of a cup of virgin olive oil; 3 crushed garlic cloves; one and a half ounces of guanciale (cured pork cheek), sliced; quarter of cup of sliced red onion; one pinch of red pepper flakes; half of an 8oz tin of crushed tomatoes; salt and ground black pepper to taste; 1 ounce freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Method

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Stir in bucatini and return to boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the bucatini is tender – usually around 11 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic cloves, cook until golden brown for about one minute . Remove with slotted spoon and discard. Add guanciale; cook and stir until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add onion and red pepper flakes, cook and stir until onion is translucent for about three minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt and black pepper. Simmer tomato sauce until flavours combine for around 10 minutes.

Stir in bucatini and Pecorino Romano cheese into tomato sauce and too until evenly coated.

Midnight Dancer is at the following theatres in our area:

Hull New Theatre 7th May;
Manchester Aviva Studio 8th May;
York Grand Opera House 20th May.