Season 1 - Episode Guide

The Hairy Bikers go off the beaten track in search of authentic flavours of Italy, from simple, local ingredients to spicy n'duja pate and some of the best gelato to be found.

The bikers begin their Sardinian adventure in the small town of Cagliari, where everyone is in high spirits for the feast of St Efisio. The locals are dressed in traditional garb to parade through the town on decorated bullock carts. The bikers join in the fun by cooking a local speciality - almond and orange cakes. Leaving the festivities behind, they head west to meet the tuna fishermen of Carloforte. Here, tuna is known as the "pig of the sea" and nose-to-tail eating is the norm. After seeing the local's unique form of fishing, the bikers meet a chef who serves up platters of tuna treated the Carloforte way. Featured recipes include frutti di mare with saffron fregola (seafood with fregola pasta and saffron), torta menjar blanc (lemon cream tart) and lamb and fennel stew with fennel salad.

The bikers continue their journey. The Corsican 'trinity' of meat, chestnuts and cheese forms the basis of the bikers' exploration but it is the independent spirit of the people that shines through.

The bikers continue their journey. This time, they are in mainland France, in Provence, and they begin their journey in Marseille, one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, where the population is as diverse as the Mediterranean itself. They meet Moroccan-born Fatima, who runs a welcome centre where recent immigrants can cook and eat together. The quality of the light in this part of France is such that it has always attracted artists to the region. Dave is a keen artist and, wanting to follow in the footsteps of the impressionists, they visit L'Estaque, a charming waterside community where the seaside snacks are legend. As they travel westwards, it becomes clear that one of the biggest influences here is that of the Romans. They explore the ancient aqueduct of the Pont du Gard, and in the city of Nimes they meet a local food historian and enthusiast for Roman cuisine to find out what constituted Roman-style gastronomy.

The bikers are visiting two of the Balearic Islands - Minorca and Majorca. They begin their journey in Mahon, Minorca. After a quick trip to the market to sample some tasty snacks, the bikers buy cuttlefish and squid for their first cook - cuttlefish stew and squid salad with mayonnaise. Upon landing in Majorca, they cook up their next Balearic-inspired dish - roasted pork with tumbet (a sort of ratatouille with a potato topping).

The bikers travel from Valencia to Torremolinos in the footsteps of the Moors - eating their way through the spicy delights of southern Spanish cuisine.