Minestrone alla genovese

FrankLiguria, primi piatti, Soups24 Comments

Minestrone alla genovese

We’ve taken on minestrone before, with a base recipe that you can use to make just about any variation you want. But minestrone alla genovese, Genoa Style Minestrone, is different enough it really does merit its own post. There’s no soffritto to create a flavor base, no preliminary rosolatura of … Read More

Sciusceddu alla messinese

Frankprimi piatti, Sicilia, Soups59 Comments

Scisceddu alla messinese

Sciusceddu alla messinese comes to us from Sicily, and specifically from Messina, where this unusual primo piatto is a fixture on Easter dinner tables. It has all the hallmarks of an Italian Easter dish. It’s rich, meat centric—although the meat is usually veal rather than the more typical lamb—and enriched … Read More

Zuppa di cardi (Cardoon Soup)

Frankprimi piatti, Soups23 Comments

Zuppa di cardi (Cardoon Soup)

Cardoons are one of my favorite vegetables, but they’re frustratingly hard to find here in the US. So whenever I spy a bunch in the market, I grab them, no questions asked. I find their subtle flavor, reminiscent of artichokes, delightful. If you’ve never tasted a cardoon, you’ve been missing … Read More

Zuppa di orzo (Italian Barley Soup)

FrankFall, primi piatti, Soups, Winter58 Comments

Zuppa di orzo (Italian Barley Soup)

Italian cuisine is known for pasta, gnocchi, risotto and polenta. More recently many people have come to know farro. But did you know that Italians also enjoy barley? Here is a simple, basic Italian Barley Soup—zuppa di orzo— that is both healthy, appetizing and, if made in a pressure cooker, quickly … Read More