Memorie di Angelina

What would summer be without this perennial Italian-American favorite? It’s hard to imagine an Italian street fair without the enticing aroma of sausages being grilled on portable barbecues while peppers and onions are sizzling away on a near-by griddle. Isn’t just the thought of it enough to make you hungry? Here’s my take on this […]

  One of the most delicious and satisfying antipasti in the Italian repertoire is also one of the simplest: tonno e fagioli, or tuna and beans. Well, the other day I was rummaging through my pantry, not really feeling like cooking—yes, it happens even to me sometimes—and found a can of ceci (chickpeas) and a […]

  One of my favorite ways to make steak is called tagliata or, to be more precise, tagliata di manzo. The word ‘tagliato‘ means simply ‘cut’ or ‘sliced’, and manzo means beef. The dish is, quite simply, sliced steak, grilled rare, arranged over a bed of arugula and dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper […]

Here is a risotto that should prove that vegetarian dishes can be perfectly satisfying, even indulgent: a risotto made with vegetable broth, and flavored with a wonderful combination of bitter radicchio with the creamy savor of Saint-André cheese. You proceed as for any risotto, beginning with a soffritto of chopped onion or, better yet, shallot […]

Here’s one answer to the perennial post-Christmas question: what to do with the leftover ham? As we all know, pork and legumes have a natural affinity, so why not pair ham and lentils in this rather loose riff on a cassoulet? First, simmer some lentils—about 100g (4 oz.) per serving—in abundant water (enough to cover […]

As mentioned recently, veal tongue is a common part of a bollito misto, but tongue is also a wonderful dish all on its own. Although classified as an organ meat, tongue doesn’t taste ‘organ-y’ at all. Rather it tastes like a richest, most unctuous cut of beef you have ever had. If you haven’t tried […]

A quick note on a quick dish: penne with peppers and anchovies, something I made up, on the spur of the moment, to use some of the red bell peppers in the fridge before they went off. I decided to riff off the classic roasted peppers and anchovy antipasto and pair it with pasta. The […]