It may come as a surprise to some, but Italy has a Jewish tradition going back not just centuries, but millennia. A Jewish community existed in Rome dating from during the Roman Republic, even before the Empire, in the first centuries BCE. That presence grew during the late Middle Ages, … Read More
Lasagne alla bolognese (Bolognese Lasagna)
There are many types of lasagna dishes in Italian cookery, and in each is wonderful in its own way. But to my mind there are two “Ur-lasagne“, each typifying the northern and southern poles of Italian cuisine: Lasagna for Carnival, or lasagna di carnevale from Campania—the kind of lasagna that nonna Angelina … Read More
Ragù alla bolognese (Bolognese Sauce)
One of the most famous sauces in all of Italian cookery, ragù alla bolognese—known in English as Bolognese Sauce—is one of those archetypical sauces simmering for hours and hours on the back of the stove that so many people associate with Italian cooking. It is the northern equivalent of that … Read More
Buseca alla milanese (Milanese-Style Tripe)
As we’ve mentioned before on this blog, Saturday is tripe day in Rome… sabato trippa, as the saying goes. The tripe served in our house is usually alla romana, but today I made something a bit different: buseca (which is Milanese dialect for tripe). While Roman-style tripe is quite assertive, … Read More
Mock «puntarelle» alla romana
One of the dishes I miss most from my Roman days is the winter salad known as puntarelle, a kind of chicory native to the countryside around Rome. In fact, the vegetable is sometimes called “Roman chicory” in English. The shoots are rather thick but tender, white at the base and green … Read More
Tubetti cacio e uova (Tubetti with Egg and Cheese)
Tubetti cacio e uova is a great spur-of-the-moment Neapolitan pasta dish for a quick weeknight dinner or perhaps a midnight snack: Ingredients For each serving of pasta: 100g (3-1/2 oz) of tubetti (aka ditali or ditalini) A heaping spoonful of butter or lard 1 egg 1 spoonful each of Parmesan and … Read More
Pan Roasted Quail with Chanterelles
Pan Roasted Quail with Chanterelles is deceptively easy dish makes for an elegant yet rustic presentation, perfect for a winter evening, preferably beside a nice roaring fire… Ingredients Serves 4-6 6-10 quails 100g (3-1/z oz) pancetta, cubed A few sprigs of fresh sage Salt and pepper For the braise: 1-2 cloves … Read More
Spaghetti alle vongole (Spaghetti with Clam Sauce)
A Friday night favorite at our place—and a classic summer dish and traditional Christmas Eve primo piatto—is spaghetti with clam sauce, one of the signature dishes of Neapolitan cuisine. It is surprisingly easy to make, fun (if a bit messy) to eat and—if you have some good, fresh clams on … Read More
