Dear reader,
I am always delighted to get your feedback and questions about Memorie di Angelina. Whether you want to make a suggestion for an upcoming post, ask a question about a recipe, signal some issue you’re having with the website or just share your impressions of the blog, your feedback is always welcome!
Just drop me a line at gnocchiaifunghi@gmail, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy cooking!
Frank
126 Comments on “Contact Me”
Hi Frank,
Is it just me? Lots of pages on your wonderful site that I can’t access. For example, go to recipes and Lazio, I get page 1 but no other pages are visible.
Hope you can help.
Not just you, Mark. Unfortunately, there are some broken functions on the site, and I’m working to fix them. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Frank,
whats the difference between a lawyer & a Mafioso, there is NONE! As an Italian Reading your cooking site I have to say, I feel like you are my Nonoo, I feel like I am back in the kitchen standing next to him learnino all the family cooking secrets ! I am reading your page on just the spices and all and just from what you said, now I am drooling it makes me hungry! Frank, from 1 Paisan to another Ti amo my Brother! Thank you for adding a lot more of my Italian Culture to my life. I absolutly LOVE my Italian Herritage!
Regards
Marcello Pecchenino
Thanks for your for your kind words about the blog, Marcello! So glad to hear you’re enjoying it and using it as a way to connect to your heritage. Welcome!
I got chills from reading your recipes. I am immediately intrigued to try them and I’m from Indonesia, so we know our spices. Your recipes will work wonders for gatherings, impressing loved ones, and for my personal delight. It’s delightful to see your recipe’s versatility because I can substitute many of the ingredients according to what flavor I prefer. Please keep on doing this blog and I will try to spread this cuisine throughout Indonesia.
Thanks so much for spreading the word, Juan!
Hi, Frank! I am trying to email you and getting a bounce back. It seems your email is no longer working? How can I reach you as I would like to request an interview about one of your recipes for my blog?
Dove sei caro?
Missing an update for a while.
I was born in Sorrento, and your recipes are duplicates of how my mother ,and now I,cook at home. God bless your work and keep it coming!!!
Sorry for the radio silence, Luisa! Long story short, I’ve been traveling— among other places to Priano, not too far from your hometown— and then jetlagged and finally down with a cold… but I’m hoping to get back to blogging this coming week!
Thanks for checking in . 🙏
Hi Frank,
I’m an American lawyer retired in Greece with my Greek husband and have been cooking family dinners my whole life. Have also spent a lot of time all over Italy over the years. My favorite cookbook author is the dear Marcella Hazan — I have probably cooked 3/4 of her recipes over and over again and, until I discovered memoriediangelina a few days ago, have never been able to find another great source for true Italian recipes. Wow. To say your site blew me away would be an understatement. As I type this, your stuffed boneless turkey thigh (turkey imported from Italy) is roasting in my oven along with a handful of potatoes. Smells great already. Just wanted to thank you for your wonderful recipes. I’ve already earmarked about ten Italian veggie pastas that I’ll be cooking this summer.
You’re really too kind, Karla! But needless to say I’m grateful for your kind words and delighted that you’ve found this blog such an inspiration. Enjoy!
Our family will be visiting Sanremo this summer. We have visited other regions in Italy, mostly to the south, so finding Carna Cruda on the menu when I check out many restaurants was new to me. For health reasons, 3 of us are eating Carnivore. So Carna Cruda looks great, but after reading many blogs I have found not everyone appreciates the texture and decide its just not for them. My question is… in a restaurant, is there a way to order that juicy Carna Cruda grilled? I realize the name itself means the meat is uncooked, but is there another way to order it grilled to Medium rare? I appreciate you.
Not really, as far as I know. But there is another similar dish tartare scottata where steak tartare is lightly seared. You could look for that on the menu or just ask if they have it.
My husband and I visited Rome last year and somehow missed maritozzi! I am making them for Easter this year and dreaming of another visit. Thank you for all these recipes and information.
Kristina Sullivan
Fantastic! Enjoy your maritozzi!
Pingback: Zeppole di San Giuseppe - Memorie di Angelina
Hi Frank – do you have a recipe for basic lentil soup? I don’t see it on the website. Unfortunately my mother’s recipe was lost with her death. Best regards, Debbie
Actually I don’t but it’s very simple to make. Just start with a soffritto, as usual–it could be onions, or garlic or the ‘holy trinity’ of onions, carrots and celery, sautéed in olive oil. Then you can if you like add some tomatoes, usually canned, and let them cook down. Then add lentils (preferably pre-soaked but it’s not essential) let them simmer with the soffritto for a few minutes then top up with water or broth. Simmer until the lentils are tender. If you like a thick soup, crush some of the lentils as they cook with a spoon. That’s it!
Frank, your posts are such a delight. I look forward to them so. Some remind me so much of my Campanian grandmother, Vincenza’s food. She and her husband were both from Bagnoli Irpino, immigrating each at 15 (ten years apart though) in the early 1900’s to the lower East side of Manhattan and later Brooklyn. Her recipes are so treasured in my family, as are those of my Sicilian great uncle.
I was reminiscing with a friend about wonderful odd hard biscuits we loved to dunk in my grandfather ‘s strong homemade red wine (an Aglianco I believe) or put under a lunch of garlic and oil sautéed cannellini beans with chopped parsley. We called them biscotti or friselle, but they were neither, I think maybe a pepper tavalli that looked like a hard dark brown oval biscuit that could keep forever. They were commonly sold in Italian shops, all over Brooklyn. The last place I found that made them exactly right was Vesuvio Bakery in SoHo. I would love to see a recipe. They are such a strong happy childhood memory, dunking them in my grandfather’s wine.
Keep up the good work and thank you so for the newsletter.
Thanks for your comment, Meris! So glad you’re enjoying the blog. 🙂 Bagnoli Irpino is only about 30 miles from my grandmother Angelina’s hometown, so it’s not too surprising the recipes remind you of your own grandmother’s. Anyway, when it comes to friselle, I always buy them to be honest. But I may look into it and come up with one, one of these days… !
Hi Frank,
Thanks for including then Timballo Teramano. My grandparents came from near Teramo so I grew up eating from this region. BTW, I’ve been looking for a recipe we generally had around Christmas. I hesitate to give it’s name given the way my young ears heard it at the time (cudgenits?) but it was a fried ravioli stuffed with chestnuts and something alcoholic and dusted with sugar. Any idea?
Thanks for these recipes I cook them regularly.
Stephen
I hadn’t heard of it to be honest but it didn’t take long to find it online. The sweet goes by different but similar names in Abruzzese dialect including cagionetti, caggiunitt’, caggionetti and caviciunette. In standard Italian they’re called cacionetti. Do you read Italian by any chance? If so here’s a recipe for it, along with one in English. I may put this on the list for a future post!
In Italian: https://www.ilpescara.it/cucina/cacionetti-ricetta-abruzzese.html
In English: https://lifeinabruzzo.com/caggionetti-calgionetti-caggiunitt-christmas-time/
Thanks for your comment!
I was just in Italy and fell in love with the simple Pici all’aglione. Your recipe is exactly how it was made in a cooking class my son and I attended. I was blown away by how delicious a sauce could be with just a few ingredients. Is there anywhere that the garlic from the Tuscany region can be purchased in the United States?
Thanks, Denise! Unfortunately I’m not aware of any source for Tuscan aglione in the US… I would guess elephant garlic would be the closest to it.
Hi Frank,
Really enjoy your recipes and food-stories. Especially enjoyed your article on Aperol/Campari Spritz and cocktail recipes! Did you know there’s even another ‘Spritz’ you can get in Venice called ‘Select’ ? When I’m visiting Venice I always try and bring a bottle home as it seems quite unknown outside of Venice
Why thank you, Susan! And yes, I’ve had Select and enjoyed it very much. I imagine it makes a lovely Spritz. Btw there is a place fairly close by here (DC metro) where you can buy it, so depending on where you live, you might want to do some looking around.
I am Pinning a lot of your recipes this morning (started with Insalata pantesca) and wanted to give you a heads up the I can’t find a way to Pin Tiramisù alle fragole (Strawberry Tiramisu) recipe. Normally there’s a Pinterest Save on the image, but it’s not there.
First of all, welcome! So glad you’re enjoying the blog. 🙂 Can’t say what the issue might be, but you can also pin but scrolling down, just after the recipe, to the icons marked “sharing is caring” and clicking on the Pinterest icon. All the best! Frank
Do you have a recipe for maritozzi? Thanks.
Not yet, Thomas. But keep an eye out…
Thanks for your recipe of Focaccia alla Genovese. Finally !!!! This is the first time I see the REAL Genovese focaccia, thin and crisp! All other recipe on the net are just flat oily bread, as you also rightly mention.
Thanks a million for this recipe.
Thanks so much, Viveca! We do try to keep things real on this blog. 🙂
Have you considered offering this as a physical cookbook? I would buy it for a hefty sum.
Thanks! Yes, I’ve definitely thought about it. And might just do it when I can find the time… Thanks so much for your support. 🙂
Frank, your site has been un-loadable (for me) for the last week or so.I am in Vancouver, Canada. The problem is that this CSS file:
https://www.zlcdn.com/stylesheets/minibox/generic.css
Is not loading. It does not return a 4xx error code. It just never returns anything, just sits and spins. The only way to access your site is by searching in Google and then hitting “stop” in the browser to see a partially rendered version.
Sorry to hear it, Chuck. I’ll look into it.
I don’t think that is used for anything. I changed my hosts file to dead letter that URL and the site loads fine and everything looks as it should. There are one or more other files that load very slowly. I will look into that later.
Thanks, Chuck. I think I figured out the issue relates to a legacy plug-in called “ZipList” that I used to use. It’s still active since many of my older posts used it for generating printable versions of posts. I deactivated the stylesheet option which (I hope) will resolve the issue… Let me know. Personally I haven’t been able to recreate the issue on my end.
Thank you Frank, that seems to have fixed it. It might be a DNS issue on my end, I can’t seem to resolve that domain. Anyway, all is good now.
Frank,
I’ve spent many years drawing inspiration from your blog, and I’ve always had a great appreciation for your thoughtful take on the recipes and the ethos of Italian cooking.
I’m an Australian descendent of migrants from Lipari, near Sicily, and I wanted to see if I could get your take on something. One of the recipes in my family is a tomato sauce with a generous cut of bolar beef, browned then slowly cooked within it. As you would expect, the sauce is served over pasta and the meat, which becomes very tender over two or three hours, is served with vegetables, often including “peas and onions” as secondi. What interested me is that in this recipe we use a sofrito of garlic, onion, and maybe a little prosciutto, but we also add cloves – not garlic cloves, but actual cloves, and the clove flavour is quite prominent in the finished product, lending, IMO, a great depth to the sauce.
I got curious about this as I’ve never come across an pasta sauce anywhere else with cloves in it, either in restaurants or recipe books. I was wondering if you have heard of this, is it a relatively common practice in the South? Or does it seem like it might be more individual to my family?
Would love to hear your thoughts, and thank you once again for this wonderful collection of writing.
Ciao!
Thanks so much, Julian, for your kind words about the blog! Truly appreciate them.
As a matter of fact, there’s a similar Roman dish called, appropriately enough, Garofalato. (As you may know, garofalo is the Italian word for clove.) I wrote about a few year back and you can find the recipe here. Beef is studded with cloves and braised in a tomato sauce. There, too, you make extra sauce, which after its long cooking is strongly perfumed with the cloves, and use it on pasta as a first course.
And yes, making a braise or stew and then using the sauce in that way, with the meat as a second course, is a very common practice in Italian cookery. The Neapolitan dish La genovese is another example. You find it in some northern dishes, too, such as the Piemontese dish taglierini con il tocco d’arrostoTaglierini al sugo d’arrosto (Taglierini with Roast Drippings), literally “with a touch of the roast” where you dress taglierini in the drippings of the roast. Heavenly!
Hello!
I was looking for a recipe for a Sugo Ai Porcini pasta sauce. I was inspired by the Ritrovo Selections product of that name and thought that I would love to make a sauce at home that embodied those flavors and ingredients. Ingredients on the bottle are: “Pulp of tomato and cherry tomato 80% (Italy), porcini mushrooms (Boletus Edulis) 10%, EVOO, onion, carrot, celery, sea salt, garlic, spices, acidifier: citric acid. Pasteurized.”
Maybe you have a recipe that is close that I can play with?
Indeed I do! I posted it way back in 2009 but after all these years it’s still a favorite in our house: https://memoriediangelina.com/2009/09/15/penne-ai-funghi/
As you’ll see my recipe’s favor base starts with garlic and pancetta, but you could easily switch that out for a soffrittoGlossary of Italian Cooking Terms of the classic “holy trinity” of onion, carrot and celery per the sugo ai porcini you have at hand. Enjoy!
Hi Frank,
Can you post a recipe for CREMOLATA similar to what L&B Spumoni Gardens (https://spumonigardens.com) makes. Many italian bakeries offer it in the summertime as well.
I’m afraid I’ve never been to Spumoni Gardens so I can’t say if it’s the same, but I do have a cremolata recipe you can check out here.
Hi Frank (again):
I’ve just read some of the previous posts people have made over the past year or two. A few have mentioned the ceramics you use in your photos. In one reply, you say that it is from Deruta but that the producer is closed.
There is still a producer in Deruta that makes the Raffaelesco pattern – Ubaldo Grazia. I have some of his stuff; it is both beautiful and well made. It is not a bargain, but you can order it online and have it shipped. Here is the link: https://www.ubaldograzia.com/portfolio-items/raffaellesco/
Thanks so much for the heads up, Tom! Great to know there’s an alternative source for those plates. In fact, I need to replace some…
Hello Frank:
FYI, the “printable” recipe for the peperon imbottiti omits the 1/2 cup wine (in which the peperoni are “poached”)
Thanks for the heads up, Tom. Fixed now!
Where on line can I order Carmigna pats. The Bronze. Thanks. Love your site.
I love your stories and authenticity for Italian food. Will you possibly be writing a book?
Ah well, that’s definitely something I’m thinking about! I’ve been asked frequently by readers about a book and my answer was always, no time now but perhaps when I retired. So now I will have the time!
Francesco, Good luck in your retirement from your day job. Love your recipes and the history lessons too. Am making stuffed zucchini as I write this. Buona fortuna.
Grazie!
I am so happy to have found your site! My husband is longing for his Nonna’s “Easter Pie” and your Pastiera Napoletana is on our menu. My only question is the size of the pie pan. I have various diameters and depths. Thank you`Mary Gangemi
Thanks for your kind comment, Mary. Your question on plate sizes is actually answered in the notes for that post, but let me cut and paste it here for your convenience:
“There is a typical pie plate used in Naples for making pastiera. It is very much like your typical US pie plate, but it is lipless and slightly wider than the standard 9″ pie plate. If you’re using a US pie plate, you’re likely to wind up with a little extra filling following the measurements above, depending on how deep your pie plate is. But no worries, it’s the cook’s perogative to enjoy a bit of the raw filling when no one’s looking. It’s quite tasty in its own right!”
Frank:
Have you ever heard of spaccatelle(i) being called strozzapreti? They are,to me, two completely different pastas yet Sfoglini, the American producer of cascatelli, insists that they are the same with a pasta they make shaped the same as pasta al ceppo? What’s your take on this?
James R Mihaloew
Strongsville OH
It’s a new one to me, James. But it is true that pasta shapes go by all sorts of names, depending on the region or even the locality, so anything’s possible. Having said that, I’d venture that strozzapreti is the name that most (almost all?) Italians would give to that particular shape. I did a quick Google search for “spaccatelli” and got one one or two hits in Italian related to pasta (from Calabria). The rest relate to the word’s actual meaning, which is a kind of stone slab–which the pasta doesn’t much resemble. Maybe calling this pasta shape by an obscure name was Sfoglini’s way to make it stand out among the competition?
Who was Angelina? Are you relative of her? Or what is your connection to her?
Check this out.
Hi Frank, I’m looking at your semifreddo agli amaretti . Can I use individual ramekins instead of the loaf pan? Does this run counter to true Italian presentations? thanks!
The loaf pan is, of course, the standard for everyday family cookery, but there’s Absolutely nothing wrong or inauthentic with presenting semifreddo in individual ramekins. It’s almost certainly the way you’d be served it in a restaurant or fancy dinner party.
Weirdly, I have been thinking about veal breast. But here in the California central valley, they are hard to find.
We have a premium Italian grocer(https://podestosmarket.com/) were I know the manager of the butcher shop well.
He told me that veal breast are had to find, like they use to have, but will searching for a source.
There is another premium grocer in Sacramento https://cortibrothers.com/) that might try,
Anyhow, my mother and grandmother(I’ve made it as well)would cut a pocket in the veal breast, leaving the bone attached, and stuff it with chard and Italian sausage mixture, and bake it, until the top was kind of crispy.
Good that you know people who will look for you. Good luck! Otherwise, as I said, you might try sourcing it online. That’s stuffing sounds delicious. I may give it a try!
Hello Frank!
I’ve been reading and cooking from your site for years, so thank you. My dad loves it too. 🙂
My grandparents came to the US from Calabria and my grandmother taught me many incredible, regional recipes. It’s important to keep these memories and traditions going.
I write for a website called The Cheese Professor and am currently writing an article about hot, melted cheese dishes. I have my own photos of all the dishes I’m including, but I’ve never made Frico, which I’m also including in the article. And it is due tomorrow, so I don’t have time to make it! Would you be willing to let us use one of your frico images, with credit?
Thank you!
Jennifer
Dear Jennifer, I’d be happy for you to use the photo for your article, with credit and a link back to the MdA site. Thanks so much for your readership, I’d delighted to hear you and your Dad are enjoying the blog!
Hello from Montreal! I have been perusing your site and preparing some of the recipes you have been featuring there for a number of years now, all of which – I am happy to report – with great success. I especially enjoy the Cook’s Notes section you offer. It shows your passion for delving into the historical aspect of the many diverse Italian culinary traditions, and I truly appreciate the rich tips and variants you share with your readers!
That said, my parents left a few Italian cookbooks from their younger days, from the 50’s and 60’s mainly. Some of the recipes in those books I have seen variations of on your site. That said, there is one called “Pollo all’aretina” which has proven to be a real hit every time I make it. I have only seen it once prepared by a youtuber but it does not entirely reflect the recipe from the book I have entitled “The Flavor of Italy in Recipes and Pictures”, by Narcissa G. Chamberlain and Narcisse Chamberlain.
Do you have your own record(s) of this recipe from the Arezzo region of Italy?
Thank you Frank, and please keep up the excellent work that Memorie di Angelina has become the gold standard for!
Mario Fiorilli
I’m afraid I don’t know that dish, but it sounds intriguing… Now I want to look into it. Meanwhile, thanks so much for your comment, Mario! And for your loyal readership.
Hi Frank, I was wondering is it okay to publish your bread recipe in our newsletter? I will of course give you and your website credit. We are a food cooperative with a mission of access to healthy food. Thanks for letting me know. Our newsletter is free to our customers.
Mary
Sure, happy for you to publish, so long as you provide a link and attribution, as you mention. Thanks!
Frank:
Do you have any recipe for making NDUJA and ant recipes for using NDUJA?
Not yet, Thomas. But I’ve been meaning to post a recipe using nduja for a while now. Stay tuned!
Hi Frank, Somehow I’ve just found my way to your site, and read a name that gave me a start. You’ve mentioned Romeo Salta, and if my memory serves me correctly, at one time he was also in Los Angeles, at the helm of “Chianti” restaurant on Melrose Ave. Half a century ago my grandma Belle was the owner of the property, and I do seem to remember Romeo.
Wow, small world Jeff! And yes, I did read that he headed up a restaurant by that name in LA. That’s in fact where he was “discovered”. Pretty cool.
Hi Frank, I too, came here looking for contact info, concerned that we haven’t heard from you for months. Glad to read all is ok and that you were just busy. Looking forward to seeing new content. Best wishes, Eva
Thanks so much, Eva! Nice to back!
Frank: Is chicken sorrentino, i.e. pollo alla sorrentino, Italian or Italian-American? I see plenty of American recipes for it and it’s popular in east coast restaurants but I’ve not seen any Italian recipes. My impression is that it’s Italian-American since I don’t think that Italians would mix a primi element like eggplant with a secondo element like chicken. I value your opinion on all things Italian.
James R Mihaloew
Strongsville OH
jrmjim@earthlink.net
Yes, James, mostly definitely Italian-American, especially in the incarnation you mention. I have seen some recipes for “pollo alla sorrentina” on Italian websites, but those are creative riffs on gnocchi alla sorrentina, where chicken breasts are baked in tomato sauce and mozzarella. Not at a traditional dish.
Hi Frank,
Thank you for this wonderful blog. I use your recipes as my go to’s for so many nights after a long day at work. Cauliflower soup and tuna stuffed peppers are two of our favorites.
We have not seen many new recipes this summer and are concerned for you. We hope you are OK,
Donna and Al
It’s wonderful to hear that you’re enjoying the blog, Donna and Al. And sorry for the radio silence lately. It’s been a “perfect storm” of circumstances that have kept me away from the blog, but I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. There should be new content coming down the pike quite soon! Thanks for your concern.
Hello Frank, which sauces r used is southern Italy, & which are used on what pasta’s & cheeses ? TUVM 🙂
Wow, the answers to your question could fill a book. Or a blog. There’s no simple answer I can give since there are scores of pastas and sauces to go with them. I’d suggest using the navigation bar at the top of the page and click on “browse” and then “by region”. Look for southern Italian regions like Campania. Puglia, Calabria and Sicilia. You’ll find lots of pasta dishes and their sauces. The recipe will indicate if cheese is called for and, if so, what type. Hope this helps…
Frank thank you for keeping the Italian culture alive. My parents brought the culture 100 years ago from Italy, they fed it to me orally and mentally. I cherish it and enjoy very much your dedication.
Thanks so much, Nick, for the kind words. I really appreciate it!
Hi Frank, this is a lovely heartwarming blog! My grandmother is also called Angela, from a small place outside Naples, and I came across your website while I was looking for some impossible recipes that I didn’t get in time from her, such as the migliaccio. I will attempt a genovese at the weekend but I am not sure what beef cut to buy. She used carne ‘a sfilaccio (it used to come apart in very tender longish pieces – the muscle fibres). When I asked her what meat I should buy she would say “lacierto” which would literally translate in “lizard” in English, can you imagine the face of my butcher here in London if I go and ask for it??!! 🙂 Do you think shin would work? Or..?
Keep up with the good work and I will let you know if some of your recipes taste like hers..!
Angela
Dear Angela, Beef cuts can be so confusing! For one thing, butchering is done different ways in different countries and to make life more complicated, the same cuts go by multiple names both in Italian depending on the region. (And cuts also have different names in the US and UK.)
But here’s what I’ve been able to figure out: The lacierto your grandmother mentioned, also known as the “girello” in Italian, is a cut taken from the rear of the animal. Here in the US, it corresponds to the “round” which I understand in the UK would be either the topside or the silverside. It is indeed a traditional cut for making genovese. So if you want to follow your grandmother’s advice, that would be your choice. But the shin is also very commonly used for genovese, so it would work perfectly fine as well.
Personally, I tend to go for the chuck, which isn’t typical in Italy for making genovese but is easy to find here and works well. It has lots of flavor and also falls into fibers when subjected to a long, slow braise. Truth be told any cut that takes to long braising would be fine.
Frank,
A home-run with Agnello e piselli. Made it for Easter dinner using lamb shoulder chops. Started with a nice antipasto of roasted veggies, cold fish and olives. Skipped the Il Primi but served a small side of potato gnocchi with the lamb, which worked out great. I did add some small young sprigs of rosemary from my window garden during the braise which gives a great aroma and didn’t over power the dish. Guests loved it. Thanks…..I usually cook lamb for Easter ….this was so much easier and tastier than fussing with a leg.
Happy Easter.
Take Care
Bob Gladding
So glad you liked it, Bob! Sounds like a fantastic Easter dinner.
Hello Frank, I have enjoyed your weekly news for a while and I now look forward to Sunday’s for a good read.
Your reminiscences of times past are treasured.
We have just cooked your Baccala di Vicenza which we thoroughly enjoyed – quite a change from our usual one with tomatoes etc. We had it with polenta chips and chicory with garlic and olive oil which complemented it perfectly.
Congratulations on bringing such simple pleasures to so many.
Tony , Sydney, Australia
Thanks so much for the kind words, Tony! And thank you for your readership. It means a lot. Happy cooking, Frank
Hello Frank,
Thank you for your passion in compiling all this information. Your recipes and food ideas are my “goto” for inspiration, I especially love it when bringing in produce from my garden. ( Sydney, Australia).
Born in Oz of Italian immigrants, (FVG), my Italian spelling is a little casual, case in point, my wife suggested pumpkin, spinach and ricotta “Caneloni” (sp) for Easter lunch.
Beauty, I’ll consult Frank…hmm? Nothing….now I know this has to be there… so try “nn”..”Canneloni”….no luck. It must be “ll” =”Canelloni”. niente….
OK lets dumb it down…”pasta”. yes…..scroll, scroll…bingo, Page 6…perfect.
Ah ha…”nn” + “ll” = “Cannelloni”. who would have guessed!
I was wondering if you could somehow incorporate a wildcard “*” into the search string to either bring up anything “can*…”
or perhaps a suggestion based on my spelling of “caneloni” (sp).
Now, of course, I could have just googled the spelling before hand had I not been so reticent, but offer the above scenario as a perceived improvement only, no extra workload intended, especially if it detracts from your adding wonderful dishes.
and did I mention…great site,
Cheers Robert
Thanks for your comment, Robert! Completely agree. I wish we had that ability, too. But since I’m not a programmer, I depend entirely on the “plug ins” that come pre-made for WordPress sites like this one. Haven’t yet found a search engine with “fuzzy logic” which is the technical term for the kind of capability you’re referring to. But let me try again and see if I can find out.
Can you make your recipes printable on the page they are on , I can’t seem to print any recipes .
They are printable. If you go to the bottom of each post, there’s a recipe card: Look for the words “Print Recipe”..
Ciao Franco,
I am a supporter and have greatly enjoyed your postings (and made a bunch) for years now.
My question is perhaps an odd one: Is it possible to buy a set of those stunning ceramic pasta plates that are so prominent in your images of the finished dishes? any advice or ideas or links would be appreciated.
Grazie!
-Marco
Thanks so much, Marco! For your kind words and your support. On the Italian ceramic, unfortunately the place I used to source them from has closed. They’re (mostly) Deruta, the Raffaelesco pattern. If you Google that you’ll find lots of online sites selling them. Since it’s been a while since I’ve bought a Deruta plate, I couldn’t actually recommend one or another. They’re also on amazon, too.
I have followed this site for years and have always loved its consistent quality
I wanna know if you can direct me to the best italian comprehensive cookbooks that denote its recipes by region; I am a stickler for regional recipes.
Thanks
ps
More recipes from abruzzo 😉
Thanks so much for your kind words, P.A.C.! As for the best comprehensive cookbooks with regions clearly marked, my go to is Le ricette regionali italiane published by Solares. La cucina del Belpaese put out by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina is also quite extensive (2000 recipes) and the recipes are clearly marked for their region of origin, although unlike the Solares book, it is not organized by region. There is, however, a regional index. And if you want to dig deep into specific regions, Newton & Compton puts out an excellent series called “Quest’Italia”. The best of them, in my opinion, is La cucina napoletana by Jeanne Carola Francesconi. I’ve mentioned ofter on the blog, as you may have read. The one on Roman/Lazian cookery is also quite good. (On the other hand, a cyberfriend from Milan is not that keen on the one on Lombard cuisine.)
Frank,
I have been following and using your recipes for years. Thanks!
I have no doubt that many successful recipes are used for making focaccia, so here is my personal guaranteed focaccia recipe which is delicious every time.
I make the dough using Jim Lehey’s no knead recipe (featured in your blog) the night before.
I use 4 cups of flour instead of three to fill two pans, and adjust with 1/4 cup more water, a little more yeast and salt.
Next morning, the bowl holding the dough goes into the refrigerator since it won’t be needed until hours later.
About three hours before baking, the dough comes out of the refrigerator and dropped on a floured surface and flipped so flour fully coats the dough. A dough scrapper separates the dough in two equal pieces.
Then they are put in separate olive-oiled bowls and the dough turned in them for complete coating.
The bowels go into a cold oven for two hours or so with only the light on. No heat.
Then each dough is spread onto a baking pan. I find that the dough is very relaxed and doesn’t snap back when stretched. The pans do not need oil since the oil on the dough is sufficient.
Long before the dough is spread on the pans, a very generous amount of chopped white onion is fried in olive oil at a very low heat for about 1/2 hr. Then a very generous amount of thinly sliced garlic is added and fried with the onion for about more 10 minutes. As always, avoid burning the onion and garlic.
Then with finger tips, impressions are made in the dough, and the olive oil, onion and garlic mixture is evenly spread on the dough. The warm bath of the mixture on the dough wakes it up and it rises more.
Then Romano grated cheese is lightly sprinkled on the dough in the pans, and some Italian seasoning, salt and a little black pepper are added.
I then slice very thin ripe tomatoes and place maybe six slices on the dough to give it color and interest. In lieu of tomatoes, I dab a few drops of tomato sauce, similar looking to polka dots.
After an hour or so later, the dough is baked at 485 degrees for 18 minutes.
The idea is to keep it simple with no or minimum toppings since you are not making a pizza. In other words, less is more for focaccia.
My experience is that dough rises best and the bread or focaccia tastes better if the proofing is just at room temperature or a little below. A cold rise also prevents over-proofing causing dough collapse and ruined dough.
Hope this recipe is interesting and has some helpful ideas.
Thanks for reading, Art
Hi, Frank, I was looking for a recipe for “pasta con spada” in google and it brought me here – you posted one back in 2012. It looks wonderful. I had a couple of questions: 1. Is the swordfish I would get at a good fish market in New York City anywhere near as good as what they get in Sicily, and, if not, 2. would salmon be an acceptable substitute? Grazie!
In my experience, the swordfish you can buy in a good quality fish store in the US would be pretty much on par with the swordfish you can get in Italy, so no worries on that score. I’d definitely go for it.
Hello, Thank you for all these beautiful recipes all with a bit of history attached to them. I am reading a book (in Italian) by Sveva Casati Modignani (Bice Cairati). In her novel she refers to Biancomangiare so I searched the word on Google and found the recipe. My mother used to make this recipe and I always wondered where it came from. Then, I am a frequent traveller to the Dolomites for the most beautiful skiing you can imagine and the food from various areas of Italy we find in the Mountain Huts. So I found a typical dish of that area called Canederli but cannot find a recipe to the link for the creamy mushroom sauce https://memoriediangelina.com/2010/12/19/canederli/. Is it on your website? Would love to get that recipe, Grazie mille!
Sorry for the broken link. Here’s the update link: https://memoriediangelina.com/2009/10/29/gnocchi-ai-funghi/
But do be aware that this post is one of my oldest, so the recipe is a bit, shall we say, loose. I’ll put it on my list to update in the current format.
Just want to let you know how much I look forward to your posts. I was fortunate to have lived with my husband in Rome and Perugia for extended periods of time. I discovered the wonderful world of Italian cuisine during our first sojourn in Rome. On my first open air market visit in Rome, an apron-wearing Nonna handed me a small bouquet of herbs as we completed our purchase at her vegetable stand. I had no clue what to do with that little bundle, but I soon learned it held the key to unlocking exquisite flavors of my now favorite cuisine. Ironically, my first Italian cooking classes were taught by an Italian professor who hated to cook. She was single and had just adopted an orphaned nine-month-old baby boy from England. I was his nanny and Lucia insisted I prepare a multi-course lunch for him daily–pasta or rice with marinara, pureed beef or chicken, zucchini, fruit and cheese. Everything was freshly cooked and nutritious. Just as I learned about traditional Roman cuisine from Lucia, I am still learning about regional cuisine from yourwonderful web site.
Buon natale!
Alica White
Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Alica! And yes, I remember the days when I’d get some extra “odori” from our local market vendor after I got recognized as a “cliente fisso”… Good times. The story about the professor who purportedly hated to cook but yet knew how to make delicious dishes just tells me how engrained food is in Italian culture. So glad you’re enjoying and getting benefit from the site. Thanks so much for your readership!
any chance of passatelli recipe ??,by the way love the site .
Yes indeed, it’s on my list… Should be coming soon!
Ciao
I always admired the dinnerware my nonna had which now belongs to me after my nonne passing. That which is seen in many of your photos resemble them. I wish to keep nonna’s dishes packed away for protection but would love to purchase ‘everyday’ dishes that look similar. Could you please direct me to who you purchase your dinnerware from so that I may purchase from them as well? I see that the Ceramica Direct you have in the ‘links’ section have gone out of business 🙁
Much appreciation,
Kandis
Yes, some of the dishes I use here on the blog were inherited from my nonna, too! No doubt from the same era. Those, I fear, are probably irreplaceable. Thanks for letting me know about Ceramica Direct. That’s a shame. Sadly, my other source for Deruta dinnerware has also gone out of the business—and I haven’t bought any new Deruta is a while so I’m not sure who to recommend at the moment. I would Google “Deruta” and see what you come up with. The pattern I have is called “Raffaelesco”.
Hi Frank, Thanks to my son in Bury St Edmunds in England, I , have discovered this world you have created – living in Hermanus, near Cape Town in South Africa I can indulge myself even more.
I have something to share – Tomato, chopped or whole. Whilst cans are great, preserve most of the good an are so convenient, I bottle my own. Its a different world. Wait till the tomatoes you grow are ready or those on the shop shelf are in season. Skin them, roughly cut them, and boil gently till most of the water is gone!. Then bottle them. You have to do this properly of course. The difference is the world. You can add stuff, but its not necessary because you will add your flavours anyway.
Thanks,
John
Welcome, John! Hope you enjoy the blog. You’re so right about growing your own tomatoes. You’re lucky to be able to—sadly our backyard is too shady for tomatoes…
Hello Frank,
I love your approach and recipes-and refer to your site often, and do receive notice via email of your postings.
Each time that I have tried to support your work, whether(this day) selecting Pay Pal , and then trying Amex, it does not work. A fault message comes up- “SP19”.
I hope that this is helpful to you-
Be Well,
Susan
Sorry for the inconvenience, Susan! Unfortunately you’re not the first person to be having problems with that widget. It seems to work for some people but not for others. I’m looking for a replacement, stay tuned! And thanks so much for your kind words and willingness to help out with the costs of maintaining the blog. 🙂
Thank you Frank. I first found your page when I was learning how to grill baby octopus, and your recipe is the best I’ve ever found. I came across it again when I was trying to figure out how to recreate the scottadito I had in Rome, and I think you gave me the secret: lard! So I owe you one.
I tried to pay off my debt by clicking on the “make a contribution” button, but I don’t like paypal. Long story, political differences. Anyhow I wish you had other options for contributing. Venmo? Direct credit card payments? I’d be happy to take advantage of other options. Best wishes, Julian
I’m delighted to hear you’re finding the blog so useful, Julian! And I really appreciate your willingness to chip in on the expenses. I understand about the contribution button. And you’re not the only one who’d prefer another payment service. I’ve been searching for a widget but still haven’t found one…
Frank,
I read on your site today about ‘rough’ Italian wine at the home table. I know exactly what you are talking about!:)
Many many decades ago, my Italian boyfriend Invited me to his family’s Sunday dinner. I was surprised that they served their wine with 7 Up until I realized later that the wine wasn’t so good. A relative of my boyfriend gifted me with his “best” homemade wine. It was only a little bit better than the former.
Of course I accepted these wines graciously. Thank you for your wonderful recipes and commentaries of Italian food and culture. It is hard to pull away from your writing!
Carol in Canada
Wonderful story, Carol! And I’m delighted you’re enjoying the blog.
Frank, your wed page and recipes are wonderful. Please give us a print recipe icon…
Thanks, Andrew! You can actually find a print recipe button in (almost) all my recipes if you look in the upper right-hand corner of the recipe card, which you’ll find at the end of each post. Some of the older blog posts don’t have a recipe card, but most do. If there’s a particular you’re interested in and it doesn’t have a recipe card, let me know…
I thought lawyers were the worst people on the planet but after reading your cooking blog I am reconsidering!
I guess I should be flattered, lol! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Fantastico. Thank you very much. Greetings from Israel.
And thank you for your readership, Renee!
Hi all,
I live in Australia and am a descendant of Italian immigrants and love Italian food. Although I already enjoy cooking many traditional foods I absolutely love and look forward to your posts as we all know of the many regions and foods of Italy.
What a great site. I love it. Thank you.
Ciao.
Ovidia
Frank – forgive me – a typo in my comment Fran vs Frank – great post –
I really enjoyed your site and would love to be added to your email list. Thank you!! 🙂