We all know that breaded cutlets and chops, whether veal, pork, lamb or—that all American favorite—chicken, make for awesome eating. But did you know that vegetables can prepared as cutlets, too? And if you ask me, eggplants are the perfect veg for the purpose; they turn out round perfectly round cutlets, … Read More
Supplì (Roman Rice Croquettes)
Supplì —deep fried rice croquettes—are a classic Roman antipasto. Along with olive ascolane (meat stuffed olives), they are a fixture on pizzeria menus all over town, a little something to nibble on while you wait for your pizza. Supplì are obviously very close cousins—more like siblings, really—of Sicilican arancini, but while … Read More
Taralli pugliesi
It is said that the three pillars of Puglia’s agriculture are wheat, wine and olives, and all three make their way into this simple but tasty Puglian snack. Flour, white wine and olive oil are mixed to make a simple dough, formed into rings and, much like bagels, briefly simmered and … Read More
Sciatt (Buckwheat Cheese Fritters)
Sciatt are cheese-filled buckwheat fritters from the Valtellina, the same region where the buckwheat pasta pizzocheri come from. The cheese used for sciatt, Valtellina Casera, is also typical for dressing pizzocheri. Although they share the same basic ingredients, the two dishes could hardly be more different, a wonderful example of how method can create incredible … Read More
Crostini di fegatini (Tuscan Chicken Liver Crostini)
Crostini di fegatini—bread slices topped with a savory chicken liver paste—are the iconic Tuscan antipasto. In this version from Giuliano Bugialli’s classic work, The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, the liver paste is flavored unusually with juniper berries, a touch that Bugialli says evokes the autumn hunting season. Whether or not … Read More
Frittata di zucchine al forno (Baked Frittata with Zucchini)
Baked frittata is an awesomely easy alternative to the traditional fried frittata. There’s no need for any tricky flipping of pans or worrying if your eggs are getting burnt on the bottom while they’re still runny in the middle. The oven’s even, multidirectional heat avoids those pitfalls. You can bake your … Read More
Fiori di zucca fritti (Angelina’s Fried Zucchini Blossoms)
Zucchini is everywhere in our markets in the summer, but zucchini blossoms are another story. They are awfully hard to find. Forget about supermarkets, a better bet is your local farmers market—and even then you may need some luck. So your best bet is to grow your own zucchini, and then you’ll … Read More
Zucchine «a scapece» (Piquant Fried Zucchini)
There are four quintessential Italian summer vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and zucchini. Of these, zucchini seems to get the least respect, maybe because zucchini plants are so incredibly prolific. New zucchini can literally sprout from one day to another, and the production can really get out of hand. I remember that … Read More