What is it about Christmas that has inspired the invention of so many sweet morsels across so many different cultures? Cookies above all. I suppose it may have something to do with the fact that Christmas is the ultimate holiday for kids. And, to paraphrase that old song, it doesn’t … Read More
Filoscio napoletano (Neapolitan Mozzarella Omelette)
Filoscio napoletano, Naples’ beloved mozzarella omelette, is the perfect example of what Italians call un piatto salvacena or a “dinner saver”. It means a dish you can throw together in just a few minutes using ingredients that you’ll almost certainly find your kitchen. For those days when you’re too tired … Read More
Pasta allo scarpariello (Shoemaker’s Pasta)
Pasta allo scarpariello is one of those pasta dishes that you can whip up on the fly, in the time it takes to cook the pasta: you lightly sauté garlic in olive oil (add a pinch of hot pepper if you want a kick) then cherry tomatoes, split in half, and … Read More
Scialatielli con frutti di mare
I was in the lovely town of Praiano on the Amalfi Coast recently for a family wedding. There I discovered a rather thick semi-long fresh pasta called scialatielli, served with a delicious sauce of lobster simmered in fresh tomato. It was a most memorable meal, made even more special by … Read More
Spaghettini all’acqua di limone e provolone
Spaghettini all’acqua di limone e provolone—thin spaghetti cooked in lemon infused water and finished with provolone cheese—was invented by Chef Peppe Guida, chef at the Michelin starred restaurant Osteria Antica Nonna Rosa on the Sorrentine Peninsula about 11 km west of Sorrento. In this rather trendy, lighter alternative to the … Read More
Ndunderi di Minori (Ricotta Gnocchi)
This week’s recipe comes to us from the town of Minori on the the Amalfi Coast. Ndunderi, a kind of ricotta gnocchi, are traditionally served on the three feast days dedicated to Minori’s patron saint Trofimena: November 5, November 27 and her main feast day on July 13. But don’t … Read More
Peperoni ripieni di pasta
As we approach the end of summer and autumn produce begins to appear in our markets, it’s easy to forget that, for a few more days at least, it’s still summer. Indeed, even as pumpkins and pears and such make their appearances, summer produce like peppers and tomatoes are still … Read More
Maccheroni positanesi
This week we have another great recipe for you from Jeanne Carola Francesconi: maccheroni positanesi, or Pasta Positano Style. In the tradition of no cook tomato sauces like the much better known pasta al pomodoro crudo, in this recipe the pasta is dressed “a sette sapori“—with seven flavors: tomato, garlic, … Read More