Tuscans are known for being the biggest bean-eaters in Italy, so much so that they are sometimes called mangiafagioli in Italian. But Romans are no slouches in the legume department, either. They love fava beans, of course, and they make a mean pasta e lenticchie, for example, even if the … Read More
Fagiolini alla panna (Creamed Green Beans)
When most people (myself included) think of Italian style green beans, fagiolini in umido (green beans in tomato sauce) is likely to come to mind or perhaps fagiolini all’agro, a simple green bean salad. Here is a less well known but perfectly delicious dish from Lombardia that I recent came … Read More
Pommes Frites: the original “French” Fries
Deep fried potatoes, which in the US usually go by the misnomer “French fries“, have suffered from association with fast food and the modern aversion to deep fried foods in general, but a well-made batch of pommes frites is one of the tastiest ways to prepare potatoes. And while they … Read More
An Italian Cookout
For many Italians, Summer means outdoor grilling, just as it does for much of the rest of the world. An Italian cookout is more or less like any other, but with some distinctive dishes and approaches. The meats are grilled simply, with minimal rubs and sauces, if any, and there’s … Read More
Spinaci ripassati in padella (Sautéed Spinach)
Here’s a ‘master recipe’ for one of the most common techniques in Italian cookery for preparing vegetables, particularly green, leafy vegetables. The technique is called rispassato in padella or saltato in padella or simply in padella for short, which literally means ‘tossed in the skillet’ and could be translated into English as ‘sautéed’. As … Read More
Angelina’s Green Beans with Onions and Mint
Although our favorite way of having green beans when we were kids, especially in the summer, was in umido, or stewed with tomatoes, Angelina had another nice way of making green beans with sautéed onions and mint. As it turns out, at least according to this article, the recipe is … Read More
Céléri rémoulade
I normally like my salads with a simple oil and vinegar dressing in the typical Italian manner, but once and a while I get the urge for one of those rich and creamy salads like cole slaw or Russian salad … or this French classic: céléri rémoulade, shredded celery root … Read More
Piselli alla romana (Roman-Style Peas)
Now piselli alla romana may be the shortest post I ever write, as this tasty and elegant side dish is about as simple as a recipe can get, short of boiling water. Ingredients Serves 4-6 as a side dish 1 large bag (approx. 450g/16 oz) of frozen peas, or the equivalent … Read More
