Carnival time was traditionally the last chance to have meat before Lent. The very word carnevale comes from the Latin expression carne levare, loosely meaning to “say goodbye to meat”. Indeed, martedì grasso or Fat Tuesday is still celebrated with a large meal featuring meat-laden dishes like the Neapolitan lasagne di Carnevale. And yet, perhaps the most iconic Italian dishes for Carnival actually come … Read More
Passatelli in brodo
The region of Emilia-Romagna in north-central Italy is home to some of the most exquisite fresh egg pastas in the country: tortellini, tagliatelle, lasagne, cappelletti, gramigna, garganelli… as well also many more you probably haven’t heard of. The region boasts 23 different shapes of pasta in all! No wonder that, … Read More
Piadina romagnola
When I think of the Italian flatbread called piadina romagnola, or just piadina for short, my mind inevitably brings me back to a trip in the early 90s to the beach at Rimini. I was actually living in Paris at the time, and the sun and surf and gentle breezes … Read More
Gramigna con salsiccia
Gramigna is a delightful curlicue shaped pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The word means Bermuda grass in Italian and I suppose the pasta does rather resemble it, if you make liberal use of your imagination. There are various ways to dress gramigna, but surely the best known is … Read More
Erbazzone (Savory Greens Pie)
Erbazzone is a savory vegetable pie from Reggio-Emilia in Emilia-Romagna. Greens are sautéed with onion and pancetta and enriched with Parmesan cheese, encased in a crust made from an unleavened dough of flour and water enriched with oil or lard called pasta matta, and then baked. Simple, honest food, made from humble ingredients in … Read More
Fragole all’aceto balsamico (Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar)
As I’ve written about before, dessert in our house tends to be nothing but a piece of fruit. But once in a while, I like to jazz things up a bit. And, truth be told, even if they usually look appetizing, most fruit in these times of industrial agriculture needs help in the … Read More
Lasagne agli asparagi (Asparagus Lasagna)
A good dish of lasagna is one of the most satisfying meals I can imagine. But, to be honest, a dish of classic lasagna, whether it a southern style lasagna di Carnevale or a northern lasagne alla bolognese can be a bit on the heavy side, especially as the weather starts to … Read More
Il Gran Bollito Misto (Mixed Boiled Meat)
We usually think of boiled meat as a by-product of making broth, a humble if comforting dish for parsimonious souls. But in northern Italy, particularly in the Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna, they’ve transformed the dish into a regal spread. Traditionally, a true Gran Bollito Misto includes seven different cuts (tagli) of beef … Read More