Castagnole

Frankdessert, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Toscana, Umbria, Veneto32 Comments

Castagnole

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

FrankEmilia-Romagna, pasta, primi piatti, Soups42 Comments

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

FrankEmilia-Romagna, snack35 Comments

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

FrankEmilia-Romagna, pasta, primi piatti38 Comments

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)

Frankantipasti, Emilia-Romagna46 Comments

Erbazzone

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