Cicoria, or chicory, also known in English as ‘curly endive’, is a staple of the central and southern Italian diet, or at least so it was traditionally. People from Campania like Angelina were said to be especially fond of leafy green vegetables, so much so that they were sometimes called … Read More
Non-Chef Nick’s Paella mexicana
It’s the 4th of July here in the US and the national holiday naturally makes me yearn for… paella! Well, not just any paella, but paella mexicana, a Mexican-style version inspired by my fellow blogger Non Chef Nick’s latest post on In the Kitchen with Nick. I absolutely love paella. … Read More
Spaghetti con le zucchine (Spaghetti with Zucchini)
As we’ve seen before, pasta and vegetable dishes are a quick and easy solution for weeknight dinners, when you don’t have the time or the energy for anything fussy or fancy. This may be the easiest of them all: Spaghetti with Zucchini. Ingredients Serves 4-6 500g (1 lb) spaghetti 500g … Read More
Spaghetti con pomodoro crudo (Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes)
Summertime is fast approaching, the temperature is climbing, and my culinary imagination is starting to turn to dishes that quick but tasty and require minimal cooking. Here’s one of the ‘go to’ summer pasta dishes in our house: Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes. Ingredients Serves 4-6 500g (1 lb) spaghetti 500-750g … Read More
Zuppa di pesce alla napoletana (Neapolitan Fish Stew)
Italy, being a rather slender peninsula, is a country where the sea is rarely too far away. And, of course, the products of the sea play a major role in its cuisine. And so it is not surprising that zuppa di pesce, or fish soup, is a dish that you … Read More
Risi e bisi (Venetian Rice and Peas)
Sweet, fresh peas in their pods can be hard to find, but when I spotted some in a local market I grabbed them up to make a delicious Springtime dish from the Veneto: risi e bisi, or rice and peas in Venetian dialect. Although it resembles a risotto, the technique … Read More
Linguine con alici (Linguini with Anchovies)
Linguine con alici, or Linguini with Anchovies, is another quick and easy dish for those days when you don’t really feel like cooking but you want to eat something tasty. It’s a riff off of the classic ajo e ojo with anchovies. Ingredients Serves 4-6 persons 400g (16 oz) linguini … Read More
Caserecce e fagiolini (Pasta and Green Beans)
Weeknight dinners at our house much of the time revolve around pasta and vegetables. They are quick and easy, and the combinations are almost endless. For some reason, however, the combination of Pasta and Green Beans is not a particularly common one in Italian cooking, with the notable exception of … Read More