Timballo teramano, one of the signature dishes of the Abruzzo region of Italy, is a kind of lasagna, but a very special one, made with the ultra-thin regional version of crepes called scrippelle instead of pasta. The filling can vary from locality to locality and even family to family, but … Read More
Pasta con zucca e funghi (Pasta with Winter Squash and Mushrooms)
An easy and versatile cold weather dish, pasta con zucca e funghi or Pasta with Winter Squash and Mushrooms, is the kind of pasta that you can prepare in 30 minutes or less. You just put the pot on the boil and start preparing the dressing for the pasta, which … Read More
Pasta alla gricia con carciofi
Our last day in Italy last spring was certainly memorable. The train back to Rome from Bari was cancelled midway through our trip due to a landslide on the tracks and, while we got eventually got there, we had a little four hour “adventure” along the way involving panicked crowds … Read More
Pasta ai peperoni (Pasta and Peppers)
September is here and, for many in the northern hemisphere, the return to work this means autumn is already here. And here in US, last Monday was Labor Day, which. marks the unofficial end of summer. And yet foodwise September is a transitional, you might even say schizophrenic, month. We … Read More
Risotto all’Amarone e ciliegie
This recipe was born out of a challenge. One of my nieces, who lives in Rome, recently took a weekend jaunt to Verona. She had dinner one night at Darì Ristorante & Enoteca, where she tasted and fell in love with their risotto all’Amarone e ciliegie, or risotto with Amarone … Read More
Orecchiette con pomodorini e rucola (Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula)
Here’s my candidate for the quickest and easiest pasta of all time, orecchiette con pomodorini e rucola, or Orecchiette Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula. As many of you will know, orecchiette, literally meaning “little ears”, is perhaps the most iconic fresh pasta of Italy’s Puglia region. Many if not … Read More
Spaghetti all’assassina (“Killer” Spaghetti)
If you follow Italian food trends, you’ve probably heard of spaghetti all’assassina aka “Killer” Spaghetti. From its humble beginnings as a local favorite in Puglia’s capital city of Bari, the dish has morphed into an international hit among foodies in the past couple of years. I’m a bit late to … Read More
Troccoli con cime di rapa e cozze
I’m just back from a two week trip to Italy, where we visited Rome, my old stomping grounds, and Puglia, the southern region where my paternal grandfather Lorenzo was born. It was a memorable trip, my first time back in Rome in years and, believe it or not, my first … Read More