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
Carbonara di carciofi (Artichoke Carbonara)
By now just about everybody on the planet knows and loves carbonara, the most famous of Roman pasta dishes. Perhaps less well known, however, are its variations. As delicious as the original dish is, I do like to mix things up a bit every once in a while. And in … Read More
Polenta concia
It’s that time of year again—the dead of winter, a time when one longs for warming, comforting dishes. In other words, it’s polenta time! And even if this winter has been surprisingly mild around here, I couldn’t let the season go by without at least one polenta recipe. Especially one … Read More
Pasta e cavolfiore alla siciliana (Sicilian Style Pasta and Cauliflower)
Cauliflower is all the rage these days, showing up in all kinds of trendy dishes from cauliflower rice to —Heaven help us!—cauliflower pizza. But Italians have been eating cauliflower for ages before it was “cool”, as a soup or in a salad, sautéed, steamed and sauced, battered and fried, pickled, … Read More
