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
Fettuccine al salmone affumicato (Smoked Salmon Fettuccine)
I love smoked salmon. It is so incredibly versatile, delicious and good for you, too. And it adds a touch of elegance to any dish in which it appears. Who could ask for more? One of our favorite weeknight dinners at home is this simple Smoked Salmon Fettuccine. If you’re … Read More
Frittata ai carciofi (Artichoke Frittata)
The frittata is one of those categories of dishes, like risotto, where the main ingredient, in this case egg, can act as a foil to an almost infinite variety of flavors, being it meat, fish or vegetable. So by learning a single technique, you open up a whole new culinary … Read More
Risotto al radicchio e Saint-André (Risotto with Radicchio and Saint-André Cheese)
Risotto with Radicchio and Saint André Cheese is a dish that should prove that vegetarian dishes can be perfectly satisfying, even indulgent: a risotto made with vegetable broth, and flavored with a wonderful combination of bitter radicchio with the creamy savor of Saint-André cheese. Ingredients Serves 4-6 500g (1 lb) rice … Read More
Pasta a risotto (Pasta Cooked in the Manner of Risotto)
One of the guilty pleasures that I have never, up to now, revealed to a living soul is my penchant for late-night pasta snacks. But not just any pasta, but pasta a risotto, or pasta risottata: pastina of the kind usually used for soups, cooked like a risotto, in just enough … Read More
Lasagna di Carnevale (Angelina’s Lasagna)
Among Angelina’s generation, each of the female family members had a special dish that she was known for. My great-aunt, Angelina’s sister, who we called zi’-zi’ (loosely translated, ‘auntie’), was the ravioli specialist. Another great-aunt, zi’ Annin’, was known as “the little pie-maker” and yet another specialized in calzone pugliese, … Read More
Gnocchi al gorgonzola (Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce)
It’s Thursday, and the Romans out there will know that Thursdays in Rome (and perhaps in the rest of Italy, I’m not entirely sure…) is gnocchi day: giovedi’ gnocchi as the saying goes. Today’s offering is gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. Here’s how you make this incredibly rich and unctuous … Read More
Polenta pasticciata con fagioli e verza (Baked Polenta with Beans and Cabbage)
It’s a shame to throw away leftover polenta. There are so many delicious ways to use it. As mentioned in an earlier post on how to make polenta, it hardens as it cools and can be sliced into squares or other shapes, then grilled or fried. But my favorite way … Read More