One of my fondest taste memories from my childhood was a bread we used to call “Anzogna bread” (the name, I am told, is a dialect word for lard). My grandparents would buy it at a local bakery in the Italian neighborhood they lived in. These days, sadly, it’s very … Read More
Involtini di asparagi e pancetta (Asparagus and Pancetta Rolls)
For a quick and easy, but elegant, starter or even a light main course, these little roll-ups of asparagus and pancetta (Italian bacon) are hard to beat. And it’s tasty, too! Cured pork and asparagus is one of those taste combinations that were just meant to be. This is just … Read More
Pesce al forno con patate e carciofi (Roasted Fish with Potatoes and Artichokes)
Fish and vegetables are a fabulous combination. We’ve already posted about fish and potatoes—a classic–as well as the less well-known fish and fennel. Now that spring is here, let’s take a look at another great pairing: fish and artichokes. Like the other combinations we’ve seen, the method is very simple: … Read More
Risotto primavera (Spring Risotto)
Well, Spring is finally here! All those lovely seasonal vegetables that are just beginning to arrive in the markets, the kind that Italians call primizie—asparagus, baby artichokes, fresh peas in their pods—are beginning to make their appearance in the local markets. There are so many ways to enjoy these vegetables, … Read More
Asparagi alla milanese (Milanese Asparagus)
Asparagi alla milanese, or Milanese asparagus, might just be the best known asparagus dish in the Italian repertoire. True to its Northern roots, it features butter and cheese, whose sweetness is the perfect offset to the somewhat astringent, slightly grassy taste of asparagus. A ‘sunny side up’ fried egg completes … Read More
Crocchette d’agnello e bieta (Lamb and Swiss Chard Croquettes)
About this time of year we often find ourselves facing the same culinary conundrum: what to do with leftover lamb? I have always thought that throwing food away was almost criminal, but, truth be told, it is hard to know what to do with leftover lamb. It tends to develop … Read More
Carciofi trifolati (Sautéed Artichokes)
The trifolati technique is one we’ve seen before on this blog. And although it is probably most often associated with mushrooms, you can make many different non-leafy vegetables using the same basic technique: slice it and sauté it in garlic and oil, and season with salt, pepper and finely chopped … Read More
Cotolette alla milanese (Milanese Veal Chops)
One of the pillars of Milanese cuisine, cotoletta alla milanese is nothing more than a breaded veal chop browned in butter. It’s so typical, in fact, of the cooking of Milan that if you just ask for ‘una milanese’ in a restaurant in Italy, this is what you’ll be served. Simple … Read More