Potato salad is a summer staple on American tables, but if you’re interested in a different take, here’s an idea for you: Potato Tuna Salad. At its most basic, Potato Tuna Salad is a close cousin to that staple of Italian buffet tables, fagioli e tonno. You take slices or cubes … Read More
Sorbetto di limone (Lemon Sorbet)
Along with gelato, sorbetto is *the* classic Italian frozen dessert. And perhaps the most basic. Sorbetto di limone is essentially frozen lemonade: Simple syrup is made by simmering sugar and water together, to which lemon zest is added and allowed to infuse its flavor. When this flavored syrup cools completely, it … Read More
Caponata napoletana
Italian cookery can be confusing. As we’ve talked about before, it’s highly regional and even local, so much so that some people say that there is no such thing as Italian cuisine. I don’t agree, but it is true that there are amazing differences between regions, especially as you travel … Read More
Homemade Limoncello
Everyone likes limoncello. For me, just a sip brings back memories of summer and sand and seafood by the shore. The best limoncello exquisitely balances the pungency of lemon zest and the sweetness of sugar, with just an intriguing hint of bitterness. The quality of commercial limoncello can vary wildly. (I know … Read More
Tomato Tonnato
Vitello tonnato (Tunnied Veal) is one of my favorite summer dishes, but I had never thought about other uses for tonnato sauce until I saw a Facebook post by fellow blogger and Tuscanycious honoree Judy Witts Francini. (You definitely shouldn’t miss her fabulous Divina Cucina website.) Judy’s post mentioned she was going … Read More
Grigliata mista di carne (Mixed Grilled Meats)
If you want to make a big impression at your next cookout, try a grigliata mista di carne , a platter of mixed grilled meats including fresh and cured cuts of beef, veal, pork, lamb and chicken or other poultry. Italians love to grill just like other folks, but the Italian approach to grilling is … Read More
Cotolette di melanzane (Eggplant Cutlets)
We all know that breaded cutlets and chops, whether veal, pork, lamb or—that all American favorite—chicken, make for awesome eating. But did you know that vegetables can prepared as cutlets, too? And if you ask me, eggplants are the perfect veg for the purpose; they turn out round perfectly round cutlets, … Read More
Pesche al vino rosso (Peaches in Red Wine)
Sometimes the simplest things are the best. And today we are featuring peaches in red wine, a dessert that takes practically no effort to make. The fruit is softened a bit with a mixture of sugar and lemon, then bathed in red wine. That’s really all there is to it. However simple … Read More