Venice isn’t really pasta country. As Hedy Giusti-Lanham and Andrea Dodo put it in their lovely 1978 cookbook The Cuisine of Venice and Surrounding Northern Regions, now sadly out of print, “In and round Venice, a series of polenta dishes will be mentioned first, then some rice dishes and at … Read More
Castagnole
Carnival time was traditionally the last chance to have meat before Lent. The very word carnevale comes from the Latin expression carne levare, loosely meaning to “say goodbye to meat”. Indeed, martedì grasso or Fat Tuesday is still celebrated with a large meal featuring meat-laden dishes like the Neapolitan lasagne di Carnevale. And yet, perhaps the most iconic Italian dishes for Carnival actually come … Read More
Capesante alla veneziana (Venetian Style Scallops)
Scallops happen to be one of my very favorite seafoods. But in the years I was living in Italy, I didn’t eat them very much. If fact, if memory serves, I don’t recall seeing them on menus or in the markets in Rome, where I lived.* Seafood is ubiquitous in … Read More
Carpaccio di salmone affumicato (Smoked Salmon Carpaccio)
Here’s an elegant yet quick and easy starter that would fit perfectly into just about any menu: Carpaccio di salmone affumicato, or Smoked Salmon Carpaccio. Classic carpaccio, of course, is made with thinly sliced beef. But the term carpaccio has evolved into a kind of passepartout for any number of … Read More
Sgroppino
This Venetian invention is often described in English language sources as a “cocktail” but it’s actually sorbet, whipped together with champagne and vodka to form a kind of cold mousse. Originally intended as a palate cleanser between courses of an important dinner, today a sgroppino is typically served as dessert/digestivo … Read More
Insalata di polpo (Octopus Salad)
Octopus seems to be enjoying something of a boomlet in popularity at the moment. Until very recently I could mostly find fresh octopus only at specialty Spanish or Italian fishmongers, but these days it seems to be everywhere, even making an occasional appearance at the fish counter in my local … Read More
Fritole alla veneziana (Venetian Carnival Fritters)
In Italy, Carnival, that last blast of excess before the austerity of the Lenten season, is known for fried foods of all sorts, especially sweet ones. I grew up on Angelina’s chiacchiere, the fried dough ribbons typical of southern Italy and beyond, but in Venice and nearby Trieste, they make fritole, … Read More
Spaghetti al nero di seppia (Spaghetti with Squid Ink)
Have you ever tried squid ink? I’d venture that many of our readers, Italian food lovers that you are, haven’t, but it’s really worth getting to know. Squid ink has a unique “earthy” flavor, silky mouth feel and alluring jet black color that couples perfectly with pasta. I find it … Read More