Clafoutis di ciligie (Cherry Clafoutis)

Frankdessert, summer38 Comments

Clafoutis

Clafoutis is an egg custard fruit tart of French origins, specifically from the southwester region of Limousin. But isn’t this an Italian food blog, you might ask? Well, yes, but clafoutis has become quite popular in Italy. Like so many Italian recipes, clafoutis is both easy to make and absolutely … Read More

Brutti ma buoni

Frankdessert, Lombardia, Piemonte, Toscana24 Comments

brutti ma buoni

Brutti ma buoni, meaning “ugly but good”, is the jocular name Italians give to these nut and meringue cookies originally from north-central Italy (their precise origin is disputed) but now popular all over the country. The recipe is simple enough, though you need to take some care so they come … Read More

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Frankdessert30 Comments

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Father’s Day in Italy is coming up on March 19, la festa di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s Day. This holiday has given rise to any number of special dishes, some of which such as bignè di San Giuseppe and the pasta con la mollica we’ve already featured on this blog. … Read More

Sporcamuss

Frankdessert, Puglia30 Comments

Sporcamuss

I had the delightful confection called sporcamuss in Bari during our trip last April to Puglia. Even though I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, it was love at first bite. Perhaps because it leaned into the rich and creamy with only a passing nod to the sweet? Whatever … Read More

Maritozzi

Frankdessert, Lazio, snack42 Comments

Maritozzi

Roman cookery is probably best known for its world famous pastas like the iconic carbonara, amatriciana and cacio e pepe. But Rome has also made its mark in the world of sweets. While less well known than say Naples’ sfogiatelle or Sicily’s cannoli, Rome’s most iconic pastry called maritozzi is … Read More

Castagnole

Frankdessert, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Toscana, Umbria, Veneto32 Comments

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

Cannoli siciliani

Frankdessert, Sicilia42 Comments

Cannoli

Cannoli are perhaps the most beloved of Italian pastries, a true icon of Italian cookery across the world. So why, you might ask, have I not written about cannoli in over 13 years of blogging? It’s a good question. Perhaps it’s because I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. … Read More