Pairing pasta and vegetables is common throughout Italy, but it is probably fair to say that no region puts so much emphasis on this classic combination as Campania, the southern Italian region from which Angelina hailed. Campanians are so associated with their love of vegetables that they used to jokingly … Read More
Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe (Orecchiette con cime di rapa)
A quick pasta dish with vegetables that you can whip up in less an 30 minutes, Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe makes for a fine meatless dinner, with cheese and fruit for dessert. It’s pretty typical of the kind of thing we like to eat in our house on a weeknight when there’s … Read More
Fagiolini in salsa di acciughe (Green Beans with Anchovy Sauce)
Some people, I’m told, have an aversion to anchovies. That’s too bad, because it’s hard to think of a more savory “condiment” for your dishes. The ancient Romans used garum, a sauce derived from anchovies that still lives on today in the form of colatura, they way we use salt, … Read More
Pallotte cacio e uova (Cheese and Egg Balls)
An iconic dish from the Abruzzo region in the cucina povera tradition, pallotte cacio e uova—cheese and egg balls—probably got its start as a way to use up leftover bits of cheese and stale bread. The mixture is then bound together with egg and formed into balls and, just like … Read More
Lobster «Fra Diavolo»
As regular readers will know, it’s become a traditional here at Memorie di Angelina to feature an Italian-American dish every Columbus Day weekend. This year’s entry is Lobster Fra Diavolo, or “Brother Devil’s Lobster”. A distant cousin to Southern Italian seafood and pasta dishes like spaghetti allo scoglio, its pairing … Read More
Macedonia di frutta (Italian Fruit Salad)
Macedonia di frutta, or Italian fruit salad, is one of the most typical of summer desserts in Italy, often served with some lemon sorbet. But a macedonia can be made any time of year, with almost any combination of fruits in season. Ingredients Fresh fruit in season, trimmed, peeled and cut … Read More
Gattò di patate (Neapolitan Potato “Cake”)
Another example of the French Bourbon legacy in Neapolitan cooking, this gattò—from the French gateau—is a savory potato ‘cake’ made of mashed potatoes enriched with eggs, butter and grated cheese, a mixture you may remember from our recipe for crocchè di patate (Potato Croquettes). The filling for this cake is … Read More
Affettati misti (Italian Cured Meat Platter)
One of the most iconic ways to start a holiday or other important Italian meal is with an assortment of cured meats, called salumi in Italian, thinly sliced and arranged artistically (or not) on a serving platter. Each diner then helps themselves to the ones that appeal to them most. … Read More
