This iconic Roman dish called la vignarola is a ‘medley’ of spring vegetables made from spring onions, fava beans, artichokes, peas and tender lettuce, flavored in typically Roman style with a bit of guanciale. If there’s one Roman dish that says “spring on a plate”, this is it. Admittedly, prepping the vegetables, … Read More
Abbacchio alla romana (Roman Style Roast Lamb)
Abbacchio alla romana, Roman Style Roast Lamb, or abbachio alla cacciatora as it is called by Romans themselves, is perhaps the most iconic main course for Easter dinner in the Eternal City. The preparation is a simple pan roast in the Italian manner, with a twist. You cut up the … Read More
Carciofi alla giudia (Roman Jewish-Style Artichokes)
Carciofi alla giudia, or Jewish-style artichokes, are one of the signature dishes of Roman Jewish cooking. Even if a lot of Roman cookery—especially the pasta dishes like cacio e pepe, carbonara and amatricana—have become international staples, other iconic Roman dishes, especially the vegetable dishes like this one, remain stuck in … Read More
Agnello brodettato (Roman Easter Lamb Stew)
In Italy, as elsewhere, lamb—especially the milk-fed baby lamb called abbacchio—is strongly associated with the spring. Roman cookery in particular has a wonderful assortment of lamb dishes like the grilled rib chops known as scottadito, the lamb roasted with potatoes known as abbacchio al forno con le patate, as well … Read More
Tiramisù alle fragole (Strawberry Tiramisu)
Tiramisù is one of those desserts everybody’s tried, and it seems just about everyone loves. But did you know that there are seasonal riffs on the classic recipe? Tiramisù alle fragole, or Strawberry Tiramisù, makes that iconic springtime fruit the star of your dessert. The technique is just like the … Read More
Pasta con asparagi e gamberi
If you’re looking for a quick and easy pasta dish, pasta con asparagi e gamberi, or Pasta with Asparagus and Shrimp, will certainly fill the bill. The asparagus and shrimp cook in the time it takes for the water to come to the boil and the pasta to cook. Dinner … Read More
Risotto agli asparagi (Asparagus Risotto)
These days you can find asparagus in the market all year round but, for me, they signify Spring. I enjoy preparing this most noble and toothsome of Spring vegetables all sorts of ways: simply dressed with oil and lemon as an antipasto or side dish, puréed for dressing pasta or … Read More
Torta Pasqualina (Easter Pie from Liguria)
Savory pies and enriched breads figure prominently on the Easter dinner table. We’ve already featured a couple Neapolitan examples on the blog: the casatiello and the incredibly rich pizza rustica. Today we head north to Liguria to present another classic savory pie served around Easter time: la torta pasqualina or, “Easter Pie”. … Read More