There are four quintessential Italian summer vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and zucchini. Of these, zucchini seems to get the least respect, maybe because zucchini plants are so incredibly prolific. New zucchini can literally sprout from one day to another, and the production can really get out of hand. I remember that … Read More
Insalata caprese all’americana (American-Style Caprese Salad)
Long time readers of Memorie di Angelina know that we pretty much stick to tried-and-true traditional Italian home cooking on this blog, but every once in a while, I get the urge to be creative. This week’s post is one of those rare occasions. Here’s an American style variation on a … Read More
Carbonara di zucchine (Zucchini Carbonara)
As a longtime resident of Rome, carbonara is one of my very favorite pastas, but in the warmer weather it can be a bit heavy. One way to lighten things up is to make a vegetarian carbonara: substitute the pancetta (Italian bacon) with a vegetable, in this case zucchini, which has … Read More
Insalata di cozze (Mussels Salad)
It’s hard to think of an easier way to prepare mussels than this one. The mussels are steamed in white wine, shelled and then dressed with a lightly seasoned variation on the classic Italian oil and vinegar salad dressing. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if you like a … Read More
Melanzane a funghetto (“Mushroom-Style” Eggplant)
Don’t let the name of this dish fool you, there are no mushrooms in melanzane a funghetto, also known by its Neapolitan dialect name, melanzane «a fungetiello» The name refers to the way in which the eggplant is cooked, reminiscent of the classic sautéed mushrooms. Like so many of the … Read More
Pollo all’ischitana (Ischia-Style Chicken)
After last week’s look at gnocchi alla sorrentina, Sorrento’s classic gnocchi dish, let’s travel across the Bay of Naples to the lovely island of Ischia. During our years in Rome, Ischia was one of our favorite spots for a getaway from the city. A bit less touristy and more rustic than … Read More
Gnocchi alla sorrentina (Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella)
Potato gnocchi are pretty filling, the kind of food you may associate with the cooler weather. But, in fact, you can enjoy gnocchi all year ’round. They are delicious with pesto, for example, or with a simple tomato sauce. In fact, one of the classic Campanian summer dishes is gnocchi … Read More
Authentic Bruschetta: A Basic Recipe
Bruschetta is a dish of such astonishing simplicity that you might say it’s not even worth blogging about. After all, the basic recipe for authentic bruschetta is nothing more or less than grilled bread, rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with a sprinkling of salt. And besides, there are … Read More