What is it about Christmas that has inspired the invention of so many sweet morsels across so many different cultures? Cookies above all. I suppose it may have something to do with the fact that Christmas is the ultimate holiday for kids. And, to paraphrase that old song, it doesn’t … Read More
Crostata di ricotta e visciole (Roman Sour Cherry and Ricotta Tart)
One of my culinary ‘discoveries’ during my recent trip to Rome was crostata di ricotta e visciole, a Sour Cherry and Ricotta Tart. I put the word in scare quotes because I didn’t discover anything new at all. This crostata is a classic dessert in the ebraico-romano tradition going back … Read More
Torta salata di zucca (Savory Pumpkin Pie)
Well, autumn is well and truly upon us. And there’s no vegetable that marks the new season quite like the pumpkin. Even here in the US, where food markets have almost entirely lost their sense of seasonality, you can still count on the appearance of pumpkins and other hard squashes … Read More
Clafoutis di ciligie (Cherry 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
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
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
Frandura di Montalto (Ligurian Potato Pie)
I learned about this week’s dish, a Ligurian potato pie called frandura di Montalto, from fellow food blogger Josephine Wennerholm, author of one of my favorite Italian cookery blogs, Frascati Cooking That’s Amore. Jo, who lives in the Alban Hils outside Rome, says she learned about frandura on Italian TV … Read More
Involtini di verza con merluzzo e patate (Cod and Potato Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
It may come as a surprise to some, but Italians make stuffed cabbage. The dish, which they call involtini di verza or cabbage rolls, is especially popular in the central and northern regions of the country. If you’ve traveled to Italy as a visitor, however, you may not have come … Read More