Like many people, we do a lot of grilling in the summertime. More often than not, especially when I’m grilling for a crowd, I opt for a grigliata mista or mixed grill, with its tempting spread of sausages, pork, lamb, chicken and more. But when I’m grilling for myself and … Read More
Gulasch triestino
Italians make goulash? Yes, indeed they do. As we’ve observed before, the regions of Italy that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, in particular Alto-Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia, and to a lesser extent Lombardia, retain many traces of its influence. And nowhere perhaps is this more apparent than … Read More
Carne cruda all’albese
It might be controversial in some circles, but I absolutely love Steak Tartare. There’s something about raw meat that scratches a primal culinary itch every now and again. Italians have their own take on the dish from the region of Piemonte called carne cruda (meaning simply “raw meat”), which is … Read More
Polpette di bollito (Breaded Boiled Beef Balls)
One of the pleasanter dilemmas I face on a regular basis is what to do with leftover boiled beef. In all but the hottest months, making homemade broth is a Sunday evening ritual for me. With the advent of electric pressure cookers, it’s now more or less effortless, and homemade … Read More
Girello al limone (Eye Round in Lemon Sauce)
Girello al limone is an unusual dish from Edda Servi Machlin’s fascinating cookbook, The Classic Cuisine of the Italian Jews: Traditional Recipes and Menus and a Memoire of a Vanished Way of Life. This recipe was, for me, full of surprises. I was not quite sure what to expect from … Read More
Trippa alla fiorentina (Florentine Style Tripe)
It seems many of us have lost our taste for “variety meats” these days. It wasn’t that long ago—as I remember, well into my young adulthood—that you could find fresh veal and chicken liver, kidneys, tongue and yes, tripe in more or less any supermarket. Now you have to search … Read More
Brasato ai funghi (Italian Pot Roast with Mushrooms)
While I’m not a vegetarian, meat doesn’t play a very central role in my diet. Usually at least. There’s something about the late autumn and winter that brings out the inner carnivore. When the colder weather sets in, there’s nothing better than a good pot roast. We’ve featured brasato, the northern … Read More
Angelina’s Polpettone (Angelina’s Meatloaf)
Yes, Italians make meatloaf. They call it polpettone, or a ‘big meatball’, which is, in fact, what it is if you think about it. It’s made from essentially the same mixture of minced beef and pork (and optionally veal), lightened with bread and flavored with garlic, cheese and parsley that you would use to make … Read More
