Is there anything more comforting than baked pasta? If there is, I haven’t come across it yet. And while some pasta al forno dishes in the Italian repertoire—especially the two ‘star’ lasagne dishes, the South’s lasagna di carnevale and the North’s lasagne alla bolognese—are elaborate affairs, there are everyday versions that … Read More
Sugo di carne (Meat Sauce)
When you mention Italian meat sauce, most people will immediately think of those monuments of Italian cooking, the ragù alla napoletana and the ragù alla bolognese. Those sauces that require hours of cooking and fairly elaborate preparation. These time-consuming ragù are, quite rightly, reserved for special occasions. Ragù alla napoletana is often … Read More
Viennese Goulash
For some reason, I must be feeling nostalgic for my Vienna days as I keep coming back to the dishes I made during those years. Perhaps it’s the cold weather that calls out for the hearty cooking of Mitteleuropa. In any event, here’s another favorite from that time and place: … Read More
Stracotto alla fiorentina (Tuscan Pot Roast)
Some readers may remember last winter’s post on brasato al vino rosso, the wonderful red wine pot roast from northern Italy. Well, today we turn our attention to central Italy to present Tuscan Pot Roast. This dish, more specifically from Florence, is called ‘stracotto’, which literally means ‘overcooked’. Like a brasato, red wine goes … Read More
Carbonnade à la flamande (Beef Braised in Beer)
Today is Columbus Day so, of course, I decided I would make a Belgian meal… 😉 One of my favorite Belgian dishes is carbonnade, a wonderfully deep-flavored dish of beef braised in onions and beer. It is simple but satisfying, just the kind of cooking and eating that I like … Read More
La pizzaiola (“Pizza-Maker’s” Beef)
La pizzaiola is one of the pillars of everyday Neapolitan cuisine. This simple dish is a great solution for times when you want solid sustenance but don’t want to cook anything elaborate. A bit like slapping a piece of meat on the grill, only tastier. The name of the dish, carne … Read More
Bistecca alla fiorentina (Steak Florentine)
People don’t always associate steak with Italian cooking, but in fact, one of the glories of Tuscan cuisine is a simply prepared Porterhouse steak, grilled rare, over a wood fire: bistecca alla fiorentina, or literally Steak Florentine. The dish is so typical that if you ask for a fiorentina in a restaurant … Read More
Straccetti di manzo con la rughetta (Beef ‘Rags’ with Arugula)
One of the most iconic dishes of Roman cookery, straccetti con la rughetta, or ‘little rags’ of beef with arugula, is also one of the simplest of all to prepare. The technique is quite close to an Asian stir-fry and, like a stir-fry, it takes literally only seconds to prepare. … Read More
