I’m all for convenience when it actually makes life simpler. But it’s always been a mystery to me why people buy those jars of wretched “spaghetti sauce” that line our supermarket shelves, when you can make real tomato sauce with only a tiny bit more time and effort. I … Read More
Risotto primavera (Spring Risotto)
Well, Spring is finally here! All those lovely seasonal vegetables that are just beginning to arrive in the markets, the kind that Italians call primizie—asparagus, baby artichokes, fresh peas in their pods—are beginning to make their appearance in the local markets. There are so many ways to enjoy these vegetables, … Read More
Finocchi gratinati (Fennel Gratin)
I love fennel. It may, in fact, be my favorite winter vegetable. Personally, I mostly like fennel eaten raw, either dipped in bagna cauda or in some seasoned olive oil as part of a pinzimonio, or—best of all—just as is, as ‘dessert’. Its refreshing anise taste and crisp texture seems … Read More
Funghi in pastella (Mushroom Fritters)
I was so very pleased to read in the paper the other day that frying need not to be bad for you, especially if you fry in olive oil. The news didn’t come as a surprise—I had always figured if Angelina managed to live to be 98 eating fried foods … Read More
How to Dress a Salad “all’italiana”
The proper dressing of a salad has got to be one of the most overlooked techniques in all of cookery. For many people, a salad is something so common that it hardly merits thinking about. But there is actually a kind of art to this everyday task that can really transform … Read More
Radis, beurre et sel (Radishes with Butter and Salt)—A Study in Culinary Balance
I’ve been convinced for a long time now that really good cooking basically comes down to two things: technique and balance. The first requires some skill but can be learned by most people with enough practice, practice, practice. The second is more subtle and elusive. Yes, there are some basic … Read More
Polpette di melanzane (Eggplant Meatballs)
The cooking of Puglia, the region that encompasses the ‘heel’ of the Italian peninsula on the Adriatic Sea, deserves to be much better known. It practically defines the Mediterranean diet, with a strong focus on simply prepared fruits of the sea and fresh produce like fava beans, cime di rape … Read More
Frittata di zucchine (Zucchini Frittata)
A frittata is another one of those dishes that lends itself well to the dog days of summer: quick and easy to prepare, amenable to eating hot or cold, and it keeps well, overnight or even longer. And, of course, it can accommodate an almost infinite variety of fillings that … Read More
