Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite dishes, and one I make a lot when we have our summer garden.You can roast or grill the eggplant, but it doesn't yield the same flavor and texture satisfaction that frying does.Everyone has a different idea on how to prepare eggplant for frying: peel or not, salt & drain first,...
First Course
Spaghetti Carbonara with Artichoke Wedges
The inspiration for this Spaghetti Carbonara with Artichoke Wedges recipe came from the March 2021 issue of the Italian culinary magazine, Sale e Pepe. I tweaked it to fit my own taste and it’s absolutely delicious. The addition of artichokes to the recipe takes it to another delicious level by adding seasonal globe artichokes. It’s...
Cacio e Pepe with Pear Slivers
There's nothing tastier than cheese with pears and Cacio e Pepe with Pear Slivers exemplifies this magical pairing to the fullest. There’s a saying from the 1200’s about the delightful pairing of cheese with pears: "Dio non ha mai fatto un matrimonio così riuscito, ossia il connubio tra pera e formaggio." - God has never...
Quick & Easy Chicken Pot Pie
I think perhaps the most quintessential comfort food is a hearty, creamy, quick and easy Chicken Pot Pie. Chicken Pot Pie remains in my memory from childhood as something warm and delicious and comforting, so much so that decades later I still think about it with longing. Chicken Pot Pie isn't something I have fond memories...
Zucchini Parmesan and Prosciutto
Zucchini Parmesan & Prosciutto is a deliciously gooey and cheesy dish that makes great use of all your summer garden zucchini. No frying or precooking needed! It’s not fair to call zucchini a weed but in many ways it acts like one in the garden. It self-propagates from year to year from any seeds left...
Spaghetti with a Spicy Tomato Anchovy Sauce
, Spaghetti with a Spicy Tomato Anchovy Sauce is one of my favorite pasta dishes and incredibly easy to make! If you think you don’t like anchovies you might actually change your mind once you try them in this dish. They’re not the hero ingredient here but instead they add rich flavor and wonderful umami...
Spring Ravioli: Stinging Nettle and Ricotta Filling with Spring Peas, Fava Beans & Asparagus
I’m still strongly in foraging mode, and stinging nettle is abundant. Along with seasonal spring vegetables I’ve thrown all these ingredients together to make a wonderful spring ravioli recipe. We're in that magic moment of springtime when there’s an abundance of newly harvested fava beans and spring peas, and wild asparagus. It’s wonderful to be able...
Penne or Rigatoni all'Amatriciana
Amatriciana sauce in the making... Amatriciana or matriciana, the sauce is still the same: rich, spicy, with crunchy bits of guanciale. The name varies based on who's trying to lay claim to this pasta sauce's origins. The sauce is supposedly named after the town of Amatrice in the Appenine hills to the North East of...
Homemade Cavatelli
Homemade Cavatelli are one of the wonderful homemade pastas so typical of the poorer areas of southern Italy, like Puglia. In the past eggs were scarce, so farmers and home cooks made do with eggless pasta dough. Cavatelli are made with a semolina flour and water rather than with all purpose, or “00" flour that's used for...
Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce
Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce is a wonderful southern Italian dish typical of the coastal area of the Puglia region. We order everything online now that we are in lockdown which is infinitely safer than going to a grocery store ourselves. The one caveat with our favorite store is that orders must be for...
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce (alle Vongole)
Italy has such delicious clams that spaghetti with clams is always one of my top choices when we eat out. It's also something I make at home frequently. It's easy to prepare and I have a few magic ingredients that make this dish extraordinary. Everyone you serve it to will ask what you do to make...
‘Nduja Spaghetti with Slivered Zucchini and Arugula
‘Nduja Spaghetti with Slivered Zucchini and Arugula I have to be honest that it never crossed my mind to make pasta using ‘nduja, a delightful spicy Calabrian spreadable pork paste, and I have to thank my friend Michele (@mangiawithmichele) for the inspiration. Everyone is cooking differently now that we’re in coronavirus “shelter in place” mode and...
