Dark Chocolate Cake: fudgy and simple! I’m constantly on the hunt for delicious, easy to prepare dark chocolate layer cake that uses ingredients you almost always have on hand. So far my favorite is the flourless Torta Caprese but it’s also nice to have a great recipe for a classic rich dark chocolate layer cake….
Cuisine
Whole Grain Farro Nut Bread
Whole Grain Farro Nut Bread Farro is an ancient grain that dates back 7000 years and is a mainstay of the Italian diet. It’s especially prevalent in the land-locked Umbria region, just north of Rome. Farro has a crunchy, chewy and delicious texture and is wonderful in soups and as a substitute for rice in…
Pappardelle and Wild Boar Sauce
Pappardelle and Wild Boar Sauce is my favorite dish on cold winter days! There are many dishes that I love but make infrequently because they just take too much time to prepare. I found that a pressure cooker allows me to prepare these dishes in a flash and enjoy some of the things that I normally…
Deep-fried Artichokes
Carciofi alla Giudia, or deep-fried Roman globe artichokes, are one of winter’s most delicious side dishes. As the artichoke fries it opens up like a flower and yields a gorgeous golden-brown artichoke. The leaves are crispy and delicious and the inside flesh is tender and wonderful. Deep-fried artichokes are easy to prepare; the most important…
Pumpkin Gorgonzola Risotto
Pumpkin Gorgonzola Risotto is the perfect blend of flavors for a creamy and delicious risotto! I love just about all cheeses but if I had to pick one as my favorite it would be Gorgonzola. Gorgonzola has a long history dating back to around 880 A.D. Its exact origin isn’t certain and there are many theories…
Creamy Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs
There’s nothing better than a one dish meal and this soup certainly satisfies everything you’d look for: fabulous taste, protein, vegetables, and warm creaminess. I first made this recipe with a group of culinary aficionados who get together twice yearly to experiment with new recipes. Originally the recipe appeared in an Oregon-based newspaper, the Oregonian,…
Chocolate Truffle Treats
My sister Laurie made these Chocolate Truffle Treats for a recent cookie exchange party and as she described them to me I knew they were a winner! Then when I saw a picture of them I was completely sold. The flavor is so rich and delightful, and incredibly chocolatey, you think you’re eating truffles….
Pioppino mushroom soup with pancetta, spring peas, and green onions
So often what I make for lunch evolves right then and there with ingredients I have on hand and from the garden. Today was one of those days. It’s starting to feel just a tad on the chilly side, the sky is gray and rain for the next week is in the forecast so I’m…
Beet and Ricotta Gnocchi with Wilted Arugula & Toasted Walnuts
Beet and Ricotta Gnocchi with Wilted Arugula & Toasted Walnuts Anything made with beets provides a beautiful splash of color, great flavor and of course tons of nutritional value. One of my favorite lunchtime dishes is gnocchi. I love to make potato gnocchi with all kinds of sauces, or ricotta gnocchi with spinach, broccoli rabe,…
Stinging Nettle Fettuccine
Stinging Nettle Fettuccine is a gorgeous way to add color to fettuccine! Sometimes foraging happens purely by chance. Yesterday was one of those occasions when my husband and I went for a country walk in our neighborhood and came upon a huge amount of stinging nettle growing in a wooded area. Stinging nettle is not…
White beans, tomato and rosemary soup
White beans, tomato and rosemary soup What makes almost all Italian dishes so delicious are two simple things: first, fresh seasonal and good-quality ingredients. Second, the use of very few ingredients so that each ingredient has a chance to participate in the luscious flavor of the dish. White beans, tomato and rosemary soup is a…
Oven Roasted Fresh Figs, Gorgonzola and Walnuts
It’s a chilly beginning of January and I just devoured bruschetta with scrumptious oven roasted figs, Gorgonzola and walnuts. It might strike you as odd that I have figs in January but my passion for figs drove me to devise a wonderful way to have figs year-round. In mid-summer, and then again in September, when…