Tweet Like magic, my yard awakens! Seemingly, overnight, tiny buds emerge where only dead limbs existed just a few short weeks ago. I am continually amazed at the vegetation in ...
Spotlight Recipes
Marsala-Poached Pears
Tweet The Sicilian city of Marsala, (from the Arabic “Mars-el-Allah,” meaning the ...
Ricotta Gnocchi
Tweet Gnocchi (pronounced neeyo-kee) are small dumplings. They should be light and ...
Mangia Bene!
Potato & Onion Frittata
Growing up, I remember my mother making a frittata of potatoes and onions. It was never served for breakfast or a fancy brunch, rather it was our evening meal. This dish along with bell peppers and eggs (another “meatless” meal), appeared often during Lent. A frittata is always a good answer anytime the question is, […]
Artichoke lemon & Pistachio Pesto
This light and bright pesto is simply perfect for spring and after you taste it you will want to keep some on hand. Initially, I was going to make a basil pesto, but I would have had to strip my little plant of most of its leaves. So, I searched the pantry and decided to use […]
Asparagus Tart
Asparagus is my favorite spring vegetable! When tossed with ravioli it becomes a lovely light lunch and combined with lemony chickpeas creates a perfect picnic salad. If I’m in the mood for a small bite, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus enjoyed with a refreshing glass of Prosecco or limonata is a splendid way to take pause and count […]
Cuccidati Crostata
Every year it seems our stash of Sicilian Christmas cookies are gone way too soon. So, this past Christmas, I saved some of the filling to make another small batch for Easter. Not feeling like baking, I came up with this crostata instead. It’s a perfect pairing with an afternoon coffee or for a special […]
Handmade Cappuccino
In Italy, coffee is more than a beverage, it’s an important part of every day life, a social phenomenon, a religious experience and one more reason Italy is suffering during this global pandemic. However, when at home, the Italian way of brewing coffee begins with the iconic Moka Pot. Unless you are a tea drinker […]
Triple Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
I have posted many biscotti recipes over the life of this blog. There are traditional family favorites as well as those I’ve been inspired to create. Although a few contain chocolate in them, such as, bittersweet chocolate blood orange and fig walnut and chocolate, I have never made a “chocolate” biscotti … until now. So, […]
Lemon-Roasted Asparagus & Ravioli
Spring is the season for asparagus. Crops are harvested from late February to the end of May, with April being the height of the season. This is a simple recipe that is perfect for a light spring meal. The asparagus is roasted in lemon and olive oil, tossed with your favorite cheese ravioli and dressed […]
Andouille Pasta
My mother, who was born and raised in New Orleans, used a spicy sausage in certain dishes, such as, jambalaya, but never with pasta. So, I decided I’d give it a try. Using the ingredients I had on hand I came up with this recipe. This is a very flavorful pasta dish to wake up […]
Pistacchio Biscotti
Pistacchio Di Bronte, the pistachio grown on the western slope of Sicily’s Mount Etna, is harvested only in odd years. If you missed 2019’s crop, the next harvest will be in 2021. Pistachio trees are alternate bearing, producing heavy crops every other year. Farmers remove the flower in “off” years to allow the tree to […]
Meatballs and Sauce
My maternal grandmother did not cook from recipes. I never saw her open a cookbook. To my knowledge, she didn’t have any. The meals she prepared were committed to memory. The cooking that took place inside her small kitchen was a direct result of what was in her pantry and the fresh fruits and vegetables that […]
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