Tweet In the United States, many of us learned about Thanksgiving in grade school. We were taught that the fifty-three pilgrims (the only colonists to survive the long voyage on ...
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!
Sicilian Sunrise
A colorful libation to begin a delicious day! Brunch is my favorite way to entertain. It can be casual or elegant, yet the atmosphere is always festive, friendly and fun. It is the perfect opportunity to invite newcomers to the neighborhood, celebrate a special occasion or just relax and enjoy with family and friends. The […]
Summer Spaghetti
In Sicilian cooking, green olives and capers go together like pine nuts and currants and the classic combination gives personality to this bursting-with-flavor pasta dish. This is a fresh sauce with no cooking required. The ingredients are merely chopped and combined and rest in the refrigerator overnight. The next day let the sauce come to […]
Almond Ricotta Cake
Much of the baking my grandmother did (usually biscotti) included almonds in some way. The almond tree was brought to Sicily by the ancient Greeks, who considered it to be a symbol of hope. Sicilians love their almonds! Of all the cakes I make, with the exception of Sicilian olive oil cake, this one is […]
Tuna Bruschette
Bruschette is the quintessential small bite and is the perfect choice for summertime eating! The tuna salad can be prepared in advance so, all you have to do is toast the bread. I use Wild Planet Albacore Tuna. Each five ounce can contains 100% pure tuna in large chunk (not bits and pieces) and sea […]
Roasted Baby Eggplant
Roasted, stuffed, grilled and fried, are just some of the methods Italians (particularly southern Italians and Sicilians) use to turn this versatile vegetable into a vast variety of dishes. The smaller, baby eggplants of summer are the perfect side-dish for picnics and potlucks or simply to enjoy al fresco at home. Our recent trip to […]
Insalata Caprese
The Isle of Capri, Italy, situated in the Bay of Napoli, is probably most noted for the Grotta Azzurra, (Blue Grotto) a sea cave that is filled with a brilliant blue light. I was lucky enough to visit this magical place before it became the tourist attraction it is today. If you climb the long and […]
Crostata di Pesca
A crostata is simply an Italian free-form pie or tart, typically filled with a fruit jam or fresh fruit. I like to make them for their ease in preparation, (doesn’t even require a pie pan), as well as their rustic look. For a quick and very easy dessert, you could even use a refrigerated pie […]
Pasta alla Norma
The combination of pasta and eggplant is exclusively associated with southern Italy and principally Sicily. This is a combination I have been using for years in recipes such as, melanzane e spaghetti torta, orzo stuffed peppers and marinated melanzane. As my recent trip to Sicily confirms, there are numerous versions of pasta alla norma, from Trapani in […]
Polpettone con Ricotta
I have made various types of meatloaf and I have made meat rolls using flank steak (braciolone), but I have never made rolled meatloaf before now. Polpettone con Ricotta (Stuffed Italian Meat Loaf) is a recipe I modified from an old cookbook of my mother’s, which she purchased at a church fundraiser. The Italian Catholic […]
Giardiniera
The Italian giardiniera, pronounced jar-dih-NAIR-ah, means from the garden and is a classic combination of vegetables. Cauliflower, red bell peppers, carrots, celery and serrano chili peppers are mixed and marinated in a mixture of vinegar, olive oil and seasonings. Giardiniera, a common term for pickled foods, has graced many antipasti platters, but, if you’d like […]
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