Tweet The best way, in my opinion, to eat fichi, meaning figs in Italian, is fresh off the tree. That was how I experienced my first taste of this short-lived ...
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!
Olive Oil Zucchini Bread
Summer squash is abundant this time of year. We have eaten it grilled and oven-fried, in a refreshing cold soup and a marinated salad. If you love zucchini and if you have this prolific vegetable in your garden (or a generous neighbors garden), making this bread is the answer to the bountiful harvest that seems to […]
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 […]
Blueberry Ice Cubes
Last summer, an unexpected trip out of town, found me with a refrigerator full of fruits and vegetables that I did not want to go to waste. So, I roasted the carrots, mushrooms and eggplant and fried up the bell peppers. The fruit was a no-brainer, as it went into the freezer. The berries could be […]
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 […]
Blackberry Balsamic Crostata
Seasonal fresh fruits are nutritious and delicious any time of the year but, I find the berries of summer to be a special treat. They can be added to yogurt, cereal or granola, used in or on your favorite pancakes, transformed into jams or baked into scones. I usually just serve them plain or with a […]
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Traditionally, hummus consists of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (ground sesame seeds), olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. The beauty of the basic recipe is that you can change it up by adding a red bell pepper or substitute another vegetable, such as, artichoke or eggplant for example. I find raw garlic to be a […]
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 […]
Roasted Garlic lemon Cream
Some days it is just too darn hot to cook. This is especially true if you live in the Grand Canyon state of Arizona! So, standing in front of the refrigerator with the door wide open, I stare at the contents looking for inspiration. My first thought was to make a no-cook pasta sauce and […]
Roasted Garlic
I prefer to use roasted garlic in dishes when I want a more mellow, slightly sweet garlic flavor. This is particularly true in those recipes that do not get cooked, such as, hummus, certain salad dressings and sauces. Roasting garlic is super simple and can be used in various ways, such as, adding it to […]
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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