First Courses (Primi Piatti)

Cannellini Bean Soup with Sauteed Swiss Chard

Beans such as cannellini, are an incredible part of a healthy diet because they provide you with a high protein and fiber content without overloading a meal with calories. A…

Mediterranean Grain Bowl

After I was married, the first house my husband and I bought was only a couple of miles away from my mother. Quite often I would stop by for a…
Pasta with Creamy Provolone Sauce

Pasta with Creamy Provolone Sauce

Provolone is an Italian cheese made from cow’s milk. The flavors can range from mild and sweet to sharp, based on the amount of time it ages. This sturdy cheese…

Lemon Risotto

Prior to the beginning of the 20th century, most lemons consumed in America were of the Italian variety and imported from Messina, Sicily, Siracusa, Sicily, and Sorrento, Campania. The Mediterranean…
Parmesan Wafers with Tomato & Bread Soup

Parmesan Wafers with Tomato & Bread Soup

A few crumbles of a good quality Parmesan is a delight to savor. I have taken this Italian treasure of a cheese and turned it into wafers that are a…
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

  There are many cultures in which an egg drop soup is made. Chinese cuisine offers a version, also known as egg flower soup, the Greeks make theirs with avgolemono…
Anchovy Spaghetti

Anchovy Spaghetti

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  Recipes, such as, Cacio e pepe, Capellini and Clams and Spaghetti alla Carbonara, are what I call “Pantry Meals.” Even when the cupboards and frig are seemingly bare, just…
Polpettine Di Cavolfiore

Polpettine Di Cavolfiore

  Cauliflower mixed with cheese and egg, shaped into balls and then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried, are a delicious choice for a first course or vegetarian entree. The traditional…
Zuppa di Broccoli

Zuppa di Broccoli

  This soup has a mere three ingredients … and that’s counting the water! My grandmother made broccoli soup the same way she made macaroni and cauliflower soup. I love…

Antipasti with Tonnato Sauce

  Tonnato is a creamy sauce that is traditionally used with Vitello tonnato, a Northern Italian dish, that consists of chilled, sliced veal and a tuna sauce spooned on top.…
Burrata & Tomatoes

Burrata & Tomatoes

  Burrata is a cream filled mozzarella sack. Invented in Puglia, Italy, as a way to use the scraps of curds left over after twisting balls of  mozzarella. The scraps…
Orecchiette al Ragu

Orecchiette al Ragu

  This pasta dish has a creamy richness with very little fat and serves four generous portions using only half a pound of ground beef. In less than an hour,…
Asparagus Tart

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…
Lemon-Roasted Asparagus & Ravioli

Lemon-Roasted Asparagus & Ravioli

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  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…
Andouille Pasta

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…
Creamy Carciofi Soup

Creamy Carciofi Soup

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  Artichokes (carciofi), can be enjoyed in many ways. I have grilled, stuffed, and fritattafied (not a real word in any language) them. One of my husband’s favorite artichoke recipes…

Risotto al Finocchio

  Risotto should always be made with a short-grain rice because it absorbs the broth without the grains loosing their bite. Carnaroli, vialone nano and arborio are the main varieties.…
Honey Roasted Fennel

Honey Roasted Fennel

  Fennel, a favorite Italian vegetable, customarily eaten raw with a bit of salt, sees the year’s second crop in Autumn. We enjoy it in soups, salads, a creamy bowl…
Sicilian Girl