Pasta Piccata
One of my favorite dishes is piccatina di vitello al limone, which translated, means veal piccata. Realizing I had no meat in the refrigerator and not wanting to go…
Pasta
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
This is a simple pasta dish that can be ready in the time it takes for the spaghetti to cook. The original Roman version uses guanciale (cured pork jowl),…
Macaroni and Peas
When I was growing up, we called “all” pasta maccherone, regardless of its shape. My grandmother made this particular recipe with spaghetti and canned peas. I use orecchiette instead…
Capellini and Clams
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Canned clams are an economical, low-fat source of protein and can be used to make soups, stews and pasta dishes. I use wild-caught, Maine Whole Cherrystone Clams for this…
Tortellini Salad with Red Pepper Hummus Vinaigrette
This boldly flavored warm pasta salad is a crowd-pleaser and a great dish to bring to a potluck. The Kalamata olives compliment the red pepper hummus and for more…
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…
Orzo Chicken & Fruit Salad
Whether it’s a simple meal for game night, a light lunch with the girls or the solution to what to bring to a potluck pool-party, this orzo salad works…
White Lasagna
Besciamella, a classic white sauce (known as bechamel in French), consists of flour, butter, milk, salt and a pinch of nutmeg and is widely used in Italian cooking. This…
How to Grate Nutmeg
Nutmeg, the healthy spice that takes a back seat to your everyday spices for much of the year, comes out swinging during the holidays. This seemingly seasonal spice is…
Pasta con le Sarde
Of all the delicious dishes (dolci excluded) I have enjoyed in Sicily, my most memorable meal is Pasta con le Sarde. My mother and I were vacationing in Italy.…
Pappardelle Pasta
My inspiration for this dish begins with pappardelle (large, very broad, flat pasta noodles, similar to wide fettuccine, originating from the region of Tuscany), and comes from my friend…
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil is the most basic way to sauce pasta. In a country where it is quite common (the norm actually) for the same pasta…
Roasted Cauliflower Penne & Pinoli
I love, love, love cauliflower! This dish is so Sicilian with the pine nuts (pinoli) and currants (passoli) but you can certainly substitute chopped walnuts and raisins if that’s what…
Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage
A basic brown butter sauce is easy to prepare and adds a depth of flavor and richness to this dish without overpowering the gnocchi. The secret is to only…
Fresh Ricotta Sauce
One hot summer, (hot for California, not so much for Arizona) I was searching through my pantry and refrigerator for the makings of a quick summer meal. The result…
Ricotta Gnocchi
Gnocchi (pronounced neeyo-kee) are small dumplings. They should be light and have a soft texture not dense and rubbery (often the case in many restaurants). In Italy, gnocchi are eaten…
Carbonara for One
Pasta alla Carbonara is a simple dish consisting basically of pasta, bacon, cheese and raw eggs. Some recipes (not the original) add cream. The original Roman version is quite…
Pasta Milanese with Saint Joseph’s “Sawdust”
This pasta dish is a classic for New Orleanians of Sicilian descent. It is the ritual meal (a cena di San Giuseppe) that is traditionally served on March 19th…
Melanzane e Spaghetti Torta
So, you have an eggplant, half a box of spaghetti, a pound of ground beef and need to make something that will feed six hearty appetites. This eggplant and…
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Sometimes it’s okay to play with your food. Traditional, no … Fun, Yes! Ingredients: Spaghetti Meatballs Use a thick spaghetti, not thin like capellini, insert into cooked meatballs.…