Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
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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…
merende
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…
Spinach Ricotta Fritters
Fritters are essentially a mixture of ingredients that are either pan-fried or deep-fried. They can be breaded or battered and contain just about anything such as, fruit (apple fritters),…
Salame Dolce
Italians, as a rule, do not eat dessert after a meal, choosing perhaps a piece of fruit instead. However, it is a well-known fact that we find time “between”…
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This is another example reminding us that food does not have to be complicated to be good. A perfect bite of slightly sweet fig jam smeared on grilled rustic…
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Frittata is the Italian word for omelet. I often use the words frittata and omelet interchangeably but, technically they are different. A frittata is flat with the ingredients mixed…
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Grilled Vegetable Antipasto
Grilled eggplant and zucchini are layered with just enough ricotta to add a subtle creaminess with very little fat. Packed in individual ramekins, these colorful stacks make for a…
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Carpaccio is a very simple Italian starter. Traditionally, it is made with thinly sliced high quality raw sirloin. I use a rare thinly sliced roast beef rather than raw,…
Brussels Sprouts Bruschetta
Anyone who knows me well, will tell you that this is a favorite breakfast of mine. Once a week, I roast a pound or two of these little cruciferous…
Marinated Mozzarella
Marinated mozzarella balls are perfect for Merende (small bites). You have probably seen them in the deli section of your local supermarket but before you even consider placing them…
Roasted Potato & Fennel Frittata
Last night’s dinner was a simple rosemary-roasted chicken with vegetables. Having spent much of the morning gardening, this first meal of the day needed to be quick and easy.…
Crostini vs Bruschette
Crostino in Italian means crouton – small pieces of toasted bread. Crostini are thin slices of toast smeared with a pate or a spread of some kind. Crostini may…
Rosemary-Roasted Grapes
I’m certain you have probably roasted a chicken, cuts of beef and various vegetables, but have you ever roasted fruit? Roasting fruit intensifies its natural sweetness and is a…
Fresh Ricotta & Strawberry Bruschetta
Another batch of homemade ricotta, a basket of fresh-picked strawberries and the taste of summer is just a bite away! My mid-morning pick-me-up, all I need is a cappuccino and…
Summer Squash A Scapace
“A Scapece” is a two-step method of preparing vegetables. First, le verdure (vegetables) are fried, then marinated in vinegar overnight. Typically, they are served as Merende or as a…
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A potato salad in Italy is quite different from a salad by the same name here in the states. Consisting of boiled, cooked and peeled potatoes, this salad is…
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Passoli e pinoli (currants and pine nuts) are commonly used in many Sicilian dishes. Currants are black Corinth grapes that have been dried like raisins, only they are much…
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