Pepperazzi
A peppadew is a sweet little pepper, about the size of a cherry tomato, with a spicy attitude. They are commercially grown, processed and packaged in the Eastern Cape…
merende
Caramelized Onion & Fig Crostata
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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…
Limoncello Chicken Skewers
We know that lemon and chicken complement each other but add fresh and fragrant Limoncello to the recipe and your guests will compliment you! Limoncello (lee-mohn-CHEH-loh) is an Italian lemon…
Mini Italian Sausage-Stuffed Peppers
A sandwich of Italian sausage, onions and peppers is typical street food of my beloved Sicily. I have served and eaten it on many occasions, from various local and…
Caprese Bite
My Caprese bite is a natural for merenda, just that one perfect bite of a classic! They are easy to make and great to have on hand for a…
Fettunta Toscana
Fettunta Toscana, a traditional Tuscan style bruschetta, is grilled rustic bread with tomatoes and basil. The quality of the ingredients are paramount for this simple yet satisfying snack (Merenda).…
Un Raviolo
Ettore Boiardi, born in Piacenza, Italy came to America when he was just 16 years old. He started his career in the kitchen of the Plaza hotel in New…
Bruschetta with Ricotta Fresca & Balsamic Drizzle
Bruschetta is simply yesterday’s bread given new life with a fresh topping of some sort. Italians don’t waste bread; I think it might even be a sin. The type…
Baked Ricotta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
In Sicily, Ricotta di Pecora, (sheep ricotta) is made from the milk of the local sheep, it is not a cheese but a fresh dairy product made from the…
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Delicious dishes don’t have to be complicated, as is the case with this classic combination of melone e Prosciutto (melon and Prosciutto). Starting off many an Italian meal, this…
Cipollini
Little onions, (cipollini) look like ping-pong balls that have been slightly flattened. These little bulbing onions originated in Italy and are harvested 100 days after planting. They have a…
Gorgonzola e Pera
By law and tradition, Gorgonzola is made exclusively with milk from cows raised in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions (borders Switzerland) of Northern Italy. This blue-marbled cheese (similar to…
Watermelon Gorgonzola & Balsamic Drizzle
In Italy, watermelon is the most prominent fruit of the summer. After spending a day in the hot summer sun, there is nothing quite so refreshing as a cold…
Golden Polenta with Prosciutto
Sur La Table is a national cookware store that also offers cooking classes. Last month for our “date night” Jack and I attended a class in Scottsdale, Arizona, called…
Bruschetta
“A table without bread is like a day without sunshine.” This Sicilian saying refers to the poverty of the past (faded but not forgotten) where a loaf of bread…
Mini Orzo-Stuffed Peppers
This is the mini version of my Orzo-Stuffed Peppers. Just the right size for merenda (snack). Serve them as a delicious first course or bring a tray of peppers…
Carciofi alle Brace (Char-Grilled Artichokes)
As Pellegrino Artusi, the best-selling nineteenth century Italian cookbook author said, “everyone knows how to cook artichokes on a grill”. Well, if you haven’t attempted it yet, here’s your opportunity…
Roasted Crunchy Cece (Chickpeas)
The tradition of nibbling on salty snacks while sipping a glass of wine or aperitivo (cocktail) and sharing a plate of appetizers with friends is not a recent phenomenon.…
Merenda (Small Bite)
In Italy, merenda is a nourishing “Small Bite” in it’s simplest form defined by the season, varies from region to region and is based on a respect for natural…
Polpette con Limone
Meatballs with lemon are lighter than my traditional meatballs with red sauce. By making them smaller (about the size of a walnut) they are just the right size to…