Topic Italian Cuisine
Clam Pizza with Smoked Tomato Sauce
This is one of my all-time favorite pizzas. It makes a gorgeous appetizer for an outdoor dinner party, both in flavor and presentation. Smoky tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella give
Continue Reading→
Pesto
There’s nothing quite like pesto pounded by hand with a pestle. It fills the kitchen with the most delightful fragrance, gives your arms a nice workout, and is indescribably more tasty
Continue Reading→
Italian Sausage Pizza with Roasted Red Peppers, Olives & Rosemary
I wish I didn’t have such a penchant for pork products of all kinds. (Well, it’s a little stronger than a penchant, but probably less than an obsession.) Because when
Continue Reading→
Pizza Margherita
Simple dishes, like a Pizza Margherita, require impeccable ingredients. My French Chef Instructor used to say, “You can’t make a good soup out of garbage.” Or something like that.
Continue Reading→
Gnoccho Fritto con Affetati
My mother taught me at a very young age how to eat and still maintain the integrity of one’s lipstick. So, when Signor Morandi served me my first plate of
Continue Reading→
Stripper Affogato di Gelato
An affogato di gelato, or “gelato drowned by espresso”, is a simple, entertaining finish to a meal. Ah, but an affogato presented in a stripper shot glass procured from the
Continue Reading→
Braised Rosemary Chicken with Green Olives, Raisins and Capers
Braising is insanely easy and tastes even better the second day, which makes it an ideal dinner party dish. A good braise depends on a flavorful braising liquid and
Continue Reading→
Convivial Dinner Party: Winter Supper for Close-knit Friends
Warm up an otherwise cold January evening by gathering a few close friends for supper. Stoke up the fireplace, turn on Paolo Conte, light a zillion candles, and feast
Continue Reading→
Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Chardonnay & Risotto alla Milanese
I confess. Until recently, I’d always dismissed Risotto Milanese as just a side dish — something buttery other than mashed potatoes; something to hold up a lamb shank. While leafing through the tasty pages
Continue Reading→
Risotto alla Milanese
A few weeks ago, while thumbing through the butter issue of Saveur, a photo of Risotto alla Milanese jumped off the page. Traditionally from Italy’s northern, buttery half, Risotto alla Milanese is
Continue Reading→
Ossobuco (Osso Buco) in Bianco alla Milanese with Gremolata
Braised dishes are my all-time favorite bunker-down, snuggle-up fare. Even with April coming next week, it’s still raining (nix that … it’s now snowing), a touch chilly, and gray outside, so I’m
Continue Reading→
Tosco-Americano and Polpettini di Carne
Recipes are narratives that speak of their cooks. If you can’t meet my friends, know them through their food,” – Faith Heller Willinger in her new book, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover. It’s
Continue Reading→
Easy Pizza Dough – Make It/Freeze It
5 ingredients, 5 minutes in the Kitchen Aide, 5 pizza crusts. Article and Recipe Updated January 2008 Article and Recipe Updated May 2012 I’ve been experimenting with pizza crust recipes and methods for years. The more complicated
Continue Reading→
Florentine Crostini Bar
We thought it might be fun to have a small gathering of foodie friends over this weekend for crostini and Italian wines. Crostini are tasty little crowd-pleasers — specialty ingredients
Continue Reading→Pollo di Carnevale
Pollo di Carnevale is a splendid country dish of braised chicken with wild mushrooms, herbs, green olives and a rich, tomato-laced sauce. The recipe is pilfered from Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s The Splendid Table,
Continue Reading→Wine Pairing: Ragu de Nobili & Wilridge Nebbiolo di Klipsun
A popular legend unfolds the tale of an Italian monk who tended a small garden and vineyard near his hut, producing just enough food and wine for himself. One morning
Continue Reading→
Wine Pairing: Ricotta Tortellini & Le Grillaie Sangiovese
Jove, the Roman God (aka Zeus – his Greek identity), blessed the Italians with Sangiovese (literally “Blood of Jove”). He had a scandalous love affair with a beautiful, young Tuscan woman, which
Continue Reading→Wine Pairing: Grilled Crostoni & Vernaccia di San Gimignano
The Pairing: Grilling food not only boosts its own taste level, but it’s a great way to spike it toward wine-friendly territory. Vernaccia di San Gimignano is an alluring white wine
Continue Reading→
