Recipes

Salmon in a Pouch Recipe and a hands on Cooking Class

January 25, 2011
Thumbnail image for Salmon in a Pouch Recipe and a hands on Cooking Class

Although salmon is not a native Italian fish, and is rarely seen on restaurant menus in Italy, it lends itself well to Italian preparations. In this recipe, it is baked in a pouch, which is an easy and forgiving way to cook fish, ensuring it will turn out moist and flavorful. The presentation is impressive and your guests will ooh and ahh both when the y see it as well as when they taste it.

Read the full article →

Classic Tuscan Ribollita Soup

January 17, 2011
Thumbnail image for Classic Tuscan Ribollita Soup

Now when your local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm delivers a mountain of kale, you’ll know what to do with it. Both of our girls enjoyed this soup. In fact, our oldest, 11 year old Gabriella, brought it to school in her thermos for lunch and said that all of her friends were jealous. It is very easy to make and freezes well if you’ve made more than you need.

Read the full article →

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

January 10, 2011
Thumbnail image for Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Roasted potatoes are perhaps the ultimate comfort cold weather food.. What makes this dish Italian are the seasonings. The combination of garlic and rosemary is the distinctive aroma of Italian roasts. Breathing it is as one enters the house makes one’s mouth water in anticipation. For me, it is the smell of tranquility.

Read the full article →

Italian New Year’s Tortellini Recipe

January 3, 2011
Thumbnail image for Italian New Year’s Tortellini Recipe

In the Italian region where our family is from, Emilia Romagnia, a traditional New Year’s dish is Tortellini or Cappelletti: small filled pasta that is shaped, according to some, like a Bishops hat. Cappelletti means little hats, and New Year’s, Capo di Anno, is the hat or head of the year so it is an obvious pairing. They are at their best in a homemade meat broth but they are also delicious served with a cream sauce. However you choose to enjoy them, they are a delicacy to look forward to all year long.

Read the full article →

How to Make Homemade Pasta

December 28, 2010
Thumbnail image for How to Make Homemade Pasta

Making pasta dough by hand is simple. Do not be discouraged by the length of my instructions. I have tried to describe as clearly as possible the method. With a little practice it will easily become second nature and you will have finished dough in less than 15 minutes.

Read the full article →

Easy Holiday Cookies

December 20, 2010
Thumbnail image for Easy Holiday Cookies

The recipe is so easy that, other than putting the cookies in the oven and taking them out, the kids can do most of it themselves. This is something the kids can make to give as a “gift”, and they are so tasty that even the most discriminating grandparent will be pleased.

Read the full article →

Panettone: The story of Italian Christmas Cake

December 16, 2010
Panettone picture

As in all recipes Italian, everyone believes that either they or their mother makes it the best. In the case of Panettone the competition almost came to blows in the 1930’s. Trying to out produce each other, two Milanese bakeries Motta & Alemagna, learned how to make the cakes industrially. Because of the competition, the price of panettone, once only eaten by the wealthy dropped and became inexpensive enough for everyone to enjoy it at Christmas. As Italians immigrated to other parts of the world, they brought panettone with them and it now can be found everywhere.

Read the full article →

A Chocolate Cake with Diplomacy

December 13, 2010
Thumbnail image for A Chocolate Cake with Diplomacy

Happily for Giuliano, one of our favorite holiday desserts does not need to be baked… Called diplomatico, it is a rich and creamy chocolate mouse cake that is foolproof, hence the name. It is frosted with whipped cream, providing a perfect canvas for decorating, which is, of course, the children’s job.

Read the full article →

Holiday Rack of Lamb Recipe

December 6, 2010
Thumbnail image for Holiday Rack of Lamb Recipe

This elegant rack of lamb is delectable yet easy to prepare. It is an ideal recipe for when you want to impress your guests without being chained to the kitchen for hours.

Read the full article →

Sautéed Mixed Greens

November 29, 2010
Thumbnail image for Sautéed Mixed Greens

Usually prepared and served out of a small shack that may have a few plastic tables, piadina is a flat bread that is chewy but tender. Until not very long ago it used to be the everyday bread of Romagna. It is baked to order on a griddle (traditionally made of terracotta) and served with a variety of salumi, cured meats, and cheeses. One of our favorite toppings is sautéed mixed greens using a combination of mild and slightly bitter greens. It is both savory and soothing. Even without piadina, it is a side dish Giuliano often enjoys making. Made with Savoy cabbage, Swiss chard, and broccoli rabe, it appeared most recently on our Thanksgiving table.

Read the full article →

Yellow Squash with Grape Tomatoes: A great Thanksgiving side dish

November 22, 2010
Thumbnail image for Yellow Squash with Grape Tomatoes: A great Thanksgiving side dish

Not only do the ingredients look good together, the flavors complement each other perfectly. The simplicity of using only onions and marjoram, and patient sautéing to bring out the sweetness of the squash and grape tomatoes, makes this recipe distinctively Italian.

Read the full article →

Leek and Chickpea Pasta Soup

November 15, 2010
Thumbnail image for Leek and Chickpea Pasta Soup

The leeks give a soft, sweet taste to this hearty soup and the chickpeas add an earthy balance. The prosciutto lends a savory flavor and Gabriella, our oldest, picked out the pieces to eat them by themselves. It is a perfect comfort soup, it takes less than an hour to make from start to finish, and most of the dish can be made ahead of time.

Read the full article →

The secret to making cardoons tender and sweet, a quick and easy fall recipe

November 8, 2010
Thumbnail image for The secret to making cardoons tender and sweet, a quick and easy fall recipe

Of course, most children won’t like anything remotely bitter, but I’ve discovered how to eliminate that bitterness, and our kids, who love artichokes, also love cardoons.

Read the full article →

Radicchio Pasta: A Quick Fall Food

November 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Radicchio Pasta: A Quick Fall Food

One of our favorite methods is to make a pasta sauce with radicchio. When it is cooked, radicchio provides a rich deep flavor to a pasta sauce, and loses some of its bitter flavor.

Read the full article →

Fall Butternut Squash Risotto and the TODAY SHOW

October 25, 2010
Thumbnail image for Fall Butternut Squash Risotto and the TODAY SHOW

“How about making a risotto when I come in fall?” I suggested to my Today show producer.  “How about making two?” she replied.  Why not?  After all, if I’m lucky, I’ll have 4 whole minutes to do them in. Once, I was supposed to do two quick pastas and the time for the segment got [...]

Read the full article →

Veal Scalloppine with Truffles

October 18, 2010
Thumbnail image for Veal Scalloppine with Truffles

The following day, Giuliano decided to top veal scaloppini with shavings of the black truffle. Lael was a bit apprehensive, not sure that the meat would carry the truffle flavor. She quickly changed her mind with the first bite. The delicate flavor of the scaloppini highlighted the earthy qualities of the black truffle. The thin overlapping truffle shavings on top of the succulent still warm meat exuded an aroma that brought all to the table immediately.

Read the full article →

Kiwi Gelato

October 12, 2010
Thumbnail image for Kiwi Gelato

We enjoyed our kiwi dessert with friends during one of the last of the swim parties of the season. The adults were thrilled to “actually taste the fruit” and the older kids were delighted at its revitalizing flavor. A few people went back for extra bowels, next time; we will know to make more.

Read the full article →

Pasta e Fagioli: Comfort Soup

October 7, 2010
Thumbnail image for Pasta e Fagioli: Comfort Soup

In the Veneto, where the texture of the thick and creamy soup is achieved by mixing in some mashed potato, it is traditionally made with borlotti beans (also known as cranberry beans) and bits of egg pasta.

Read the full article →

Fried Bay Scallop Recipe

October 4, 2010
Thumbnail image for Fried Bay Scallop Recipe

The children fed the donkey, played archery, and biked around the neighborhood without need for supervision. I don’t think I saw a Nintendo or electronic gadget from either the kids or parents for the whole weekend. It was a perfect, relaxing, getaway.

Read the full article →

Easy White Rice Recipe

October 3, 2010

This is how my grandmother used to cook rice, and it’s a foolproof easy recipe. I use the same rice I use for risotto, which comes out slightly sticky but I love its starchy flavor. It’s also good with basmati rice or good plain white rice.

Read the full article →

Fusilli with Broccoflower

October 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Fusilli with Broccoflower

When asked about her favorite food, our six-year-old daughter, Michela, invariably names broccoli. The broccoli she’s so fond of is the Romanesco variety. Although it’s fairly new to suburban supermarkets in the United States, Romanesco broccoli has been known in Italy since the 16th century. Grown in the region of Lazio, of which Rome is [...]

Read the full article →

Fusilli with Butternut Squash

October 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Fusilli with Butternut Squash

In Italy pumpkin would be used for this sauce, but I’ve found that butternut squash more closely resembles the flavor of Italian pumpkin than American pumpkin does. This sauce has been a hit with kids. I made this one day when my daughters had playmates over, and the five-to-nine year old crowd unanimously approved it!

Read the full article →

Penne with Peppers, Fresh Tomato and Basil

October 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Penne with Peppers, Fresh Tomato and Basil

I often make a risotto with red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and basil whose enticing colors and aroma make it one of my family’s favorites. The fresh and fragrant combination of flavors makes this dish a great light summer meal.

Read the full article →

Penne with Spinach and Ricotta

October 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Penne with Spinach and Ricotta

It occurred to me that it would make a very nice pasta sauce, so I added a little cream to the mixture and it was delicious — so much so that I’ve been making it just to use as a pasta sauce.

Read the full article →

Tagliatelle with Peas

October 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Tagliatelle with Peas

One of our favorite recipes comes from a restaurant in the Veneto named Il Pompiere. The chef/owner Marco makes an egg pasta dish that is infused with the luscious pea flavor, but only when the peas from Peseggia are in season.

Read the full article →

Italian Meatball Recipe and the results of a meat taste test

September 27, 2010
Thumbnail image for Italian Meatball Recipe and the results of a meat taste test

The verdict was positive. The meat had a rich flavor and a firm texture that spoke of the place where it was raised: much like a wine, its terror.

Read the full article →

Recipe for Grouper Salmoriglio and a Review of Andrea’s Restaurant in Sarasota

September 26, 2010
Thumbnail image for Recipe for Grouper Salmoriglio and a Review of Andrea’s Restaurant in Sarasota

Andrea oversees his kingdom with pride. He visits each table at least once during dinner, wanting to know the diners’ thoughts on his creations and eagerly explaining how he prepared an item. He is in his element if he discovers that a wine connoisseur is in the house. A native of Piedmont, home to some of the most prestigious wines in Italy, Andrea has a magnificent cellar and an impressive collection of Barolos. He literally leaps from the kitchen to assist patrons in choosing the wine that will flawlessly pair with their food.

Read the full article →

Fresh Beet Salad

September 21, 2010
Thumbnail image for Fresh Beet Salad

Beets are often shunned, yet they are a favorite in our home. Baked fresh beets have a rich, sweet flavor that our kids love.

Read the full article →

Dressing an Italian Salad

September 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for Dressing an Italian Salad

“Italian dressing” is about as Italian as spaghetti with meatballs or chicken Tetrazzini. That is, you won’t find any in Italy. Instead of a recipe, we have a proverb for how to dress a good Italian salad.

Read the full article →

A Tropical Aperitif

August 26, 2010
Thumbnail image for A Tropical Aperitif

Welcome to our brand new look!  We are excited about all the new features of our blog.  Recipes, divided according to categories, is an easy way to search or browse the recipes we’ve posted.  Our Forum will be a place for you to share your opinions on a variety of topics and ask questions.  Giuliano’s [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →