This was an enjoyable process. I love making crepes and crespelle—pouring in the batter and twirling the pan. They cook very quickly so making 8 or 9, as the recipe calls for, takes no time at all. I stacked them … Continue reading →
I knew I needed help for my challenge with Pomodori e Vino this week. We are making Gnocchi! ~So I called my chef-to-be son in for support. We are starting into a new chapter with several kinds of gnocchi… who … Continue reading →
Thinking of the clam risotto, I am so happy because I know I can get beautiful, fresh, local clams, easily. They are actually farmed in the bay by a friend of ours and don’t need very much scrubbing at all. … Continue reading →
Are y’all ready for an essential recipe? This week’s challenge for Pomodori e Vino is Risotto with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Luckily I was able to carry some real Parmigiano -Reggiano back from Italy. FYI~you can bring back cheese that is wrapped and … Continue reading →
This is most certainly NOT a Rachel Ray recipe but it is as rich and wonderful as it is time consuming. Luckily for me I had my trusty, well-trained assistant, Kathryn, to help me out. I trimmed and cooked the … Continue reading →
Making fresh pasta was not daunting to me (I’ve done it many times) but the prospect of forming about 144 tortellini was. I solved the problem by inviting my friend, Cecelia and my daughter, Kathryn to play, too. The recipe … Continue reading →
To taste Bologna in a bowl, make this simple recipe. Marcella calls for sausage out of the casings without any fennel or strong spices. If you’ve been following the blog, you know that it’s not that easy to find. Instead … Continue reading →
This week’s challenge for Pomodori e Vino is ‘Borro Oro e Salvia’ ~Golden Butter and Sage~ Doesn’t that just sound like a pinch of heaven? I have some lovely sage in the garden. This recipe couldn’t be simpler. First you … Continue reading →
This recipe had a really special aspect to it. Early on, I realized that, not only would I be in Venice to make it(I would never have been able to find Botarga in Tallahassee) but that Sandi would be there, … Continue reading →
Don’t y’all just love it when timing is just perfect? It doesn’t happen often in life. This week’s recipe from ‘Essentials of Italian Cooking’ came at the perfect time. I was in Montisi with a garden FULL of fresh Italian … Continue reading →
Pasta with caramelized onions. A fantastic idea! Totally rich, sensual in the mouth and delicious. Because I am in Venice, I bought some beautiful flat white onions—cipolle. I used butter to slowly stew a whole bunch of onions (about 6 … Continue reading →
Ricotta and Eggplant Sauce~ Sicilian Style This recipe, like all the others in ‘The Essentials of Italian Cooking’, takes simple ingredients and layers them into a mouthful of flavors. Marcella says she likes using cartwheel pasta ‘route di carro’~ it … Continue reading →
This tomato sauce is perfect. Simple, fresh tasting and perfect. Since we are not yet in local tomato season, I opted for canned San Marzano tomatoes. The vegetables are onions, celery and carrots–sounds like the beginnings of a French sauce … Continue reading →
We just missed this dish for Easter~ Stuffed Lettuce Soup is the traditional Easter dish on the Italian Riviera. I can’t imagine the Mac’s kitchen if I had announced I was bringing lettuce soup stuffed with a baby lamb. It … Continue reading →
La Jota soup is a recipe from Trieste and reflects as Marcella says “the earthy accent of its Slavic origins.” I really didn’t expect to like it but in the end it was a very satisfying, hearty and flavorful supper. … Continue reading →
