Years ago I had this authentic rustic pasta dish in an old converted farmhouse restaurant near Turin. Loosely translated, Taglierini al Sugo d’Arrosto means “pasta in roast gravy”. It was a very local place and didn’t look like much, but it was packed with truck drivers and a beef roast was cooking in front of an open fire.
Continue reading “Recreating Rustic Taglierini al Sugo d’Arrosto-Pasta in Roast Gravy at home”
I have probably had this conversation with more people than just about any other subject in Italian cooking. The usual comment is, “Isn’t all dried pasta basically the same”? “Are the imported pastas really worth the extra money”?
Continue reading “The Secrets of Premium Italian Pasta: What Makes It Different?”
I think Cacio e Pepe is one of my favorite Italian dishes. When I need a pasta fix, this is my go-to recipe.
Continue reading “Easy Cacio e Pepe Recipe: Pure Italian Comfort Food”
I wanted to build on the puttanesca sauce I posted previously to show how a versatile sauce can be used to prepare multiple dishes. I got the idea to poach some fish in the puttanesca sauce, as I found some really nice turbot at the market.
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This is easy to pull together and has a rich bold flavor. As you’re not frying the eggplant, but rather baking it, the overall result is much lighter than a traditional eggplant Parmesan, and saves a lot of calories. I find the addition of the pesto to the sauce really gives it a wonderful depth of flavor.
Continue reading “Baked Eggplant Parmesan with Homemade Marinara”
Italian food has a wonderful variety of different regions and styles. I have learned to appreciate the uniquness of the various regional cuisines. This is one of those recipes that reflects true home style cooking of Rome.
Continue reading “How to Make Spaghetti alla Puttanesca”To make a really epic pizza, you really only have three key ingredients, dough, sauce and cheese.
All other toppings are a matter of personal choice, but if either of these three ingredients are not spot on, it’s never going to be a brilliant pizza.
Continue reading “How to Make Perfect Pizza Sauce from Scratch”After trying quite a few recipes and much experimentation, I have come to the conclusion that the key to good pizza dough is a cold rise.
I have found that dough which rests in the refrigerator for 24 to 72 hours has vastly more flavor than a quick made dough. Personally, I like a 72 hours cold proof.
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I’ve always been a big fan of crudo sauces that require no cooking. While not a follower of raw food, I do appreciate the healthy qualities. This is a wonderfully light and healthy pasta. The lemon, parsley and walnuts work very well together.
Continue reading “Lemon and Walnut Pasta Sauce Recipe”
If you can get these late summer perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes or Romas, here is my favorite raw, no cook tomato sauce for pasta. The Italians refer to this as a “crudo” sauce, because it is not cooked. Basically it translates as “raw”.
Continue reading “Fresh Raw/Crudo Tomato Sauce for Pasta”