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.
Continue reading “Ultimate Recipe for Cold Rise Pizza Dough”
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”
This is so simple, a classic quick meal in Italian homes. It’s a late night, “come home and throw it together after drinking” pasta called Aglio e Olio. Or as the Romans say, “Ajo e oio”. When I need a quick meal that satisfies and gives me a great garlic fix, this is it.
Continue reading “Quick Italian Garlic Pasta: Aglio e Olio”
This produces some of the best marinara sauce with meatballs I’ve ever tasted, because the sauce actually cooks the meatballs. That’s right, they’re not browned first, just dropped into the simmering sauce and cooked until done.
Continue reading “Homemade Marinara Sauce: Cook Meatballs Right In”
This is a wonderfully rich dish and is one of my favorites. It’s easy to prepare and very satisfying. People are not entirely clear of where this dish originated, but it can be found on menus all over Italy. This is true comfort food.
Continue reading “Creamy Penne Carbonara- Easy Italian Comfort Food:”
This is my interpretation of a meal I had in the Piedmonte region of Italy. We drove for hours into the hills above Turin and finally reached an old villa, and I ordered this dish. It was stunning and well worth the drive.
Continue reading “Fresh Thyme and Ginger Ravioli Recipe”
One of the most important concepts in cooking is the mirepoix, the Cajun version, “the Trinity”. Or as the Italians refer to it, the battuto which eventually becomes a soffritto once it is cooked. This combination of basic ingredients is the base for almost all French, Italian, Spanish and Creole and Cajun dishes. Below is the mirepoix. and the battuto, which after cooking transforms it into a soffrittto.
Continue reading “Mirepoix, Trinity, and Battuto: The Three Flavor Foundations”