Lentil and golden beet salad with hazelnut gremolata
It’s the dead of winter, when one’s tastes go to deep earthy root vegetables such as beets and lentils. Never mind that it’s 70 degrees …
Caramelized and braised fennel
Fennel is probably my favorite vegetable. Every time I eat it, I am reminded of Italy. Fennel seeds and more recently pollen show up in …
Pasta alla Norcina
When we visited Umbria this fall, I expected the region to be a mere stepchild to Tuscany and its cosmopolitan, touristy vibe. Instead, we found …
Crostata di marmellata (Jam-filled crostata)
Why haven’t I made this before??? Every time I’ve been to Italy, I’ve enjoyed a crostata filled with jam as part of a classic Italian …
Duck Duck Risotto!
Risotto—rice cooked with broth to a creamy consistency—is a blank canvas, perfect for creating a dish that has your unique fingerprints. But with all the …
Baked ricotta with blueberry compote
Fresh local berries are everywhere right now – supermarkets, farmers markets, people’s backyards, even Costco. And I see little point in cooking these lovely little …
Panna cotta with peach compote and pistachio shortbread cookies
OK, first off I have to admit that I totally ripped off the idea of serving this panna cotta in little flip-top jars from my …
Zucchini blossom and ricotta agnolotti (Agnolotti di fiore di zucca e ricotta)
Summer is here! We’ve had an early start here in LA. I recently went to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market looking for something summery! I …
Pesce crudo – Don’t call it Italian sashimi!
Pesce crudo (Italian for “raw fish”) and Japanese sashimi both rely on ultra-fresh seafood, but that’s where the similarities end. Italians near the coastline have …
The Poor and Lowly Pork Loin Roast
The pork loin roast is generally a sad thing. Often dry and tasteless because of its lack of fat, the lowly loin is generally left …
Braised Oxtail Ragù with Semolina Gnocchi
Oxtail ragù is a speciality dish of Rome and is frequently paired with semolina gnocchi, also a Roman speciality. Italians use the word “coda”, which …
Salsa Verde – Not the stuff that goes on tacos…
Italian “salsa verde” is very different from the pureed green stuff you pour into those little plastic cups and drizzle on your tacos. The Italian …