Grilling a Sicilian fish at Sotto in Los Angeles @SottoLA
I had an opportunity to hang out in the kitchen with the staff at Sotto earlier this year. Reality food TV would have you believe …
Pasta con le sarde (Pasta with sardines) – The national dish of Sicily
My sister Michele visited me this week in L.A. for my official IBM retirement party. We thought hard about what to cook together. We’re focused …
The Magical Little Island of Pantelleria: Pasta with Shrimp, Toasted Almonds and Breadcrumbs
A few years back, I was on a mission to visit as many of the islands of Italy as I could. I still have quite …
Involtini di Pesce Spada (Sicilian Swordfish Rolls)
Sicilians really do love their fish and especially their swordfish. Sicily’s enviable position surrounded by three seas explains why fish holds such a revered place …
Blood orange olive oil cake (Torta di arance rosse e olio)
I can’t think of anything more Sicilian than olive oil cake and blood oranges. This Easter, I went looking for something to do with blood …
Simply Roasted Artichokes: A Sunny Taste of Spring
Spring is synonymous with artichokes for me. And with the days finally turning a bit warmer here, spring cannot arrive fast enough. I grow ridiculously …
Sicilian Ricotta Pie (Torta di Ricotta)
For me, Easter is not complete without a slice of ricotta pie. I go weak in the knees when I think of this dessert and …
Simple Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
In Sicily, they make a highly concentrated tomato paste called ‘estrattu’ and it is a true labor of love. They start with an enormous amount …
Falso Magro – Falsely lean…
I read a lot of articles about how falso magro got its name. The name translates roughly to “falsely lean” or “falsely Lenten”. There are …
Chickpea fritters (Panelle)
Sicilians love to fry things. Not like American southern fried chicken, but gently, like Japanese tempura. In Sicily, there is a rich culture of fried …
Grilled Provolone with Blood Orange Reduction (Provola alla Griglia con Riduzione dell’Arancia Rossa)
The magnificent blood orange – a small burst of sunshine for a chilly winters day. Our little local farmer’s market has recently started carrying these …
Grilled Sardines with Salmoriglio Sauce (Sardine alle Griglia con Salsa al Salmoriglio)
Grilled fresh sardines. One of life’s simple delectable pleasures. I actually never tasted grilled sardines until I started traveling to Sicilia. We would spend afternoons …