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 …
An Oscar Dinner-Montalcino Style: Pollo con Sedani Rifatti (Chicken with Celery)
While reading the Benvenuto Brunello blog this past weekend, I noticed a post about an ‘ancient recipe that is typical of the city of Brunello’ …
Butternut squash gnocchi sautéed with pancetta (Gnocchi di zucca saltati con pancetta croccante)
When we started our “Wandering…” series featuring region-specific food around Italy, we emailed our friends at Borgo Floreani in the heart of Friuli–Venezia Giulia for some …
From the Heart: Salmon and Asparagus in a Puff
Wednesday 6AM – Flight back home from yet another business trip. Thursday 6AM – Waking up in my own bed….a very beautiful thing. Thursday 12 …
Trieste Goulash (Goulash Triestino)
Italian Goulash?? Really? Yes, it’s true. Trieste, the capital of Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) and part of the Austro-Hungrarian Empire prior to the end of World …
Shrimp Buzara Style (Gamberoni alla Buzara)
With the waters of the Adriatic lapping its coastline, Friuli Venezia-Giulia’s sparkling sea affords a bounty of fresh seafood, including a species of very large shrimp, almost …
Risotto from the sea and mountains (Risotto mari e monti)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) is notable for stretching from lagoons to the south to snow caped mountains in the north and plains and forests in between. …