New Year’s Eve: Get that Red Underwear Ready! (And A Sparkly Citrus, Beet and Fennel Salad)
Italians, like many cultures, have some fun and interesting traditions to ring in the New Year. One has been tradition in our family for as …
Rigatoni alla Carbonara from Rome’s Trattoria Sorra Lella
This is my second in a series of posts to recreate some of the authentic Roman dishes I recently ate on my trip to the …
Farro, Figs and Friends: Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto with Roasted Figs
Wow – farro is hot right now! I wanted to make this recipe for company a few weeks ago but when I tried to find …
Just octopus! – Spaghetti con polpo
There’s a joke running around the Los Angeles restaurant scene that if your menu doesn’t include a kale salad, a fancy octopus salad, and PBR, …
Delverde ‘Dish Your Blog’: Mezzi Rigatoni with Saffron Creme, Tuscan Kale and Crispy Prosciutto
Over 100 years ago, our grandparents arrived in this country from Italy, leaving family, friends and traditions behind in search of a brighter future. I …
Pasta ‘Ncasciata (Baked Pasta with Eggplant)
In Calabria, vegetables are king—especially in summertime. Every meal headlines the fresh vegetables that are in season, while meat or fish play a supporting role. …
Soul Food Italian Style: Piadina Romagnola
It never ceases to amaze me how different the breads of Italy can be from region to region. Emilia-Romagna’s bread is no exception. Unlike the …
Ragù Bolognese
Unlike many other Italian pasta sauces, Ragù Bolognese is serious stuff in Italy. Bearing little resemblance to the sauce in the USA of the same …
Bon Appetit’s June Cook the Cover Challenge: Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto
My family is a huge Bon Appetit family. We have subscribed for years and years and years. We have cellars full of back issues. We …
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 …
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 …