Garganelli with sausage and fennel ragù
I’m trying to figure out why it took me so long to make garganelli. I think it was because a cookbook I have said to …
The Nocino Report – Thank you Cousin Rosetta!
I am not known as a patient person, but I’m working on it. One patience-building exercise for me this year was making nocino (a walnut-based …
Stuffed! Cipolle Ripieni (Onions Stuffed with Sausage and Parmigiano)
The cooks of Emilia-Romagna love to stuff things from their pillowy pastas to their greens-stuffed tortas. In this simple recipe, onions become the backdrop for …
Spuma di Mortadella (Mortadella Mousse)
OK, for most Americans, this is going to sound like a weird dish – a mousse made from Mortadella – Italy’s inspiration for American baloney. …
Balsamic Roast Chicken (Pollo al Forno con Aceto Balsamico)
Balsamic vinegar is almost a religion in Italy, and more specifically in Emilia-Romagna. It dates back to monks making the stuff in the 12th century. …
Celebrating summer vegetables – Emilia-Romagna style!!
The farmer’s markets in Los Angeles are finally filling up with summer vegetables. Summer squash of all shapes and colors, Italian and Japanese eggplant, bell …
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 …
Effervescent Emilian (Yes, Lambrusco!)
Lambrusco, the sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna, deserves better than the reputation Aldo Cella saddled it with here in the States. It really can be …
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 …
Spring’s Sweet Bounty: Strawberries with Balsamic and Black Pepper
The local farmer’s market is beginning to fill to the brim with spring’s fresh bounty – tender asparagus, baby peas, young lettuces and my favorite …
Wanderings: Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna lies along the northern slopes of the Appennino Settentrionale (The Central Apennines). Geographically and gastronomically, this is the heart of Italy. Its cities, strung …
Capodanno, Cappelletti and Red Underwear
Although my mother was Sicilian, she learned to cook many a dish from our paternal grandmother who hailed from Emilia-Romagna. One of these specialities is …