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Coviglia napoletana
Of all the many frozen desserts for which Italy is justly famous, this one is practically unknown: coviglia, a kind of semifreddo unique to Naples. A coviglia napoletana is made with a rich...
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Pipi e patate alla silana (Peppers and Potatoes, Sila Style)
Here is one of the signature dishes of the southern region of Calabria, on the toe of the Italian boot: pipi e patate, or Peppers and Potatoes. In its simplest incarnation, it is quite literally just...
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Homemade porchetta
To my mind, the absolute apotheosis of Roman street food is the whole roast pig called porchetta. With its deep golden brown, crackling skin and meltingly tender meat redolent with garlic and herbs,...
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Pasta con i tenerumi
Poor cucuzza. This Rodney Dangerfield of the vegetable world gets no respect. An extravagantly long and slender summer squash typical of Sicily, it’s the butt of endless jokes. Like the local proverb...
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Pollo con i peperoni alla romana (Roman Style Chicken and Peppers)
This savory chicken dish, also known as pollo alla romana, is one of the classics of Roman cookery, every bit as quintessentially Roman as the city’s internationally famous pasta dishes. A favorite in...
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Pasta vongole e pistacchi (Pasta with Clams and Pistachios)
Here’s an intriguing twist on a classic dish I heard about from an Italian friend who’s spending the summer at the seaside in her native Calabria: pasta vongole e pistacchi or Pasta with Clams and...
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Grattachecca (Roman Style Shaved Ice)
Well, the dog days of summer have well and truly arrived. And on both sides of the Atlantic, it seems. Even if we’re lucky enough to have AC, high temps nevertheless have me thinking about ways to...
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Concia di zucchine (Roman Style Marinated Zucchini)
Concia di zucchine is a centuriees old classic of the Roman Jewish kitchen. During my recent Substack Live with Judy Witts Francini and Giovanna Solimando, Judy reminded me of this dish, and I...
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Arrosticini abruzzesi (Grilled Lamb Skewers)
Arrosticini are grilled lamb skewers unique to the Abruzzo region. They are so beloved by the people of Abruzzo that they are practically the symbol of the region’s culinary culture and, by extension,...
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Riso Venere con gamberetti e zucchine
Rice salads are a staple on summer tables in Italy. They’re an especially fine choice for cookouts and other summer get togethers, as they can (and in fact should) be made ahead, which frees you up to...
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Ziti lardiati
At first glance, the iconic Neapolitan dish called ziti lardiati looks like a fairly ordinary pasta al pomodoro. But looks can be deceiving, and in this case they’re most definitely are. As the name...
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Serpette (Little Snake Cookies)
These delightful cookies called serpette or ‘Little Snakes’ are from Domenica Marchetti’s superb new cookbook, Italian Cookies. Being a non-baker, my knowledge of the cookies is pretty much limited to...
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Sformato di spinaci (Spinach Flan)
It’s been years since I’ve made a sformato. Hard to say why. A sformato is one of the most versatile dishes imaginable. You can make it out of just about any vegetable (and not only vegetables) and...
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Bombette pugliesi
When I think of the food of Puglia, the region of Italy my grandfather Lorenzo hailed from, my mind goes to immaculately fresh seafood, handcrafted pastas and gorgeous fruits and vegetables, and of...
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Pasta con guanciale fave e pecorino
I have fond memories of May Days in Rome. If the weather cooperates, as it usually does, it’s a time for the season’s first picnic fuori porta, literally ‘outside the gate’ meaning outside town....
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Seppie con piselli (Roman Style Braised Squid with Peas)
Seppie con piselli in umido is a traditional Roman dish pairing cuttlefish with peas braised in tomato sauce. Strange as it may seem, squid and peas were made for each other. The sweetness of peas...
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Bigoli con ragù d’anatra (Bigoli with Duck Ragu)
I recently received a package of fresh bigoli from Verona. That was cause for celebration since bigoli, the signature. pasta of the Veneto region, is hard to come by where I live, and the fresh kind...
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Crostata ai frutti di bosco (Mixed Berry Tart)
Truth is I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. In our house dessert usually consists of nothing more than a piece of fruit, sometimes—especially in the cooler months— accompanied by one or more cheeses....
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Abbacchio al forno con patate (Oven Roasted Lamb and Potatoes)
Abbacchio al forno con patate, or Oven Roased Lamb and Potatoes, is the quintessential Easter main course in Rome. It’s utterly simple to make but delicious. Rather like the oven roasted chicken and...
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Frittelle di asparagi (Asparagus Fritters)
The spring brings us some beautiful fruits and vegetables—tiny peas, artichokes, fava beans in their hefty pods, plump ruby red strawberries… But, to my mind, none is more emblematic of the season...
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