If you follow Manu’s Menu quite regularly, you will remember me saying that Italians always have cotechino for New Year’s Eve. It is like having turkey for Thanksgiving… it’s a given and something that can never be missing from our table. I have shared with you a few recipes for it during the years… from…
COTECHINO WITH ITALIAN MASH POTATOES
As the last post of the year, I had to share with you a cotechino recipe. That’s because Italians always have at least one slice of cotechino on New Year’s Eve! It’s a tradition that I love to keep alive even down under. I often make my own cotechino (you can find my tutorial and…
Pasta al Forno (Pasta Bake)
A traditional Pasta al Forno layered with ragù, Béchamel, and cheese. Creamy, savoury, and finished with a crisp top, it’s the ultimate baked pasta for weekends and gatherings.
MANU’S PODCAST – THOUGHTS ON THE TABLE
I am thrilled to announce that today I am a guest on Thoughts on the Table, at my friend Paolo’s Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu! And the biggest news is that it’s a podcast – my first EVER! So, if you are curious to know what we sound like… head over to…
Coffee and Vanilla Liqueur
Rich espresso and vanilla flavour give this Coffee and Vanilla Liqueur a deep taste and slightly syrupy texture. Pour it over ice, into cocktails, or over gelato for an easy treat.
MANU’S CHRISTMAS MENUS – BOOK GIVEAWAY
As many of you already know, I have recently published my first eBook: Manu’s Christmas Menus. The eBook contains 20 original recipes, divided in 4 menus, to help you bring Italy to your table this holiday Season. All recipes have step by step instructions and pictures and they have never been published before (so you…
MANU’S CHRISTMAS MENUS
Today is a big day for me. I can finally share with all of you a project that I have been working on for the last three months. It’s been hard doing all of it quietly as I am not very good at keeping things to myself when I am very excited about something. But…
Homemade Cotechino
Bringing the festive mood straight to the table with this Homemade Cotechino. Slow-simmered, deeply comforting, and perfect for relaxed family meals all season long.
SALTED NUTELLA CHOCOLATE FUDGE
It is time again for the “Secret recipe club” reveal! I am sure you all know what the club is about, but for the few of you who still don’t know about it, here goes a brief explanation. It is a great concept… each month you are assigned a participating food blogger to make a…
WHITE CHOCOLATE PASSION FRUIT TRUFFLES
I told you I would not forget about you!! So here I am with a sweet tropical recipe: White Chocolate Passion Fruit Truffles! I love passion fruit and I think it goes very well with chocolate, especially the white kind, as its slightly tart flavour combines perfectly with the sweetness of white chocolate! These truffles…
Chicken Ballotine
A good roast doesn’t need to be complicated. This Chicken Ballotine is filled with sausage, prosciutto, and pistachios, bringing warmth and comfort to any meal.
Cassata Siciliana
Layers of sponge filled with sweet ricotta and almond marzipan make Cassata Siciliana a true Sicilian classic known for its rich flavour, vibrant colour, and timeless craftsmanship.
COTECHINO WITH LENTILS
Today I want to share with you a classic Italian recipe: cotechino with lentils. I don’t think there is a single household in Italy that will not serve this dish on New Year’s Eve. It is a huge tradition. Also, lentils are supposed to bring good luck and money in the new year, so we…
PANETTONE
Merry Christmas everybody! I know you will be very busy in your kitchens today (or at the malls, getting your last minute Christmas shopping done!), but I just could not stop myself from sharing this special recipe with all of you today: Panettone!
GREEN LASAGNE WITH STRACCHINO, ARTICHOKES AND SAUSAGE
When I think of comfort food, the first image that comes to my mind is a plate full of lasagne… no matter how they are made (with a classic beef sauce, with pesto or with any other ingredients), lasagne represent comfort food to me (and the majority of Italians). They are easily going to be…
PISTACHIO AND CARDAMOM SEMIFREDDO WITH ROSE CREAM
Today I want to share with you the recipe for a special dessert. A few weeks ago, my friend Abeer from Cake Whiz asked me if I wanted to be a part of a special project she was working on for Christmas. She asked a few of her favourite bloggers to come up with a Christmas…
BISCOTTI DI FICHI – FIG COOKIES
Today, as part of my series on Regional Italian Cuisines, I want to share with you the recipe for a very traditional Christmas Sicilian sweet: biscotti di fichi. They are made with the same dough and filling of Buccellato (the traditional Sicilian cake I have shared with you last year), but they are a bit…
Marrons Glacés (Candied Chestnuts)
Soft, glossy Marrons Glacés with a delicate vanilla scent and gentle sweetness, slowly infused in syrup, perfect for serving at Christmas or alongside coffee after a special meal.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE
Who doesn’t like chocolate?? Well… I know a couple of people who are not crazy about it, but really… not many, right? When it comes to home-made Christmas gifts, chocolate never fails and I try to always include something chocolatey in my little hampers. This year I made my favourite fudge! I made it for…
CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH ORANGE AND MINT GLAZE
A little while ago, my friend Diane from Muppys asked me if I wanted to take part to this year’s Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. I checked it out and immediately said yes. The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap brings together food bloggers from around the world in a big cookie swap: you sign up, receive…
SOFT VANILLA & PINK SALT CARAMELS
I made these caramels to give away as presents for Christmas this year. I had wanted to try and make my own caramels for ages, but all the recipes I came across had corn syrup as one of the ingredients and I wasn’t very keen on it… especially since I have never seen it around…
Homemade Baileys Irish Cream
A glass of Homemade Baileys Irish Cream with its creamy chocolate flavour rounds out dessert time and gives you an easy way to finish dinner with something gently sweet.
Lasagne Verdi
Layers of spinach pasta, rich meat sauce, béchamel, and Parmigiano create a classic Lasagne Verdi with authentic flavour and soft, creamy layers.
FISH COUSCOUS
I finally get to share with you what we ate on Christmas day and one of my all time favourite dishes: fish couscous. It is a traditional and ancient recipe from Trapani, the town in Western Sicily where my mum is from. In fact, this is a “guest post from my mum” who is presenting…
AUNT MARIA’S ALMOND PARFAIT
Almond parfait is my favourite semifreddo. I love the crunch of the almond that contrasts with the otherwise soft ice cream like texture! It is a traditional Sicilian dessert, very popular in the area of Trapani, the city where my mum was born. I have already shared a recipe for almond parfait when I first…
BUCCELLATO – CUCCIDDATU
Buccellato is a Sicilian cake traditionally eaten during the holiday season, especially on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve… so it had to be featured on the Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party I organised for this month’s Foodbuzz 24×24 event! It is a ring shaped shortbread cake filled with dried figs, raisins, candied fruits,…
Carbone della Befana (Italian Sweet Coal)
Don’t be fooled by its eerie look. Carbone della Befana, the traditional Italian Sweet Coal, is a wickedly fun and delicious treat to share at Halloween.
