This is another traditional dessert from Palermo and it was included in the Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party I organised for this month’s Foodbuzz 24×24 event. I asked my aunts for my grandmother’s recipe and here it is. I still remember her making it during the hot summer months. It doesn’t take long and…
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.
CASSATINE SICILIANE
These cassatine are the snack version of the bigger and more famous Cassata Siciliana. They are pretty much the same thing (apart from the lack of candied fruits on the top), only smaller and more “street friendly” as they are often consumed on the go on the busy streets of Palermo. They are delicious little…
PISTACHIO GELATO
Sicily is very famous for its nut production, especially almonds and pistachios. There is a town in the Eastern part of Sicily called Bronte which is reknowed for the quality of the pistachios that grow in the area. I wanted to make ice cream and serve it in a brioche (as it is typically served on…
Meatball Spiedini
Golden and savoury, Meatball Spiedini are crisp, layered skewers that combine bread, cheese, and meat for a simple, flavourful dish made to share at any meal.
Crostini
Crispy Crostini topped with rich meat sauce and melted cheese create a satisfying snack or appetiser, perfect for casual get-togethers or weeknight meals.
RAVAZZATE
Ravazzate are yet another great street food dish from Palermo, in Sicily. They are soft buns, filled with a thick and delicious meat sauce, covered in sesame seeds and then baked. I love them! Among all sorts of fried (yet amazing) street food items to choose from, these never fail to be among the items…
RASCATURE
This dish was not originally included in my proposal to Foodbuzz for my 24×24 event on Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party: it was a spur of the moment decision. As they turned out great, I am sharing the recipe with you as well! It is really not a recipe per se, but it…
PANELLE
Panelle are, together with cazzilli and arancine, the most famous Sicilian street food, and that is why I immediately knew I had to feature them on the menu of the Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party I organised for this month’s Foodbuzz 24×24 event! They are delicious on their own when eaten hot, but…
MAFALDE – MAFALDINE
Mafalde are typical bread rolls from Palermo, in Sicily. They are very easy to make and are great to accompany any dish. You can make them as dinner rolls, or serve them in a more traditional way: filled with hot panelle. When planning the menu for the Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party I…
Sicilian Potato Croquettes (Cazzilli)
Golden and crunchy Potato Croquettes with fluffy centres and fresh herbs make these Sicilian-style bites taste straight out of an Italian café.
FOODBUZZ 24X24: SICILIAN STREET FOOD NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY
The majority of you know that, even though I now live in Australia, I was born in Milan – Italy, by Sicilian parents and even though I was brought up in one of the most glamorous and fashionable cities of the world, I have always been attracted to the simple yet amazingly delicious food that…
PAIN BRIOCHE
Pâté is one of the things I love the most and it always makes an appearance on our family table for special occasions… and this Christmas Eve was no exception. I also found a quick recipe for pain brioche, which is the ideal bread to serve pâté with… and I am sharing it with you,…
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
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…
Homemade Dulce de Leche
Homemade Dulce de Leche makes a thoughtful gift for the holidays. Smooth caramel from one ingredient brings warmth and sweetness to festive desserts.
CHAR SIU AND CHAR SIU BAO
Our Daring Cooks’ December 2011 hostess is Sara from Belly Rumbles! Sara chose awesome Char Siu Bao as our challenge, where we made the buns, Char Siu, and filling from scratch – delicious! When I saw this month’s challenge I was really happy as I had already made Char Siu once and we had all liked it, so…
Suppli al Telefono
Loaded with stretchy mozzarella and rich tomato sauce, Suppli al Telefono are dangerously good and guaranteed to upgrade your weekend plans.
CHEESE TWISTS AND PILLOWS
These are great both for parties and for appetizers. I made these for Georgia’s birthday party but have also served them with a chilled glass of white wine before a more formal dinner. At first I wanted to make only the basic cheese twists, but then decided to spice them up a bit and make…
GEORGIA’S 2ND BIRTHDAY
As some of you already know, these last few days have been quite hectic for me as I have been organising my youngest daughter’s birthday. Georgia turned 2 today (on December 1st) and we had a nice, quite family day as we had a little birthday party for her last Sunday with some of our…
MINI SANDWICHES WITH CHÈVRE AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
I made these for my daughter Georgia’s 2nd birthday party. They are very easy to make and taste delicious. The filling can be used as a dip or as a spread for bread or crackers. I love the orange colour too!
GORGONZOLA AND MASCARPONE FILLED DATES
I love cheese… I am almost as addicted to cheese as I am to chocolate and coffee!!! And gorgonzola is my all time favourite cheese. This is a very easy “recipe” for an elegant appetiser that is perfect for Christmas or New Year’s Eve or any other special occasion. The contrast between gorgonzola and the…
BUCKWHEAT BLINI WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND SMOKED SALMON
Today’s recipe is a very easy one. I love blini and this is my favourite way of eating them: with crème fraîche and smoked salmon. You can also add some horseradish to the crème fraîche, for that little extra kick. Buckwheat blini are part of traditional Russian cuisine. “They are also widespread in Ukraine where…
BLUEBERRY CURD
I think I might have said this already, but growing up I never liked berries. The berries you find in Italy are often too sour for my taste buds, so I never enjoyed eating them (well, apart from the times I would actually pick them on the mountains… but that’s another story!). So I was…
SCONES
Oh no, this is not an Italian recipe. In fact, scones are unknown in Italy. A few weeks ago, I went out for high tea (again, something not Italian at all) with some girl friends (they were Italian though! ;-)) and among all sorts of yummy goodies, they served us scones with cream & strawberries…
OLIVE ALL’ASCOLANA
This has always been one of my favourite antipasti, perfect along a good glass of chilled white wine while waiting to serve dinner. I have never seen it here in Sydney and I was looking for the perfect occasion to try and make it at home. And what better occasion than my series on Regional…
FARINATA DI CECI
This week I want to take you all to Liguria for my weekly Regional Italian dish. Liguria is a coastal region in North-western Italy famous for its seaside, colourful villages and delicious food. Who hasn’t heard of Cinque Terre or Portofino and who hasn’t eaten pesto or focaccia at least once? Unfortunately this area has also been hit…
HAM AND CHEESE SOFFICINI
After moving to Australia I haven’t been able to eat many of the dishes I grew up with as they simply do not exist. If you have ever moved internationally, you will know the feeling… At the beginning you do not miss the food you left behind as you are too busy discovering all the…
