Happy New Year everyone! I hope you are having a fantastic holiday season! And yes, another panna cotta recipe to start off this 2016 on a sweet note. I know, I know… I already have quite a few on the blog, but it is a dessert that I really love, so I often make it. I…
Spritz
For my last post of 2015 and to welcome the new year, I am sharing the recipe for one of the most classic Italian drinks: the Spritz. It is a wine-based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif. It is prepared with prosecco wine, a dash of some bitter liqueur such as Aperol, Campari or Cynar…
Bell Pepper Involtini
Today’s recipe is a very simple appetiser idea: Bell Pepper Involtini. I like to serve these involtini as part of a buffet or a barbecue and they are always a hit. They are very easy to make and I love how colourful they look. Besides, they should be served at room temperature, so you don’t…
Three-Ingredient Nutella Doughnuts
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…
Polipo Accupatello
Today I am sharing with you a special recipe. It is a Sicilian octopus stew with potatoes that my parents learnt from an old lady in the little village of San Vito Lo Capo. My dad started his teaching career at the local school when he was very young and he used to rent a…
Olive Bread
Since moving to Australia I have become more and more interested in baking my own bread. When I was living in Italy, buying artisanal bread was easy and convenient. I never lived too far from a bakery. In fact, come to think of it, nobody lives more than a 5 minute walk from one, at…
Skillet Pizza Chicken
My kids love pizza… I know, I know… who doesn’t? The thing is, when it comes to pizza, they are very picky. It must be their Italian genes… They also love chicken (it is their favourite source of protein), so I thought it would be a great idea to combine these 2 likes into a…
Tonkatsu
Today’s recipe is one of my favourite Japanese dishes: Tonkatsu. It is a deep fried panko coated pork cutlet. Nothing fancy, really. To tell you the truth, I did not know what all the fuss about it was before going to Japan and tasting it myself. In the end, I thought, it is a fried…
Home-made Ketchup
And here I am with another one of my DIY projects. Only, this one is really easy. Did you know that making ketchup at home only took 20 minutes? And it is as easy as stirring all the ingredients together and put the pot on the stove. That’s it. It probably takes longer for it…
Tuna, Olive and Caper Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs
Today’s recipe is a classic in my kitchen. I make it often and it is one of my husband’s favourite pasta dishes. I cannot believe that I have been blogging for over 4 years and I haven’t shared this recipe yet! But I guess it’s like all the things that you are very familiar with:…
Pasta with Bell Pepper and Gorgonzola Cream
I first had something similar to this Pasta with bell pepper and Gorgonzola cream years ago in Milano. My husband and I would go and eat at our favourite restaurant for every special occasion and this pasta was often on the menu. Bell peppers/capsicums and Gorgonzola make for a fantastic combination: the first are sweet,…
Beer Braised Chicken Tenders
I always have chicken tenders in the freezer. Chicken is what my kids like to eat the most and tenders are very handy as they are very versatile and cook quite fast. The other day I had some beer in the fridge that begged to be used, so I whipped up a quick and delicious…
Pomegranate Panna Cotta
Oh yes, another panna cotta recipe. I know, I know… I already have quite a few on the blog, but it is a dessert that I really love and I often make it. Besides, it is so easy and quick to put together that it often comes in handy. Panna cotta is a little like…
Quick No- Knead Ciabatta Bread
A couple of weeks ago, I shared a few photos of this bread on MsM’s facebook page and did get quite a few requests for the recipe, both online and via email. So, here you have it: quick no-knead Ciabatta bread! It is a really simple recipe and, unlike other no-knead bread recipes, it is also…
Pappardelle alla Contadina
A few weeks ago, I reviewed the Toollio, an amazing multi-function food processor that really makes your life easier in the kitchen. I am very happy with it and, as promised, I am doing a little series on recipes developed using the Toollio to showcase its versatility. After making some hearty meatballs and a luscious cheesecake, today…
Brutti ma Buoni
It’s been a while since I have posted one of my Regional Italian recipes, so I think it’s time to publish one. This is a recipe that is very dear to me, as it is one that we would often make at home when we had some egg whites left over from other recipes. It…
Pan fried Pork Loin Cutlets
Today’s recipe is one of my favourite mid week dinner ideas. My mum would often make pan fried pork cutlets and she would always serve them with hot fries. It is a hearty dish that I have always enjoyed. It’s easy and quick to make and it tastes delicious thanks to the abundance of herbs…
Condensed Milk and Coconut Cake
As you may know, my eldest daughter loves everything coconut at the moment, and she has a very sweet tooth (she took after her daddy in this). So she always wants something sweet in her school lunch box and I try to make something from scratch for her, so at least I know what she…
Coconut Ice Cream
My eldest daughter loves coconut flavoured treats. She asks me to make coconut cakes, muffins, cupcakes, cookies… You name it. And off course, coconut ice cream is one of her favourite flavours! I am happy to oblige as I too like coconut. It always makes me feel like I am on a tropical island, enjoying…
Minestrone
Having grown up in Milan, where winters are quite cold, I have had my fair share of soups. In fact, my mum would often make soup for dinner. My favourite has always been Pasta e Fagioli, but she has always made a fantastic Minestrone. Contrary to what it may seem, Minestrone is actually a pretty…
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Finally a pasta dish again! I cannot believe I haven’t published a recipe for pasta in a while! When we were living in Italy, we used to eat pasta once a day… almost every day. Yep, that’s the way Italians do it. But after moving to Australia, we don’t eat it quite as often. Still,…
Poire Belle Helene
Today’s recipe is a dessert: Poire belle Hélène is a beautiful looking treat made up of vanilla poached pears, served with a warm chocolate sauce, whipped cream (or vanilla ice cream) and toasted almonds. Need I say more? I personally love it. I think pear and chocolate, just like orange and chocolate, is a match…
Yakitori
Lately I have been on a bit of a Japanese food bender. I am discovering more and more dishes, and the more I discover, the more I love Japanese cuisine! There’s so much more than sushi (which I love too!). I had heard a lot about Yakitori – 焼き鳥, but I had never eaten them…
Kaffir Lime and Yogurt Panna Cotta
By now you know how much I love panna cotta. To me, it’s one of the fastest, tastiest and easiest desserts to make. I love that you can make it in advance with minimum effort and present it as a very sophisticated looking dessert to your guests. I have a few panna cotta recipes on…
Home-made Aioli
Mmmmm aioli! I love it. It’s a condiment that gained a lot of popularity in recent years, but for the few who still don’t know what it is, aioli (also known as alioli or allioli) is basically a garlic flavoured mayonnaise traditionally made in some areas of France and Spain. Having grown up in Europe, I…
Irish Coffee
As Paddy’s Day is fast approaching, I thought of sharing a classic recipe: Irish coffee. You know I love my coffee and I generally have espresso (better yet, macchiato), but on a cold winter’s evening, I love to indulge with something more. Irish coffee is simply delicious and very easy to make. It is the…
Linguine with Potatoes
Today’s recipe is not my own. It’s actually my mother’s. It is one of her favourite pasta sauces and she made it for all of us when visiting from Italy. Usually, as a rule of thumb, Italians do not eat other carbs together with pasta, but this is a delicious exception. I often say that…
