I love coffee… well, I am addicted to coffee. Not to the brewed coffee but to espresso. I restrict myself to no more than 2 a day, but I could drink so much more. Only the smell of a freshly brewed espresso in the morning sets the day in the right direction. You know what…
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,…
GELO DI MELONE – WATERMELON JELLO
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…
CAZZILLI – CROCCHÈ DI PATATE
I love all potato croquettes! My mum used to make them often, even though she makes them differently (I will share her recipe too as soon as possible). These, instead, are exactly like the ones you can buy on the streets of Palermo and they were on the top of my list for the Sicilian…
IL SICILIANO COCKTAIL
Sicily is very famous for its citrus fruits… be it lemons, mandarins or oranges. So, one of the drinks for the Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party that I organised as part of Foodbuzz’s 24×24 program had to have some citrus in it. I chose orange, because it is sweet and I have a…
POMEGRANATE MARTINI
I always associate pomegranate with Christmas and New Year. It is very common to see it on an Italian table during the holidays. I love its intense ruby colour and the juicy, yet crunchy texture of its seeds. I think it is one of the prettiest fruits that exist! Being very common in the Mediterranean…
PROFITEROLES
Maybe not everyone knows that profiteroles, also known as choux pastries, are originally from Italy. In fact, they were introduced in France by Caterina de’ Medici, wife of Henry II of France, together with many other dishes. I love choux pastries or bignè, as we usually call them. They are so light and fluffy and…
Suppli al Telefono
Loaded with stretchy mozzarella and rich tomato sauce, Suppli al Telefono are dangerously good and guaranteed to upgrade your weekend plans.
POTATO GNOCCHI WITH GORGONZOLA
This is my favourite sauce for gnocchi. I love all gnocchi served with this sauce: potato, ricotta, flour gnocchi… they all taste fantastic with this sauce. Do you think it might have something to do with the fact that gorgonzola is actually my all time favourite cheese?! 😉 Well, anyhow it is also a very…
PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, ARTICHOKES AND SAFFRON
We all love sausage in our family. When I say sausage I am referring to the Italian style sausage made of pure pork. I am lucky enough to find some good quality Italian style sausage in Sydney, nonetheless I often make it at home from scratch, as nothing beats home-made things (I used my home-made…
PIADINE WITH SWEET FILLINGS
Some time ago I shared with you my friend Marco’s recipe for piadine. They are a fantastic bread-like street food from Romagna in Italy, filled with all sorts of yummy goodies. I shared with you the recipe of a savory piadina filled with stracchino, prosciutto slices and rocket salad and I can tell you that…
MONTE BIANCO – MONT BLANC
This is the recipe of a dessert that is quite popular both in France and Italy. In fact, the 2 nations share a border and the highest mountain in Europe (Monte Bianco/Mont Blanc) which gives the name to this dessert made with chestnuts, whipped cream and chocolate. Its shape reminds of a mountain covered in…
TAGLIATELLE ALLA BOLOGNESE
This is one of my grandmother Bice’s recipes: she used to make the best ever Bolognese sauce. This is not the Bolognese you are used to. It is a version that requires less tomatoes than what we would normally put in ragu’. Ragu’ can be either made with mince (which is what is commonly known…
TARALLI
These could be considered the Italian equivalent to pretzels, they are that famous! They are typical of Apulia, a region in the South of Italy, but you can also find them in the surrounding areas. Well, nowadays you can easily find them everywhere in Italy and I often find them here too! Anyhow… on my…
SEMIFREDDO AL TORRONCINO WITH HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Semifreddo is a typical Italian dessert and it can be made with different flavours. Even though it is a cold dessert (semifreddo literally means “partially cold”) and it is very similar to ice cream, we often eat it for Christmas. That is why I chose to serve it as one of the desserts of my…
TORRONE MORBIDO E TORRONCINI AL CIOCCOLATO – CHOCOLATE COVERED HONEY AND MIXED NUT NOUGAT
Torrone is one of the most popular sweets eaten in Italy for Christmas. It never fails to make its appearance on our Christmas table. It comes in many variations… it can be hard as a rock, soft and chewy, plain, covered in chocolate, flavoured with fruits, almond based, hazelnut based… you name it. I had…
KRAPFEN – MY GUEST POST AT BIG FAT BAKER
Today I am guest posting over at Erin’s blog: Big Fat Baker. I am so happy and honoured to be her guest! I love her site, don’t you all? Make sure you visit it now if you haven’t yet as you will find so many delicious dessert ideas! I always make sure to visit it…
BACCALA’ FRITTERS – FRITTELLE DI BACCALA’ – MY GUEST POST AT SUNSHINE & SMILE
When my friend Kankana from Sunshine & Smile asked me to write a guest post for her site I almost jumped out of my seat! Probably you guys do not know this (not even you Kankana), but she has been the first person to comment on my blog! Since then we have exchanged lots of…
