If you have been reading Manu’s Menu for a while, you will probably know that I was born and raised in Milan (or Milano as we say), in Northern Italy. I have always loved my home town, since I was a kid. Every time we used to go on holiday somewhere, I couldn’t wait to…
Dried Porcini and Saffron Risotto
As I have said many times, Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto) is the first dish I have ever cooked all by myself… I was probably about 6 or 7 years old. It’s always been my favourite risotto and I was so good at it, that whenever my grandfather would visit us from Sicily, he always asked…
Pumpkin Risotto with Gorgonzola Sauce
Today I am back with a typical Italian recipe. This is a dish that well represents Lombardy, the region where I was born. Milan is very famous for its risotto and pumpkin is often used in our cooking. Gorgonzola, my favourite cheese ever, is a blue cheese originally from the town of Gorgonzola, very close…
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…
CHESTNUT GNOCCHI VALCHIAVENNA STYLE
Today’s Regional Italian recipe comes from the region I grew up in: Lombardy. To be precise, this recipe is from Valchiavenna, an Alpine valley to the north of Lake Como. It is a truly beautiful area and the food you can eat there is genuine and very much linked to the territory and local produce. …
BEEF BOLLITO
Today’s dish is one of my favourite ways to eat beef. It is a very common dish throughout the North of Italy, but it is especially popular in Piedmont and Lombardy (this is why I am tagging this recipe under both regions for my series on Regional Italian dishes). There are many variations of this dish that…
TORTELLI DI CARNEVALE
This is a very special time of the year for all Italian children: it is “Carnevale”, the time to wear costumes and parade in the streets playing tricks on other kids and throwing coriandoli (round shaped paper confettis) and stelle filanti (similar to paper streamers) everywhere. It is like Halloween but it lasts longer (about…
