I must admit, we don’t eat a lot of fish. I think it’s because my kids are not crazy about it, so I just find it easier to cook something that pleases everyone. On the other hand, I grew up in a family that LOVES fish and we would eat it at least 3 times…
Pin It
Castelmagno and Pear Risotto
Today I am back with a typical Italian recipe. As you know, I am very fond of Italian regional products. It is because of this incredible variety of resources and flavours that Italian cuisine is so special. Besides, I love cheese – even more than I love chocolate! So, when I visited Italy last year,…
Pin It
Spelt and Raspberry Baci di Dama
“I thought I’d start this blog by posting the recipe of my all time favourite cookies. Their name means “lady’s kisses” because their shape resembles a kiss. They are originally from Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy.” These were the very first lines I wrote on Manu’s Menu, 5 years ago! The first recipe…
Pin It
San Vito Lo Capo Guide – Italy
After a few weeks’ break, I am back with my guides about Italy. Today I will take you all back to Sicily, to explore another area with my San Vito Lo Capo Guide. San Vito Lo Capo – San Vito for short – is a beautiful little seaside village near Trapani. It is a place…
Pin It
Onion Schiacciata
Today’s recipe is from the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, in central Italy. Schiacciata is very similar to focaccia, but it is much easier to make than the traditional Focaccia from Genoa. The term schiacciata literally means “pressed” and it refers to the fact that you need to press the dough down with your fingers…
Pin It
Panforte di Siena
Today I’d like to share with you a traditional Christmas recipe from the beautiful Tuscan town of Siena: Panforte di Siena. Literally, panforte means “strong bread” which refers to its spicy flavour and it is a very ancient recipe. It appears that panforte was already made in the 1200’s and guess what? It used to…
Pin It
Home-made Grapefruit Liqueur
I love making my own liqueurs. I find that they taste great and require minimal effort. They are also a fantastic gift idea and you can make them of many different flavours. I have already shared with you a few recipes (you can find them here) and today I’d like to add this Grapefruit Liqueur…
Pin It
Trapani, Erice and Segesta Guide – Italy
After last week’s break, I am back with my guides about Italy. Today I will take you all back to Sicily, to explore another area with my Trapani, Erice and Segesta Guide. Trapani is my mother’s home town and it is a place I know very well, as I used to spend about 2 months…
Pin It
Troccoli with Nonna’s Pork Ragu
Today’s recipe is very dear to me. It was my grandmother Maria’s speciality and, as I have recently shared my guide on Palermo, I thought it would be the right time for me to share this recipe, that has been sitting in my archives for a little while now. I learnt how to make this…
Pin It
Palermo Guide – Italy
I am very excited about the next few posts on Italy, as I will be taking you with me to Sicily. You see, I was born in Milan (in the north of Italy), but my family comes from the beautiful island of Sicily and being away from Italy made me realise how much I owe…
Pin It
Grissini Torinesi
Grissini, aka breadsticks, are a weakness of mine. They originate from the Italian city of Turin, in Piedmont and they have been around for centuries! I love how crunchy they are and I often serve them wrapped in prosciutto as an appetiser or aperitivo. I even like to dip them in Nutella, when I am…
Pin It
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…
Pin It
Rome Guide – Italy
Today I will share with you my Rome Guide. Writing a guide about Rome in one single blog post is probably impossible, as there are way too many amazing places to see and things to do, so I will give you some tips and ideas on what to pick, if you only have a…
Pin It
Milan Guide – Italy
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…
Pin It
Venice Guide – Italy
During our recent trip to Italy, we also visited Venice. As the girls had never been there, we thought it would be nice to show them around the most romantic city in the world! Pin It
Pin It
Ham and Cheese Sicilian Brioches
I made these Ham and Cheese Sicilian Brioches for my daughter’s 8th birthday party. When I was a child, I would spend part of my summer holidays at my nonni’s house in Palermo. Not far from where they used to live, there was a place called I Cuochini (aka the little cooks) where my mum…
Pin It
Biancomangiare with Citrus Salad
Today’s recipe is all about Sicily. Last week I shared with you the recipe for Sicilian Almond Milk, a deliciously sweet drink. Besides drinking it plain, it also makes a great base for desserts like Biancomangiare. Biancomangiare (where bianco means “white” and mangiare means “to eat”) is a traditional Italian pudding and in its Sicilian version it…
Pin It
Sicilian Almond Milk
Today I want to share with you a recipe that is very close to my heart. It is a Sicilian classic that people usually enjoy during the hot Sicilian summer. I used to have a glass of it in the evenings, sitting in our summerhouse yard while chatting with my friends. This is a sweet…
Pin It
Puntarelle alla Romana
During my recent trip to Italy, I didn’t really forget about my readers! Even though I was on holiday, I still did a little cooking. There are a few dishes that I have always wanted to share with you, but never could, as I was not able to find the ingredients for them. So… I…
Pin It
Lemon Delight in a Jar
A few weeks ago, I have shared the recipe of Delizie al Limone (Lemon Delights), a typical Italian dessert from Naples and the Sorrentine peninsula, in the region of Campania. They are a beautiful and delicious dessert, but they are very time consuming to make. I had some of the Lemon glaze left in my…
Pin It
Olive Schiacciate
Olive Schiacciate (or Cracked Olives) are very popular in Italy, especially in the South. They are cracked olives in brine. I remember going to one of the beautiful and colourful markets in Palermo as a child and getting drawn to the stalls that would sell olives. They had so many different kinds. Mountains of delicious,…
Pin It
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…
Pin It
