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…
Home-made Crema di Limoncello
Today I am back with another one of my favourite home-made liqueur recipes: Crema di Limoncello. We could call it Limoncello’s little brother as this is basically the creamy version of Limoncello, made with cream and milk. It is smooth, sweet, lemony and simply irresistible!
Torta Pasqualina Umbra
Today I’d like to share with you a traditional Easter recipe from the Italian region of Umbria. Umbria is famous around the world for its hilly landscapes and old towns, such as Assisi and Orvieto to name just two. It is a wonderful area of Italy and besides being beautiful, it also boasts delicious hearty…
Delizie al Limone
Today’s recipe comes from Naples and the Sorrentine peninsula, in the region of Campania: Delizie al Limone (Lemon Delights). They are sponge cakes filled with a lemon cream, brushed with Limoncello syrup and covered in a lemon and whipped cream glaze. Yes, you got that right… they are absolutely decadent. As I have recently shared…
Home-made Limoncello #SundaySupper
So, the #SundaySupper is celebrating the arrival of spring. Obviously, as we are in the Southern hemisphere, this sounds a bit weird… as for us autumn has just begun, but I do love spring… and I also happen to have the perfect recipe for the event!
Swordfish Impanata
Today’s dish is another one of my Sicilian recipes: Swordfish Impanata. Impanata is Italian for empanada and they are basically the same thing: pastry with a filling. Unlike the South American empanadas, this Sicilian version is made like a pie and portioned only after cooking. You shouldn’t be surprised to find such a dish in…
Migliaccio
Today is Mardis Gras… and in Italy it is the last day of Carnevale. Carnevale is one of the festivities I miss the most. As a child, I loved going around the streets in my town all dressed up, playing pranks and throwning coloured confetti at my friends. The best time of all was the…
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…
Casoncelli alla Bergamasca
Today’s post is all about tradition. I often say that talking about Italian cuisine is not very accurate… every region (and sometimes even city!) has its own cuisine, so it would be more correct to say Italian cuisines. Every area of Italy has its own traditional stuffed pasta which can differ in shape, size and/or…
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,…
Gnocchi alla Romana
This month, the Daring Cooks challenged us to think inside the box – the icebox, that is! Audax taught us some really cool tips and tricks for stocking our freezers with prepare-ahead meals that can keep our taste buds satisfied even during the busiest of times. It is back to school time for many families in the…
Cassoeula
As I mentioned in my previous post on how to make Verzini sausages at home, Cassoeula is one of the most iconic dishes from Milan, the city where I was born. Cassoeula is a stew made with pork meat and cabbage. In the past, people would cook pig’s ears and trotters in it too, but…
Home-made Verzini
As you may know, I was born and brought up in Milan. Foodwise, Milan is famous for risotto (especially Risotto alla Milanese, made with saffron), ossobuco, cotoletta, panettone and cassoeula. As you can see, I have already shared the recipes for the most famous Milanese food… all, but one: Cassoeula. The reason why it took…
Sbrisolona
My series on Regional Italian food is back! Finally! Today’s recipe comes from the region I was born in: Lombardy and more precisely from the beautiful town of Mantova. This area is a culinary heaven… but then again, what part of Italy isn’t? I have already shared with you the recipes for Mostarda Mantovana and Tortelli…
IMPEPATA DI COZZE – PEPPERED MUSSELS
Today I am back with a recipe for my Regional Italian dish series! I am taking you all to Campania and Naples with a delicious and very easy to make dish: Peppered Mussels. All you need, besides mussels, are garlic, good quality extra virgin olive oil, parsley and… pepper. The more pepper the better. This…
RICOTTA FILLED GRAFFE
Today’s recipe comes from the Sicilian town of Trapani, where my mother was born. These are similar, but not the same as the more famous Neapolitan graffe, the dough of which includes potatoes. Graffe in Trapani are like doughnuts, fried and then filled with the same sweet ricotta filling used for Cannoli, Sfinciuni di San…
TORTELLI DI ZUCCA – PUMPKIN TORTELLI
In my last post I had promised you a recipe to use up some of that beautiful Mostarda Mantovana that I showed you how to make. Well… here I am to keep my promise. Today’s recipe is yet another recipe from Mantova, in Lombardy and it is an honour for me to showcase it on…
BEEF AGGLASSATO
Today’s Regional Italian dish is yet another dish from Sicily! It is a very easy and delicious beef pot roast (kind of) made with onions and white wine. It is a recipe from Palermo that comes from my father’s side of the family. I have already shared with you the recipe for Chicken Agglassato, and this…
HOME-MADE SICILIAN PORK SAUSAGE WITH FENNEL
I am very excited about today’s post: Home-made Sicilian Pork Sausage with Fennel It is one of those recipes that I have been making for a long time and that I have been very keen on sharing. The only reason why I hadn’t done it yet was the lack of reasonably good pictures. But finally,…
MATAROCCO
For this week’s Regional Italian dish I am going to take you back to Sicily. Today’s recipe is really easy and really tasty, it is one of those family recipes that we would always have during our summer holidays. It is hearty and delicious, full of “local” flavours as all the ingredients are easily available in…
CASSATA SICILIANA
Happy Easter everyone!!! Today I want to share with you my family’s recipe for the most iconic Sicilian cake: Cassata! It is a delicious dessert made with sponge cake, filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate and decorated with candied fruits and royal icing. Even though nowadays you can buy a cassata throughout the year, it…
