Today I will share with you the recipe for Dolci Pellegrino, traditional lemon flavoured cookies from the city of Naples. Apparently these cookies, like many other Neapolitan and Sicilian sweets, were created by the nuns of a convent. These nuns were also helping out at the Pellegrini Hospital (thus the name) and would make these…
Biscotti della Tresca
I am very happy about today’s post. If you follow Manu’s Menu, you will know that this blog is all about authentic Italian food. I do share many modern Italian recipes, but what makes me really happy is the possibility to share more traditional not so famous recipes, and above all, regional recipes. Italian food…
Affogato al Caffe
A quick pour, a short pause, and instant pleasure. Affogato al Caffe is Italy’s way of slowing down with coffee and sweetness combined into one perfect, creamy moment.
Tuna and Onion Pizza
Everyone loves pizza, right?? Today I am sharing with you the recipe for one of my favourite topping: Tuna and Onion Pizza! You know how I feel about pizza toppings, to me a “real” pizza must have only certain toppings. No gourmet pizza for me – I love tandoori chicken or bulgogi, but not on…
Porcini and Taleggio Lasagne
Merry Christmas everybody! For Christmas, Italians often prepare a pasta bake or lasagne, so today I thought of sharing one of my all time favourite: Porcini and Taleggio Lasagne. This has to be one of my all time favourite vegetarian lasagne! It is very easy to make and it only requires a few ingredients. Yet, the…
Panforte di Siena
Panforte di Siena is a classic Italian Christmas cake filled with almonds, honey, and spices. It’s rich, chewy, and filled with the warmth of Tuscan holiday traditions in every slice. Panforte di Siena is a traditional Christmas recipe from the beautiful Tuscan town of Siena. The name means “strong bread”, a reference to its spicy…
Pizza Ortolana
Want a healthy pizza that’s still delicious? Try Pizza Ortolana with roasted vegetables and mozzarella, bringing together fresh flavours in each slice. Ah, pizza. It feels like ages since I last shared a pizza recipe, and as any true lover of Italian food knows, that’s a bit of a crime. Today, I’m making up for…
Mahi Mahi with Caponata Sauce
I just came back from a wonderful week in Sicily, filled with emotions, as I got to spend time with some relatives and friends I hadn’t seen in 7 years and I got to show my kids places filled with childhood memories that they had never seen before! And to celebrate this moment, today I…
Pandoro
Christmas in Italy means Panettone or Pandoro. There’s a huge rivalry between the supporters of these two traditional sweets and very often people who like one will tell you they dislike the other.
Gulab Jamun
Happy Diwali! Tomorrow will mark the beginning of Diwali (दिवाली), the “festival of lights”, a 5-day Indian festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Light is the symbol of the celebrations and many clay lamps filled with oil are lit during the 5 days of the festival. As you…
Casoncelli alla Bergamasca (Bergamo-Style Stuffed Pasta)
Handmade Casoncelli alla Bergamasca brings Bergamo’s traditional flavours home with sausage, mortadella, and cheese wrapped in soft pasta and tossed in butter, sage, and crisp Speck. Italian food isn’t one single cuisine. Every region, and often every town, has its own recipes and traditions. The stuffed pasta from Bologna is different from the one made…
Radicchio and Taleggio Lasagne
This, together with my Pesto Lasagne, has to be one of my all time favourite vegetarian lasagne! It is very easy to make and it only requires a few ingredients. Yet, the end result tastes amazing. I think Taleggio and Radicchio were created to be eaten together as their flavours complement each other perfectly. These…
PARMIGIANO REGGIANO TARTS WITH COTECHINO
If you follow Manu’s Menu quite regularly, you will remember me saying that Italians always have cotechino for New Year’s Eve. It is like having turkey for Thanksgiving… it’s a given and something that can never be missing from our table. I have shared with you a few recipes for it during the years… from…
COTECHINO WITH ITALIAN MASH POTATOES
As the last post of the year, I had to share with you a cotechino recipe. That’s because Italians always have at least one slice of cotechino on New Year’s Eve! It’s a tradition that I love to keep alive even down under. I often make my own cotechino (you can find my tutorial and…
LASAGNE WITH ZUCCHINI PESTO, SPECK AND SMOKED SCAMORZA
Mmmm Lasagne! My favourite dish ever. Growing up my parents and I would make Lasagne for big occasions, like Christmas or birthdays. And they would always be the classic meat version (you can find my recipe here). Well, lately I have been making all sorts of Lasagne. Remember my Pesto Lasagne (my all time favourite!), or…
GELATINA DI CAFFÈ – COFFEE JELLO
I have been blogging for almost 3 years now and when I look back at all the the things I learnt, I almost can’t believe it. I am talking about cooking techniques and also about computer skills and photography! But what I am the most grateful for are the friendships I made along the way. …
Tortelli di Zucca (Pumpkin Tortelli)
Tortelli di Zucca, or Pumpkin Tortelli, is one of Mantova’s most loved dishes, pasta filled with roasted pumpkin and amaretti, served with golden butter and crisp sage leaves.
Mostarda Mantovana
Add something extra to your meals with Mostarda Mantovana. This traditional Italian condiment brings a zesty sweetness and a subtle spice that pairs perfectly with your favourite dishes.
MEAT FILLED APULIAN PANZEROTTI
I cannot believe it’s Carnevale time already! Didn’t we celebrate Christmas just the other day?? Anyhow, today’s recipe had to be related to this amazing festivity, which also happens to be the one I like the most. I soooo miss Carnevale… back in Italy we all dress up in masks and go around playing tricks and having…
PASTA CON LE SARDE ALLA PALERMITANA
I am quite sure I have said this already, but just in case you have missed that specific post, I will repeat myself… 😉 I like fish, but I am not a HUGE fish lover. If I had to choose only one thing to have off a menu, fish would always be at the bottom…
TRUFFLE HONEY & VANILLA CRÈME BRÛLÉE
A little while ago, my husband and I went out to have dinner at a delightful restaurant called Chophouse. We ate really well and I was particularly impressed by their Wagyu Tartare with truffle aioli, pear, pine nuts & white soy dressing and by their Wagyu Striploin with harissa… divine! Also, I was pleasantly surprised…
COTECHINO WITH LENTILS
Today I want to share with you a classic Italian recipe: cotechino with lentils. I don’t think there is a single household in Italy that will not serve this dish on New Year’s Eve. It is a huge tradition. Also, lentils are supposed to bring good luck and money in the new year, so we…
PANETTONE
Merry Christmas everybody! I know you will be very busy in your kitchens today (or at the malls, getting your last minute Christmas shopping done!), but I just could not stop myself from sharing this special recipe with all of you today: Panettone!
BISCOTTI DI FICHI – FIG COOKIES
Today, as part of my series on Regional Italian Cuisines, I want to share with you the recipe for a very traditional Christmas Sicilian sweet: biscotti di fichi. They are made with the same dough and filling of Buccellato (the traditional Sicilian cake I have shared with you last year), but they are a bit…
LASAGNE VERDI
Today’s recipe is a variation on the classic Baked Lasagne that I have already shared with you in the past. The main difference is that this dish is made using “green” pasta sheets that are made with spinach. You can find a tutorial on how to make your own green pasta dough here. I can…
CANEDERLI CON SPECK IN BRODO – SPECK CANEDERLI IN BROTH
Canederli, also known locally as Knödel, are bread dumplings typical of the area of South Tyrol, even though similar versions are found in Austrian, German, Hungarian, Croatian and Czech cuisines. The classic Italian recipe calls for Italian Speck, which is a smoked prosciutto typical of the area and they are traditionally served in broth as…
PESTO LASAGNE
I am very excited about today’s recipe. The reason is simple: it is one of my all time favourite dishes. I have always loved lasagne, but growing up I had always only eaten the classic meat version. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I had my first lasagne with pesto. I was at…
