Eggplant Balls

Eggplant Balls

I never had polpette di melanzane (eggplant “meatballs”) before I stumbled upon them 8 years ago in Napoli at a family trattoria behind all the fancy hotels facing the Bay of Naples on the Lungomare. Despite the literal translation “eggplant meatballs” there’s no meat in 

Torta Pasqualina: Easter Greens & Ricotta Cake

Torta Pasqualina: Easter Greens & Ricotta Cake

Don’t miss the next recipe video: Subscribe now to my YouTube channel. Easter is a relaxed holiday. There’s a saying “Natale con i tuoi. Pasqua con chi vuoi.” Christmas with your family. Easter with whomever you like. In Italy the Easter celebration spills over to Monday, called 

Spring Asparagus Frittata

Spring Asparagus Frittata

I made this asparagus frittata last spring while in Rome. Allesandro, my friend and produce vendor in Campo de Fiori, the huge open air produce market in the historical center of Rome, showed me wild asparagus he had foraged the night before. It took him all 

Baked Baby Eggplant via Japan

Baked Baby Eggplant via Japan

Don’t miss the next recipe video: Subscribe now to my YouTube channel. Baked Italian baby eggplant is a favorite blog text recipe post so we decided to show you how to make it. Let me know if there are other recipe posts or other Italian dishes you want me 

Roasted Beet Salad Recipe

Roasted Beet Salad Recipe

The Virginia branch of the family gathered at my nephew’s beautiful new house on Smith Mountain Lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains. No one but my sister and brother-in-law knew I was joining 3 generations for this Thanksgiving gathering. As each wave of the family arrived 

Start Thanksgiving Dinner with Crab & Vegetables in a Hot Bath

Start Thanksgiving Dinner with Crab & Vegetables in a Hot Bath

The dungeness crab season started a couple of weeks ago and the harvest is superb. So here’s a simple delicious start for your Thanksgiving dinner, steamed crab and vegetables with bagna cauda, a flavorful anchovy-garlic hot dipping sauce. This is a super easy dish. Buy 

Calamari Salad

Calamari Salad

I’m cooking dinner as a birthday gift for a friend and I’m in the mood for this calamari salad as part of the antipasti. The steamed calamari is sweet and tender bathed in the zesty olive oil and lemon dressing. The celery and onion add 

Eggplant “Meatballs”

Eggplant “Meatballs”

An old woman in a soiled white apron stood at the top of the stairs leading to a basement trattoria a cigarette dangling out of her mouth. We were wandering around the backstreets in Naples behind the big fancy hotels facing the marina and Castel 

Flourless Potato & Onion Focaccia

Flourless Potato & Onion Focaccia

A focaccia made with a potato dough with a sweet onion, olive and caper filling topped with a golden breadcrumb crust.

White Bean & Tuna Salad

White Bean & Tuna Salad

I love cannellini beans and Sicilian canned tuna. Putting these 2 pantry staples together in this salad makes me very happy. You can use canned beans but since there are only 2 main ingredients in the salad I like to use dry beans. They aren’t 

Suppli al telefono: Fried Arborio Rice Balls Video

Suppli al telefono: Fried Arborio Rice Balls Video

Suppli are tasty egg-shaped fried arborio rice balls. The surprise in the middle give them their name.