Lazy Lasagna Ready in an Hour

Lazy Lasagna Ready in an Hour

I promised to make a lasagna for our office potluck lunch Thursday. As I got ready for a trip to LA I tried to beg off making the lasagna. I knew I wouldn’t be in the mood to make a lasagna because I was flying 

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.

Spinach Pies–My Bridge to Italy

Spinach Pies–My Bridge to Italy

Making spinach pies today is a culinary bridge from the States to my upcoming temporary home in Naples. The filling is inspired by the  “Wimpy Skippy,” a crowd-pleaser from Caserta Pizzeria on Providence’s Federal Hill, an Italian-American bastion. I’ll find variations of spinach pies, called 

Pignoli Cookies

Pignoli Cookies

Want an easy and sweet treat for your holiday table? Bake some almond cookies topped with pine nuts. We always have a stash of pignoli cookies for our Christmas table. You can make them in less than an hour. A fan asked for this recipe. 

Focaccia with Grapes & Walnuts

Focaccia with Grapes & Walnuts

I got off easy this year. I didn’t cook Thanksgiving dinner. I joined friends in the North Bay and had to bring an antipasto. It took me a while to get inspired but an idea hit me at the market. The late harvest grapes were 

Calzone From Leftovers

Calzone From Leftovers

Make calzone stuffed with sauteed escarole, roasted sausage and mozzarella. In case you don’t have leftovers in your fridge here’s the recipe from scratch.

Free Recipe: Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

Free Recipe: Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

I recently spent a delightful evening with my friend Viola Buitoni, a wonderful Umbrian cook and teacher, and Carol Field, the San Francisco author of the just reissued classic, The Italian Baker. Viola hosts the wonderful Italian gastronomy series at the Italian Cultural Institute.  The presentations 

Friday Recipe: Tomato & Onion Focaccia

Friday Recipe: Tomato & Onion Focaccia

The tiny tomatoes glistened like jewels. They inspired a gift to celebrate late August in San Francisco–a red and gold cherry tomato and young onion focaccia.

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie

So I had some spaghetti with basil pesto left over from last night’s dinner. Boy-oh-boy the next day it’s breakfast–a spaghetti pie.

Easter Pies: Pizza Rustica & Pastiera Napoletana

Easter Pies: Pizza Rustica & Pastiera Napoletana

Serve the pizza rustica as part of the antipasti course and the Pastiera as your dolce (dessert). But only on Easter!

Lasagna al Forno with Fresh Pasta

Lasagna al Forno with Fresh Pasta

A classic Tuscan white lasagna.