Crispy Succulent Shrimp (Gamberi Fritti)

Crispy Succulent Shrimp (Gamberi Fritti)

When I was a kid on a steamy summer Friday night in Jersey, fried fish was one of my favorite dinners. My Mom lightly dredged an array of fish in flour and quickly fried them in olive oil. We ate the fish hot out of 

Summer Heirloom Tomatoes Are In

Summer Heirloom Tomatoes Are In

I returned from NYC to find the first decent crop of local heirloom tomatoes. A big, fat golden and red orb in the farmer’s market had my name on it. The ripe tomato had a sweet aroma and was just firm to the touch. You 

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms (& Friends)

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms (& Friends)

I made baked stuffed mushroom caps to accompany prosciutto and smoked mozzarella on my antipasti platter. That’s them in the front of the plate. Stuffed mushrooms are quick and easy to make and pack a lot of flavor. Serve them hot out of the oven or 

Pasta alla Norma: Rigatoni in a Tomato & Eggplant Sauce

Pasta alla Norma: Rigatoni in a Tomato & Eggplant Sauce

A classic from Catania on the eastern shore of Sicily, this wildly popular pasta took on its name in honor of favorite-son Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma 180 years ago. You’ll find it on menus all over Sicilia now. A couple of you asked about this dish 

2 North Beach Sausage Winners

2 North Beach Sausage Winners

I love Italian pork sausage. Luckily I can get the best right here in North Beach. The Chronicle tasted 48 house-made sausages from all over the Bay Area, everything from traditional Italian pork sausage to Boudin Blanc and Spicy Georgia Peach Bourbon chicken sausage. Even 

Deep-Dish Pizza on My Mind

Deep-Dish Pizza on My Mind

Sausage Deep-Dish Pizza Chicago Style Chicago-style pizza has been on my mind lately and luckily in my mouth too. I had one when I was in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. I love the classic pie with sausage but I lost the vote and we 

Stuffed Peppers (Peperoni Ripieni)

Stuffed Peppers (Peperoni Ripieni)

I had a hankering for stuffed peppers for a while so I made some today. Peppers are flooding the farmers market and a couple of big, ripe red bell peppers called out to me this morning. The roasted stuffed peppers are tender and sweet. The arborio 

Making the Same Pizza in North Beach for 77 Years

Making the Same Pizza in North Beach for 77 Years

North Beach’s Tommaso’s opened in 1935. The Crotti family bought it in 1973 and they’re still serving the original menu from 77 years ago. Agostino Crotti boasts that Tommaso’s was the first to have a wood-burning oven on the West Coast . “That’s written in the books.” 

Spaghetti alla Carbonara from Roma

Spaghetti alla Carbonara from Roma

A Roman friend’s son Luca shot a video of Claudio, the chef/owner of Osteria Dar Bruttone making spaghetti alla carbonara, a classic Roman pasta dish. I had to share it with you. Claudio is passionate about Roma and about its food. His osteria in the 

Frittata: Italian Egg, Sausage and Potato Pie

Frittata: Italian Egg, Sausage and Potato Pie

Frittata, an Italian egg pie with potatoes and roasted sausage. Use the basic recipe and include your favorite ingredients. You can have a flavorful fritatta on the table in about 20 minutes.

Pasta Primavera: Bowtie Pasta with Spring Vegetables

Pasta Primavera: Bowtie Pasta with Spring Vegetables

The farmers markets are overflowing with early spring vegetables so I just had to make Pasta Primavera, farfalle (bowtie) pasta with just-arrived asparagus, fava beans and sweet peas. Pasta Primavera is a classic Italian-American dish concocted by Sirio Maccioni and made famous at his Le 

An Easter Dinner Menu for You

An Easter Dinner Menu for You

Here’s a 4-course Easter dinner suggestion. I even threw in Italian wine pairings. Follow my easy video demonstrations and text recipes (a fan suggests I call these “videocipes” or “recideos”) and make dinner for yourself. Bake the 2 traditional Easter Pies the day before and let them sit 

SF Seder From The Roman Ghetto

SF Seder From The Roman Ghetto

I’m jazzed. San Francisco’s own world-famous Italian cook, teacher and author Joyce Goldstein is preparing a Seder at Perbacco on April 10. The roots of this meal are in Square One, Goldstein’s sorely missed Jackson Square restaurant. She first served a Seder meal there in 

Grandma’s in the Kitchen

Grandma’s in the Kitchen

Not mine and maybe not yours but if you’re on Staten Island you can savor the cooking of a real nonna (grandmother) born in Italia at local restaurant Enoteca Maria. No chefs here. Every night one of a stable of 9 grandmothers is in the 

Italian Wedding Soup: Chicken and Escarole Soup with Veal Meatballs

Italian Wedding Soup: Chicken and Escarole Soup with Veal Meatballs

Chicken and escarole soup with tiny veal meatballs is an Italian-American classic often called the Italian Wedding Soup. It’s easy to make and it’s delicious.