Tag: seasonal

Turkey, Stuffing & Gravy the Italian-American Way

Turkey, Stuffing & Gravy the Italian-American Way

This year I’m making a roasted boneless turkey breast stuffed with spinach and prosciutto. But I’m thinking fondly of my whole succulent roasted turkey and stuffing. Did I make the wrong choice for my Thanksgiving table? Nope, I’ve gotten over my ambivalence. I’m sticking with the 

Roasted Turkey Breast with Spinach & Prosciutto Stuffing

Roasted Turkey Breast with Spinach & Prosciutto Stuffing

This is part two of our Thanksgiving special. Check out part one here. I’m not in the mood to roast a whole turkey this year so I came up with this easy tasty boneless breast roast that’s ready after about 90 minutes in a hot 

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake

Want a light dessert for your holiday table? I love this ricotta cheesecake with pumpkin as an end to a fall meal. It’s a nice change from the heavier New York cheesecake. Pumpkin ricotta cheesecake is easy to make. It doesn’t have a pastry crust 

Squash Blossom Sauced Ravioli from North Beach’s New Italian Homemade Company

Squash Blossom Sauced Ravioli from North Beach’s New Italian Homemade Company

The Italian Homemade Company opened in North Beach on Columbus between Filbert & Greenwich a few days ago. I visited this morning for the first time. It was like stopping by someone’s kitchen in northern Italy. I’m making a light pasta cream sauce with zucchini 

Hamburgers with Cheese In & Out

Hamburgers with Cheese In & Out

Here’s a twist to your standard hamburger. Since it’s reported that Americans eat 3 hamburgers a week I thought you’d want to customize one. Mix in some chopped garlic, parsley and Worcestershire sauce to perk up the beef. I stuff mine with fresh mozzarella and 

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 

Easter Roasted Spring Lamb

Easter Roasted Spring Lamb

Don’t miss the next recipe video: Subscribe now to my YouTube channel. This is the time of the year to enjoy baby milk-fed lamb or baby goat. The season lasts maybe 6 weeks running up to Easter. The prized animals are slaughtered before they are weaned and 

Celebrate St. Joseph’s Day

Celebrate St. Joseph’s Day

Move over St. Patrick. The Feast of St. Joseph, Father’s Day in Italy is this Wednesday. Zeppole di San Giuseppe is one of my favorite Neapolitan pastries. But I only make these pastry cream filled puffs topped with an Amarena cherry once a year, on 

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 

Cardi Fritti: Fried Cardoons

Cardi Fritti: Fried Cardoons

In the spring when I was a kid in Jersey I went foraging for cardoons with my Uncle Frank in the “wild” West Orange hills. He married Aunt Florence, my Mom’s sister, and they lived downstairs from us. Uncle Frank was born in Calabria and didn’t 

Risi e Bisi: Venetian Rice & Spring Peas

Risi e Bisi: Venetian Rice & Spring Peas

In the run-up to Ash Wednesday earlier this week Venetians ended their 12-day Carnevale celebration. It was their last raucous blow-out before the arrival of Lent and 40-days of fasting. The traditional festivities and the arrival of the first of the spring vegetables in the market 

Torta di Riso: Sweet Orange-Scented Rice Cake

Torta di Riso: Sweet Orange-Scented Rice Cake

Don’t miss the next recipe video: Subscribe now to my YouTube channel. As a kid I pigged out this time of the year. I knew I’d have to give up stuff for Lent and usually that included a favorite sweet. So if chocolate was on the 40-day 

Family Survives 2 Weeks on Gianni’s Food!

Family Survives 2 Weeks on Gianni’s Food!

A fan wrote to tell me she just returned from a 2-week Florida vacation with her father and husband. Usually to satisfy one of her Dad’s woolies (craving) they cooked up a whole bunch of my dishes. I’m dizzy from the list. Chicken & escarole 

Black Kale Steam/Sauteed with Garlic & Chili

Black Kale Steam/Sauteed with Garlic & Chili

Don’t miss the next recipe video: Subscribe now to my YouTube channel. I love leafy vegetables cooked using this easy steam/saute method. You can have delicious and healthy vegetables on your table in about 15 minutes. Heat up olive oil, garlic and chili flakes in a 

New Year’s Eve Italian Rules & Recipes Galore

New Year’s Eve Italian Rules & Recipes Galore

Are you ready for your New Year’s Eve celebration? Be sure to include these Italian tips and recipes in your plans. You won’t be sorry in 2014 that you did. There’s an Italian saying that what you do on New Year’s Eve you’ll do all year