Tag: italian-american

Fettuccine with Squash Blossom Cream Sauce

Fettuccine with Squash Blossom Cream Sauce

Are you afraid of squash blossoms that are flooding farmers markets now? Don’t be. The blossoms are versatile and easy to cook up. Grab some if you can. Stuff the blossoms with mozzarella and anchovy and fry them coated with a light batter. Use them as 

Grilled Swordfish with Salmoriglio Sauce

Grilled Swordfish with Salmoriglio Sauce

The Sicilian summer heat came early one morning. Rows of fish packed on ice sparkled in the morning sun as we searched the open-air fish market for the perfect catch for dinner. I almost bumped into this guy in the picture below swinging a long 

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 

Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage

Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage

Here’s one of my favorite dishes that’s easy and quick to make for a weeknight dinner. You’ll be eating in a half hour or so. Roast the sausage in a hot 425 degree oven until they’re golden brown. While the sausage is roasting steam/saute the broccoli 

Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes with Pappardelle

Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes with Pappardelle

I scored the first of the organic San Marzano tomatoes from Happy Boy Farms at the Thursday Galleria farmers market in San Francisco’s financial district. I was lazy and wanted a simple sauce so I didn’t cook it at all. This pasta can be on 

Italian Braised Beef Brisket

Italian Braised Beef Brisket

Slow braised beef brisket served with aromatic vegetables is a simple and favorable one-plate lunch or dinner.

Couscous with Veal, Cauliflower, Red Peppers & Saffron

Couscous with Veal, Cauliflower, Red Peppers & Saffron

Sicily has been on my mind. I recalled a remarkable day on the northern coast where I learned of 2 new ingredients for my Italian-American cooking, couscous and saffron. We spent a delightful day in San Vito lo Capo lounging on the soft pink beach, 

Raw & Cooked Salad

Raw & Cooked Salad

Summer just arrived and I’m starting to get in the mood for the bounty slowly hitting the market. This simple yet complex salad is my bridge to the new season. Insalata cruda e cotta is an interesting mix of fresh and cooked vegetables and will be 

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 

Braciole–Neapolitan Stuffed Beef Rolls

Braciole–Neapolitan Stuffed Beef Rolls

These braciole are beef rolls filled with prosciutto, provolo and a bread stuffing with chopped egg, parsley, garlic and pecorino. The braciole braise in San Marzano tomatoes to create a sauce with deep rich flavors and a brick red color. In Italy the sauce is 

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.

Escarole 2 Ways

Escarole 2 Ways

The escarole in the market today was gorgeous, light green heads with fresh, tender leaves. I get 2 uses from a head of escarole. Save the yellow-green inner leaves for a simple salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon or red wine vinegar and 

Spaghetti with Clams Straight from the Bay of Naples

Spaghetti with Clams Straight from the Bay of Naples

Neapolitans love clams. The outdoor fish stalls have clams of all sizes just out of the bay on display in buckets of water. For me, the smaller the better. I love vongole verace, those clams the size of your thumb, but you have to cook a 

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 

Meatballs Neapolitan Style

Meatballs Neapolitan Style

My trip to Italy is fast approaching. I wanted to do a couple of posts before I leave and the dishes had to be simple. Meat-eaters love meatballs. These are from Naples and may be a bit different than what you’re used to eating here