Tag: pasta

Umbrian Black Truffles @ Cavalli Cafe

Umbrian Black Truffles @ Cavalli Cafe

I was navigating through the crowd waiting for the bus outside of Cavalli Cafe on Stockton and didn’t notice the hand-written sign in the window. Owner Santo Esposito saw me passing by and ran out to tell me that black truffles (tartufi neri) had just 

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 

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 

A Peek Inside Capos on Vallejo

A Peek Inside Capos on Vallejo

Tony Gemignani’s Capos in the former Pucinella Pizzeria space on North Beach’s Vallejo Street is taking shape. The brick facade on the front of the building is in place. Soon a big black awning will hang out over the sidewalk. A beautiful custom-built wood Art 

North Beach Walking Tour Saturday!

North Beach Walking Tour Saturday!

Fans who took my tour a few months ago called to see if I would do a tour of North Beach for out-of-town guests this Saturday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m. Do you want to join us? Get to know my my favorite restaurants, bakeries, food shops, art galleries 

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 

North Beach Italian Restaurant List

North Beach Italian Restaurant List

I found a Yelp list of North Beach Italian restaurants listed 1 to 50. Actually there aren’t 50 places. Some are listed more than once and a couple have closed. Before you get to the list and all of the comments I can’t help adding 

My Basil Pesto Gnocchi Is Too Green!

My Basil Pesto Gnocchi Is Too Green!

Olive Garden, Romano’s Marcaroni Grill, Buca di Beppo bastardize true Italian and Italian-American dishes. Stay away! Make your own easy, delicious authentic dishes.

North Beach Discovery: Fresh Truffles from Italia

North Beach Discovery: Fresh Truffles from Italia

Fresh truffles arrive in North Beach from Italia. Get them while they last at Cavalli Cafe.

Ditali Pasta with Peas & Onions

Ditali Pasta with Peas & Onions

Ditali with peas and onions is a great easy recipe ready in the time that it takes to cook the pasta.

A Post-Thanksgiving Melting Pot Dinner

A Post-Thanksgiving Melting Pot Dinner

Two branches of the family gathered in northern Jersey to enjoy a great Italian-American meal with a Syrian twist.

A Jersey Thanksgiving

A Jersey Thanksgiving

We’re all gathered in northern Jersey for our Italian-American Thanksgiving dinner, 3 generations in the kitchen today. My sister Rose and her daughter Wendy are in charge, I’m just the sous chef. RoRo has been rocking in the kitchen since 7 this morning and barking 

NYC’s Real Little Italy

NYC’s Real Little Italy

  I’m interested in the health of Italian-American communities across the country so I travelled from Manhattan to the outer borough of the Bronx to check out a neighborhood I’ve heard about for a long time but never visited. Arthur Avenue is a vibrant Italian community 

Cavati (Cavatelli) with Vodka Sauce & with Broccoli Rabe

Cavati (Cavatelli) with Vodka Sauce & with Broccoli Rabe

Rhode Island friends are in town and we we’re making 2 classic Italian-American pasta dishes. Carol brought a cavati pasta machine all the way from Little Rhody. I’ve never seen this contraption and I was anxious to try it out. You say cavati, I say 

Lidia Bastianich is an Inspiration

Lidia Bastianich is an Inspiration

Lidia Bastianich inspires me. She’s been a mentor for a long time. I have 6 of her cookbooks and I read them often. Lidia’s Italy has been a PBS blockbuster cooking show for years. I’ve watched them all but my absolute favorite is the one