Focaccia (pronunced foe-CA-cha) is a soft, flat oven-baked Italian bread, so popular that most people could very well have had their first taste of it in an Italian bakery or restaurant somewhere other than on Italian soil. It is made of simple ingredients such as flour, yeast, water, olive oil and salt. It is seasoned…
Archives for January 2013
Terrina di Gorgonzola, Fichi, Noci e Marsala (Gorgonzola Cheese, Figs, Nuts and Marsala Wine Terrine)
Gorgonzola terrine is an elegant recipe that you can serve at a buffet or as an appetizer, either with crackers or Italian ciabatta bread, and accompanied by nice glass of fruity white wine or an aged Port wine. This delight is also suitable as a cheese course in an important dinner. The pungent and distinct…
Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta with Beans)
Pasta e fagioli, comfort food during cold winter days, is one of the most traditional, widespread and appreciated Italian recipes. In fact in the Mediterranean diet, beans are commonly used to prepare nutritious and healthy dishes, and for this reason they are known as “the meat of the poor people”, rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins,…
Pasta allo Zafferano (Pasta with Saffron)
We probably all recognize that pasta is a highly versatile ingredient for preparing quick and delicious meals and can be served at both simple and elegant dinners. This is one of the most favorite pasta recipes of my cooking classes in Lake Como. The addition of saffron, the king of spices (the most expensive spice…
Pollo alla Cacciatora (Hunter’s Chicken Stew)
In past centuries, peasants used the vegetables cultivated in their fields and the animals raised on their farms to prepare their meals. Pollo alla cacciatora is one of these peasant recipes and seems to have originated in Tuscany. Typically for Sunday dinner, chicken, a readily-available animal, was used to prepare a fine and festive feast. …
Gnocchi di Patate al Pomodoro (Potato Dumplings with Tomato Sauce)
Gnocchi di patate (potato dumplings) is an Italian classic. These dumplings are small pieces of potato dough, usually round or oblong in shape, which are boiled in water and then served with various toppings such as tomato sauce and fresh basil, oil olive and grated Parmesan cheese, Bolognese sauce or even Brasato al Barolo sauce….