March 6, 2016
There is something about pasta al forno that is very comforting and satisfying. Maybe it’s the slightly charred bits on top, or the creamy sauce around the pasta, or the melted cheese. Whatever it is, I sometimes crave the flavours and texture of a pasta that is cooked just below al dente, then mixed with a a sauce and baked in the oven until crispy on top and slightly charred here and there. I tend... View Article
March 2, 2016
If you haven’t been using fennel in your cooking I encourage you to try it. It has a crisp texture and anise-like flavour that may take getting used to but once you do, it’s very attractive. Fennel makes a beautiful base for a salad and pairs well with citrus, pomegranates, olives, celery, Belgian endive and a few cheeses, such as parmesan, pecorino and mild blue cheese. For a salad I like to slice it thinly... View Article
February 29, 2016
Pizza bianca is ubiquitous in Rome being the number one snack food that Romans buy and eat. It is also one of the foods that I missed the most when we returned home after 100 days in Italy recently. In Rome it became a daily ritual for us to stop by our local bakery and pick up a warm piece of just baked pizza bianca to enjoy standing at the counter or outside the store,... View Article
February 27, 2016
Small potatoes and tender green beans pair well in this easy salad for a lazy day in the kitchen. I made a big bowl of it and kept it out of the fridge for a help yourself lunch or snack for the day. A drizzle of olive oil, splash of white wine vinegar (optional) and liberal sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt is all this salad needs for a dressing. Of course you can embellish... View Article
February 22, 2016
One interesting thing I observed in Italy is that they do not mix foods on a plate. Vegetables, at least in restaurants, are served on separate plates and generally brought to you in sequence, not all together. I am told by my Italian “crew” here that in private homes they do serve more than one thing on a plate, but not in restaurants. So, trying to extend our Italian adventure right here in my kitchen,... View Article
February 21, 2016
Sometime I just crave these slightly savoury, slightly sweet scones so one of the first things I made when I was reacquainting with my kitchen after 100 days absence were these fluffy, pillowy creations. If you follow the blog you know I don’t like too many ingredients or too many dishes to wash so I tend to keep things rather simple. This recipe can be made in one bowl and it bakes quickly so you... View Article
December 24, 2015
The radicchio here in Italy is a completely different experience than the compact round ones we get in Canada. I have been buying them and indulging in salads of all kinds and also grilled them a few times. The radicchio rosso di Treviso, the elongated one resembling a Belgian endive, is what you find here right now at the markets. If you don’t have the Treviso type use the regular radicchio but perhaps but it... View Article
December 24, 2015
Zaatar is the sine qua non of middle eastern cooking. It’s indispensable for its flavour and versatility. Zaatar, meaning thyme in Arabic, refers not to thyme but to a slightly tangy, intensely aromatic spice blend that can be used to flavour many dishes, middle eastern or not. As with all things culinary, there are many versions of zaatar with ingredients ranging from thyme, oregano, minty hyssop, tangy sumac, marjoram and sesame seeds and I have... View Article
November 26, 2015
I don’t know if you have access to fresh ricotta made this morning but I bought mine from the cheese maker next door while staying at the off the beaten path agriturismo Palazzo del Duca in Tavernelle. A blog post about the experience is in the making but I had to use the cheese right away so here is one of the ways I used it, simplicity itself, and in the words of Leonardo da... View Article
November 24, 2015
The truffle I bought at the San Miniato truffle festival was enough for just two dishes: soft scrambled eggs with truffles and risotto with truffles. It was a fun and short lived, I need to find another white truffle before we leave Tuscany. we are off to Florence in a few days and are staying there long enough to do some cooking, looking forward to that. The truffled risotto is easy to make, simply make... View Article
November 20, 2015
Some things feel luxurious and truffles are certainly among them. We are in Italy right now at the height of white truffle season and just returned from the white Truffle Festival in San Miniato, still overwhelmed by the abundance of truffles and array of truffle products that were available. We tasted truffles in several dishes, mostly with pasta, risotto, cheese and on crostini, but one of the simplest ways it was served and to me... View Article
November 11, 2015
We are keeping different schedule here in Italy with all the comings and goings and sometime late at night we just want something to eat. Unless I have a dish ready I invariably turn to a quick pasta and use passata as a base for the sauce. Passata is a useful Italian ingredient not well known at home so I thought I’d tell you about it. It is common in Italian kitchens and frequently called... View Article
