Since the holidays will be looking a little different this year, I wanted to share a simple dessert that can be made quickly and easily, without creating weeks worth of leftovers! This easy affogato recipe shows you how to make the perfect pot of espresso, assemble and eat the dish! Plus it's a great way to make everyone happy because you can use any flavor of gelato (or ice cream) that you like! Try things like chocolate, hazelnut or peppermint!
Read MoreThis classic Italian pasta shape is incredibly easy to make! Homemade ricotta cavatelli use the same dough as ricotta gnocchi, but the shape is even more simple! No special tools required, just your hands and a wooden board! Toss them with a Bolognese, marinara or of course, broccoli rabe!
Read MoreI can’t think of anything more quintessentially Italian Summer than limoncello. And what better way to hold on to these last few days than bottle it up!? My aunt’s been making limoncello for years now and it always turns out great. So I finally got around to asking her for the recipe - it’s amazingly simple, but like all things Italian, it takes time and quality to do right.
Read MoreI tossed this pizza together on a Friday night when I had leftover pesto, prosciutto and ricotta in the house! Taking inspiration from some of our amazing local pizzerias I used the pesto as the sauce, dolloped on the last few spoons of fresh ricotta, tore up a bit of fresh mozzarella, sprinkled the whole thing with grated parmesan and topped it all with the last few pieces of prosciutto. The result was spectacular! We've been loving this pizza ALL Summer long and I hope you all enjoy it too! You can use my fresh pizza dough recipe and pesto recipes below, watch the video and give it a try at home!
Read MoreI couldn't let Summer go by without doing a recipe using Jersey tomatoes and our sweet corn! I actually came up with this dish at the end of last Summer but we were already shooting for Fall, so I wrote it all down and tucked it away for this year! On top of the delicious flavors of fresh produce in this risotto, I like using a Summer beer instead of wine as the first splash of liquid. It's just another fun way to incorporate these late Summer flavors into a delicious dinner!
Read MoreThis is a quick and easy Summer side dish that I do by combining two other recipes from different parts of life! The zucchini comes from my old college roomie; the peppers from Senza Cucina in Bayville NJ! These go great as an appetizer or alongside some grilled or roasted meat! They're not bad cold or reheated the next day either as a lunch or snack!
Read MoreIt has been SO HOT here in New Jersey, the thought of cooking anything at all is awful. This is the time of year when salads rein supreme in my house! But we don't sad, sorry salads. We do fun, delicious, this is totally a meal on its own salads! Including this delicious peach caprese! While most of the U.S. looks to Georgia for peaches, we grow some really nice ones here in Jersey too! And they've been gorgeous! So what better way to use 'em up than to add them to your favorite Summer side dish! Sliced tomatoes, peaches, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil are all you need to make this perfect Summer plate.
Read MoreThis pasta dish is the epitome of Summer! Fresh lemon brightens up creamy ricotta to make the perfect pasta sauce! Toss in peas for some green - OR - chopped zucchini or spinach - whatever you like! Best of all? It all comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil so you're not standing over the stove!
Read MoreThis light and fresh Summer salad is quick and easy to make and can be tailored to any diet! Orzo, which are small pasta, cook up in just 4-5 minutes. Tossed with fresh Summer vegetables, extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and you have lunch on the table! Top you salad with grilled shrimp or chicken (thanks to the folks at Traeger Grills for helping us out!), or swap in feta cheese for a vegetarian version. Vegan? Toss on some grilled tofu instead, or just add in beans like ceci. Gluten free? Swap the orzo for rice or quinoa! You get the idea.
Read MoreThis quick and easy parsley based sauce is the perfect Summer condiment! Enjoy it with chicken, steak, fish or veggies! I make mine with shallot, red wine vinegar, LOTS of parsley, some fresh chives (cause they grow in the garden!) and some capers - but feel free to switch things up and swap them out to suit your tastes! Try adding in mint for a lamb dish, or some tarragon with fish - whatever is fresh and easy will work here!
Read MoreThis classic Sicilian dessert (now found all across Italy!) makes the perfect sweet treat to celebrate the good ol'U.S. of A! Granita is special because it's not flavored frozen water, but rather frozen puree of whatever you're looking for! Then it's mixed every 30-45 minutes during the freezing process, giving it its unique texture! In this video I'll show you how to make an easy mint simple syrup to flavor your granita with! Then we'll mix it with watermelon puree to make a beautiful, refreshing dessert - PERFECT for 4th of July weekend - or any time you want a light (healthy!) dessert for a hot Summer's day!
Read MoreWe're celebrating dads with one of MY father's favorite dinners! Pork chops with onions and peppers! This is a delicious one-pan dinner! Pork chops smothered with onions and peppers and finished in the oven! Drizzled with balsamic vinegar these chops have amazing flavor! Serve them with crusty bread, crispy potatoes (OR, toss the potatoes in the pot with the chops!) and a big fresh salad and I think YOUR dad will be as happy as mine is when he sees this come out of the oven!
Read MoreWatch how quick and easy it is to make a healthy spinach pesto from scratch! Pestos are a great way to dress pasta, chicken, shrimp, anything really! And the best part is they're ready in minutes; the food processor handles it all for you! I make my spinach pesto with fresh baby spinach, toasted walnuts, garlic and some parmesan cheese! Rounded out with a quality olive oil and you've got a quick and easy sauce that's both healthy and delicious!
Read MorePossibly my new favorite quarantine activity is reading books ABOUT food, and then recreating dishes I've read about! While reading Andrew Cotto's "Cucina Tipica" I was left salivating by his scene around braised ceci beans. I had never heard of them! But it sounded delicious, and incredibly simple (as cucina tipica usually is!). So I did my best to recreate the dish for dinner that night - and it was SO good! I knew immediately I had to share it with all of you! Rich extra virgin olive oil bathes ceci beans and fresh herbs for a comforting dish that checks ALL the boxes! It's warming, and soothing, delicious and filling while also being INCREDIBLY healthy and immunity boosting (BONUS given the times!). I've been serving it with my focaccia bread and a big fresh salad.
Read MoreLike so many of us, Mother's Day won't be what it USUALLY is for my family. So I wanted to come up with something fun, and easy, that anyone could tackle at home! I imagined my friends' husbands cooking with their kids; or adult children (like me!) cooking for their mom and dropping it at her door. And as always, I wanted to use fresh, seasonal ingredients. Strawberries were the immediate answer there - and a crostata sounded lovely. A simple recipe, with a few ingredients, that dads, kids, and big kids alike could easily create - without short-changing mom! Just like our current lives, this dessert is perfect in its imperfections. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mama's out there, sharing their love and strength with all of us trying to navigate this crazy world! We love you!
Read MoreWatch how to make this delicious Spring frittata! Using fresh, seasonal ingredients, you can make a simple meal that works anytime of day! Dandelion greens are a great Spring green that are available in stores - or even your own backyard! Yes, THAT dandelion green! Add in some earthy mushrooms and of course, plenty of parmesan cheese! This egg dish can serve for breakfast and brunch - clear through to dinner in a pinch! Plus it makes great leftovers! Serve with a fresh salad, crusty bread, or cooked grains on the side!
Read MoreSee how easy it is to make this classic Italian focaccia bread! This one is better know in Italy as focaccia al rosmarino because of its rosemary topping! In Italy there are MANY types and flavors of focaccia, but this is the classic version that we have come to know and love here in the U.S.! It's so simple to make focaccia at home, you'll never buy it out again!
Read MoreMy friend Mike Favetta joins me in the Cucina this week showing us his version of pasta cacio e pepe! This classic Roman dish only has 3 ingredients but is often difficult to make! Mike shows us what he learned from the "Nonna" downstairs from his apartment in Milan!
Read MoreThis is NOT what Americans know as tiramisu. It's not cake, and it's not purely whipped cream - hell it's not even cooked eggs! (you'll be fine) This is an amazing recipe that turns out delicious and is fun and easy to make! Just make sure you get the right cookies! (The Italians were really insistent on the Pavesini) Snag those at the link in the recipe.
Read MoreI can't think of anything more impressive than hand made pasta. It's literally the way to anyone's heart! These ravioli are fun to make with and for family and friends - plus they have the easiest sauce EVER! Thanks again to the staff at Certosa di Pontignano AND Florencetown for showing us this one!
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