My friend & author, Andrew Cotto is BACK in the Cucina with another delicious meal AND Italian adventure! His latest novel, "Cucina Romana" is out NOW (link inside!) and of course, we had to make the classic Roman dish, pasta carbonara! Fatty guanciale, mixed with eggs and cheese (yes Jersey peeps, it's a bacon, egg & cheese as a pasta course!). Fresh cracked black pepper represents the "carbon" for carbonara...coal miners.
Read MoreI've always loved looking through old photos, old notes and papers, and above all, old cook books! When my Nanny passed we pulled what has become our kitchen Bible from her home. ALL of her best stuff was in there, including notes, substitute ingredients and other recipes she had collected over the years. This one was one of those recipes that's jotted onto scrap paper and tossed in the front cover - which means you know it's gonna be good! We actually never made this as a family, I'm not sure why because it's DELICIOUS! These spinach and potato gnocchi are the fluffiest little pillows of yum ever! They some how have the texture of ricotta gnocchi, and the color of Spring! It was always tradition in my family to start using spinach as the first of the Spring ingredients. And these gnocchi incorporate it perfectly (also, good way to sneak greens into picky eaters!) Best part? This recipe had it's own special sauce included! I changed the sauce a little because of my body's aversion to dairy but feel free to make whatever changes work best for YOU!
Read MoreThis simple arugula salad recipe is fast, fresh and easy! Toasted pine nuts and saved parmesan perfectly round out this dish with peppery arugula and bright lemon! The perfect side dish for any meal!
Read MoreNonni's porcini mushroom risotto is a family favorite for us! While it's a hearty dish, best served when the weather is cold; we eat it all year round! Laganica sausage and ground beef create the base for this earthy meal. Then we add dried porcini mushrooms to the recipe. If you can't find them at the grocery store or market, I've included a link to buy them online. Finally I show you how to make one of my favorite, simple salads. It's the perfect side for this meal; creating balance with peppery arugula and bright lemon! Plus I'll show you how to build any salad so you can get it done in advance!
Read MoreThis colorful take on the classic is perfect for Valentine's Day! Fresh or frozen berries, along with berry juice create the layers between the classic custard filling. Served in individual bowls (or for sharing!) it's a gorgeous finish to your Valentine's Day dinner!
Read MoreLove is love - and pasta is life! It doesn't matter what kind of love you have in your life - you have love worth celebrating! And this is the perfect combination to do it with! Pink pasta dough creates heart shaped ravioli, filled with seasoned, fresh ricotta. Tossed in the easiest sauce ever! Butter and cheese! But don't worry, I added a mature little twist to finish it off with.
This classic Piemontese dish is a family tradition for me! Mamma D joins me in the Cucina this week to walk us through, not just how to make bagna cauda, but what to serve with it and a few delightful little memories around this meal! And, watch for a cameo from my grandfather as he tells the story of the origins of bagna cauda!
Read MoreWe are starting the year off with a bang! None other than the Queen of Italian home cooking herself - Lidia Bastianich! Lidia is my extra special guest this week as we talk about her upcoming PBS special "Lidia Celebrates America: A Salute to First Responders". Along with all things food, the power of cooking, and why Lidia thinks a little patch of dirt just MIGHT be the cure for the quarantine blues. After the interview, I head to the Cucina to guide you step by step through Lidia's breakfast risotto recipe! If you've never had rice and eggs for breakfast, you've been missing out! This recipe is (of course!) a knock out! The perfect way to start the day!
Read MoreWhat better way to end the Feast of Seven Fishes than with some zeppole! This is my neighbor's family recipe and they turn out perfect every time! Crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside! This recipe uses a small potato, but I know there's a lot of other versions out there! Like so many Italian Christmas Eve dishes, they're each as unique as the family that makes them!
Read MoreSince 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 MoreThanksgiving 2020 is going to look a LITTLE different. But that doesn't mean we can't celebrate and enjoy! In this video I share three new recipes for a smaller crowd! Starting with my citrus and sage roast turkey breast. A simple Italian side dish of roasted fennel. And a unique and light dessert idea of cranberry granita! These recipes can help create a delicious dinner experience regardless of who is (or isn't) around the table this year! I hope you'll give them a shot and add them to your traditional fair. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Read MoreI'm SO excited to be kicking off November with my friends at Groundwork Elizabeth and Urban Griddle! I headed to Urban Griddle to get their recipe for their fan favorite "pig candy" - and to get a sneak peek at the menu for November 7th's Urban Farm Dinner! Owner George Vlahos talks about why Groundwork Elizabeth is so important to him, and to the community! Plus we have a lot of fun!
Read MoreAn American classic - done Cucina style! Leave it to my family! We don't do your typical meatloaf - nope! My Mom essentially makes a giant meatball and then glazes it with sweet marsala wine! I promise - you won't miss the ketchup! This was on heavy dinner rotation when I was a kid, it's easy and basically just feels like home! It's a great meal for these cool nights! Serve it up with some potatoes and greens and you've got yourself a delicious dinner!
Read MoreWe are going ALL IN on this white mac and cheese recipe! It's been getting pretty chilly at night here in Jersey and I'm ready for Fall flavors and "stick to your ribs" dishes (not that I didn't eat my face off all Summer anyway!). This delicious baked macaroni and cheese is NOT just for the kiddos. Sharp white cheddar, fontina (or gruyere!) mix with Fall flavors like nutmeg and clove; then get topped with a generous helping of breadcrumbs and baked to browned, bubbling perfection!
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.
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