Spaghetti Carbonara is one of the simplest, tastiest, and most popular pasta dishes in the Italian cooking repertoire. In our house it’s a regular proposition when there’s little time, or scarecely anything in the fridge – which is not to take anything away from this hearty dish. What are the origins of Spaghetti Carbonara Well, [...]
There is no one agreed christmas menu in Italy, but in Emilia Romagna – and more particularly in Romagna – there’s little discussion surrounding the primo for christmas lunch – it’s got to be Cappelletti in Brodo! These tasty small filled pasta float in a meaty broth, perfect for warming up both body and spirit. [...]
While you might not have imagined it, Italy is Europe’s largest producer of rice, and the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Northern Italy are the main areas for rice production (although rice was first cultivated extensively in the Campania region, only taking hold in the agricultural life of the North in the later middle ages). [...]
Calabria is famous for, amongst other things, its tomatoes, and this is a great, fresh Ingredients 8 large tomatoes 8 spoonfuls of pasta – you can use what you want, but Ditalini are particularly adapt Olive Oil chopped parsley mint leaves basil grated pecorino salt pepper how to do it Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, and [...]
Known in dialect as scripelle ‘mbusse or bathed crespelle, this dish is reasonably simple to make and has the twin advantages of being a novelty (I’ve never seen the dish outside of Abruzzo) and delicious. As with recipes like tortellini in brodo this dish is best served in the autumn/winter and is often a traditional [...]
Tagliolini al tartuffo nero di norcia is a simple, and profoundly regional dish, but one with a strong flavour and identity. Tagliolini are a fresh egg-based pasta that is quick to cook, and goes well with light sauces. In essence they’re the same length as spaghetti, and slightly less wide than tagliatelle, but wider than [...]
Pesto is one of those dishes that, while it has a clear geographic origin in Liguria, has become not just a national favourite but an international dish – and for good reason. The traditional recipe is simple and easy to prepare. It’s popularity is down to the great taste you get when you use fresh [...]
This is a traditional recipe in a number of places along the Romagnolo coast – in particular around Rimini and Bellaria. It’s one of those dishes that, because it was associated with poverty – both polenta and clams were traditionally the food of the poor – had fallen out of favour, disappearing from many menus. [...]
Pasta covered in a rich sauce is a national concept in Italy, with each region holding diverse strategies regarding the ingredients and preparation of sauces. This is a spicy Calabrian variation on the ever-popular tomato sauce Ingredients For 4 people 1 Kg of Tomatoes (de-seeded) 1 onion 50grms of pancetta 1 hot chilli without seeds [...]
This autumnal recipe is found predominantly in the area that stretches between Ferrara and Mantova, and so can plausibly be placed in either Emilia-Romagna or Lombardy – it makes no difference to the taste! A classic dish that is often overlooked in summaries of Italian recipes, mainly because the famous chronicler of Italian cuisine, Artusi, [...]
