an italian cook around the world
Eggs in Purgatory, called in Italian “Uova in Purgatorio”, is a simple and tasty recipe originally from Naples and then popular into several Italian regions. The eggs are poached into a simple tomato, garlic, and basil sauce until the whites are well done and the yolks are still creamy: delicious!
The Imperial Soup (Zuppa Imperiale) is a typical Bolognese soup: fluffy semolina dough is baked, then reduced into small dices, and finally cooked with a fragrant meat stock. This recipe is a traditional, kid-friendly, option for family gatherings! The preparation of the Imperial Soup is fast and easy. It’s possible to bake and dice this tasty dough in advance, and quickly boil it into meat or vegetable broth just before serving!
Mushroom risotto: another classic Italian! Risotto recipes are very popular into the North Eastern Italian cuisine. Its preparation is not particularly easy, but it worth any minute of your time! There are many variations of Italian risotto: along with Milanese Risotto and Asparagus Risotto, the mushroom version is one of the most famous. In this case, I love to add a yolk before stirring the last time my mushroom risotto, but if someone doesn’t like the taste of the egg, it is possible to substitute the yolk with one more spoon of butter.
Fried lamb chops recall my childhood: In Bologna, my hometown, Easter means fried lamb! Even today, I can still see my granny’s hands poaching the meat into the eggs and heavy cream mixture. I can hear the sizzle of the peanuts oil and smell the fragrance of frying chops filling out any space of the house. I have never been bored of this dish! It is so tasty and full of fun, a feast of sensations. The crisp of the golden crust covering a secret of spiced meat, the sour taste of the lemon juice, the permission to eat directly with my hand, a joy forbidden with almost all other courses, so yummy!
Ricotta cheese pasta is one of the recipes I liked most in my childhood. This sauce for pasta is very easy and fast, just combine ricotta along with fresh basil, Parmigiano Reggiano and tomato sauce. Crushed pine nuts are the crunchy part of this recipe and give a particular taste! Today I opted for strozzapreti, a traditional Italian kind of pasta, but this sauce is delicious with any shape of short pasta or spaghetti as well!
Pesto arugula is a quick and easy recipe, very versatile. Thanks to my friend Erik and his beautiful garden, I can prepare this recipe with fresh organic arugula! I love the bitter taste of this green, balanced with the sweet and sour flavor of Parmigiano Reggiano and pine nuts. Pesto Arugula is perfect to toss pasta, but is great also as seasoning of baked or boiled vegetables and chicken or brisket salad. Try it on simply spread on toasted bread as well, it is delicious!
This vegetarian baked pasta is a tasty and healthy dish, great for friends and relatives gatherings! Commonly, the Italian baked pasta is seasoned with meat and béchamel sauce. In this case, I preferred use my personal cauliflower sauce instead béchamel. This sauce the pasta it’s perfect to season, it’s light and rich in flavor! Tasty roasted broccoli tufts and Havarti cheese complete the dish giving color and more flavor!
Mushrooms and sausage pasta is another classic Italian. Mixed mushrooms pair perfectly with pork meat. Fresh parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggiano, add more flavor. Even if is possible prepare this recipe with all kind of pasta, I prefer short size as penne or maccheroni. In this case I used extra thin penne, called in Italy Pennette. I like complete this pasta with grated raw mushrooms, to taste all the different fragrance and consistency of mushrooms!
Bresaola salad is a great Italian cured meat. It is perfect combined with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and baby arugula. When I desire serving a quick and easy dish, that recalls my own county, this recipe is my choice. Try the bresaola on also with olives, truffles or Asiago cheese, it is delicious!
It’s Halloween, let’s cook a great recipe with a creamy butternut squash sauce! I really care about this simple and savory pasta; Into this I combined my Italian soul with a bit of American taste. To serve the Butternut squash sauce, I choose Farfalle, a kind of pasta as popular in Italy almost as spaghetti. Crispy bacon flakes add flavor. Do not forget a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to complete the dish!
