Side dishes have an important role in Italian cuisine. These, often vegetarian, preparations are meant as an accompaniment to a second course, whether it’s meat or fish, a piatto freddo (literally, cold dish) of cheese and/or cold cuts, or ... Continue reading
Category: Recipes
Traditional and less traditional authentic Italian recipes.
Asparagus Risotto with Parmesan Rind
Among the many risotto variations, asparagus risotto (‘risotto agli asparagi’) is one of the most successful, and one of my favorites. There are a few different ways to incorporate asparagus in a risotto. In my recipe, diced asparagus are ... Continue reading
Piadina Romagnola
Piadina is a traditional flatbread from the Italian historical region of Romagna. The name piadina (plural: piadine) is a diminutive form of piada (used interchangeably to refer to the same preparation), which originates from the ... Continue reading
Mascarpone Cream – How to Make Panettone Divine
Growing up in the province of Milan, the presence of various panettoni in the house was reliably the earliest indicator that the Christmas season had returned. My father would receive a couple of panettoni as a gift from his workplace, my mother would ... Continue reading
Buckwheat Gnocchi with Mascarpone Tomato Sauce
This recipe was inspired by a dish I had last summer at Farmer’s Apprentice, a great Vancouver restaurant. For my interpretation, I made rustic gnocchi by mixing in some buckwheat flour, and used mascarpone as a base for a creamy tomato sauce. ... Continue reading
Oven-Roasted Vegetables Stripes
Roasted vegetables are nothing new, but this particular arrangement makes for a truly spectacular dish which can be served as a main course, accompanied with fresh and aged cheese, as well as a side dish. When I lived with my parents, this preparation ... Continue reading
Chard and Spinach Gnudi, the Naked Ravioli
This recipe was adapted from Domenica Marchetti’s “Swiss Chard and Spinach Ravioli Nudi”, part of her great cookbook The Glorious Vegetables of Italy, entirely dedicated to the prominent role of vegetables in Italian food. I chose this recipe ... Continue reading
Passato di Verdure (Strained Vegetables Soup)
Growing up, I was used to my mother’s soup made from chunky vegetables in clear broth. I can’t say I loved it – certainly not as much as I enjoy it now – but I clearly remember liking its strained variant: the ... Continue reading
Squash Risotto, a Comfort Dish for Winter
Squash risotto (or risotto con la zucca), is a traditional risotto common in all northern Italy. The squash gives an especially mealy texture, and a sweeter flavor to it, along of course with a beautiful orange color. But what is squash, exactly? Along ... Continue reading