Biscotti Reginelle
Saturday, October 26, 2024Biscotti Reginelle, aka Biscotti Regina or Biscotti Inciminati, are classic cookies from Palermo (the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo), but they are popular all over the island of Sicily. They were named after Queen Margherita di Savoia, hence the name Biscotti Reginelle, which means Queen Cookies.
These delicious Italian cookies are not too sweet and are loaded with sesame seeds. The crunchy texture makes them the perfect accompaniment to coffee, hot chocolate, or sweet wine. To make these cookies even more authentic, use 100% of lard instead of a mix of butter and lard. Once completely cooled you can store these cookies in an air tight container for at least two weeks. They freeze well too.
Baci Di Fichi Fig Kisses
Saturday, October 12, 2024A simple & delicious seasonal treat that's so easy and straight-forward. Simply dip the fresh figs into melted chocolate and sprinkle with lightly toasted hemp hearts. Use whatever nuts/seeds or chocolate your love or have on hand. Half the figs if they are too big. Make sure the figs are dry before dipping into the chocolate or they won't stick. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Chicken Cacciatore
Tuesday, October 01, 2024Chicken cacciatore is a rustic, warming and hearty chicken stew in a rich tomato-based sauce with vegetables, herbs and wine. Serve this earthy hearty stew with crusty bread or on a bed of polenta or pasta, sprinkled with some freshly grated Parmesan. I have used white wine, but you can definitely use red wine instead.
Chicken cacciatore, literally meaning “hunter's style chicken,” has origins that date all the way back to the 14th century. The primary meat of cacciatore back then was rabbit, but other versions add meats like salami and sausage as the protein of choice. Since then, chicken has evolved and become the crowd-pleaser.
Pollo Fritto with Saltimbocca Salt
Friday, September 27, 2024Pollo fritto, Italian for fried chicken, is a Tuscan-Jewish dish (without Saltimbocca salt) traditionally enjoyed for Hanukkah, where the chicken is simply marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, garlic, herbs and spices, then coated with flour and egg before deep-frying until golden crispy. Traditional recipes use a whole chicken, cut into parts, but you can simply use a mixture of wings, drumsticks and thighs.
What makes this chicken recipe a standout is the Saltimbocca salt. A simple but genius condiment made with crumbled crispy Prosciutto, sage and salt and black pepper. Saltimbocca, Italian for “leap into the mouth”, is an Italian classic made with thin cutlets (chicken, veal, or pork) wrapped or topped with prosciutto and sage.
Steak Tagliata with Black Olive and Parmesan Dressing
Tuesday, August 06, 2024One of Italy's most popular ways to prepare steak--Tagliata which gets its name from the Italian verb tagliare, meaning 'to cut or slice'. It's perfect for any steak night dinner. Steak tagliata usually calls for sirloin, aka rump or flank, but I much prefer the texture and flavour of fatty ribeye. Traditionally, it's prepared on a grill, but you can easily make this with a grill pan or just a regular skillet.
Keto Aubergine Milanese
Sunday, July 21, 2024Upgrade the humble aubergine to the next level with this delicious keto Milanese dish – the crunch of pork rinds contrasts beautifully with the buttery, silky aubergine flesh. Similar to chicken Milanese, but we use aubergine instead. It is a rather easy recipe though it does take some preparation. If you ain't on keto, then simply use breadcrumbs instead of pork rind to coat the aubergine.
Uova al Pomodoro Piccante (Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Tuesday, March 26, 2024This is a quick and delicious comfort meal in which the eggs are poached in spicy tomato sauce. It's very similar to North African Shakshuka and Mexican Huevos Rancheros. So versatile and adaptable and all you need are pantry staples and a couple of fresh eggs gently poached in tomato sauce. It's really that basic and simple, but if you like, you can add some pancetta and parmesan for extra flavour. Serve it with some homemade bread to mop up the sauce.
Kumato Puttanesca Salad
Friday, March 22, 2024Inspiration for this simple salad comes from the flavours of a popular Neapolitan puttanesca sauce, which usually contains tomatoes, anchovies, garlic and capers. You can make this all year round with any kind of tomatoes you like, but it would make a really good summer salad when tomatoes and fresh herbs are in abundance.
Kumato tomato is a unique product of natural crossbreeding among several varieties, including some wild Mediterranean specimens. It is succulent, sweet and slightly tart and has a strong distinctive taste that changes as the tomato colour moves from green to brown to dark red.
Hot Smoked Sprat Frittata
Wednesday, February 07, 2024Hot smoked sprats and eggs are a marriage made in breakfast / brunch heaven. Whip up this delicious and healthy frittata with eggs, hot smoked sprats, Greek yoghurt, dill, and cherry tomatoes in less than half an hour. It's naturally gluten-free and keto friendly.
Sprat, or brisling, a small oily fish, is rich in high quality protein and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. They're very similar to sardines in size, but have a somewhat meatier taste. The smoked flavor makes them special! You can leave the sprats intact, head on and guts in and eat them whole.
Italian Sausage Terrine with Green Peppercorns and Pistachios
Friday, December 29, 2023Whet the appetite for the dinner party by serving your guests this rich pork terrine with Italian sausages, pistachio kernels and green peppercorns. It can be made up to two days ahead. I use spicy Italian sausages, but you can use regular one or any pork sausage of your choice. If you want to make it alcohol-free, replace it with apple juice or chicken stock. A terrine is always better served at room temperature or cold with crusty bread / crackers, pickles, mustard and fruit chutney or simply with a salad.
Eggplant Caponata Salad
Sunday, April 23, 2023Caponata (pronounced ka·puh·naa·tuh)adapted from DELICIOUS, is a classic Sicilian appetizer or side dish mainly made of eggplants, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes with capers and olives. In short, it is a cousin of the French ratatouille and can be served with toasted ciabatta, pasta and to pair with fish. I used long, slender light purple Chinese eggplants, but you can use Lebanese eggplants, white eggplants or regular globe eggplants. This recipe makes a lot but keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.
Vincotto is an Italian sweet and savoury condiment that is produced by gentle, long simmering of grape must. If you don't have it, simply use balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.
Baked Asparagus Frittata with Black Olives and Crème Fraîche
Sunday, April 09, 2023A simple, keto-friendly spring meal that uses green asparagus, spring onions, black olives and crème fraîche and is ready in just 30 minutes. It's delicious fresh-out-of-the-oven, at room-temperature or even cold and needs nothing more with it other than a green salad. It's excellent for a picnic too.
A frittata is something between a quiche and an omelette. And it's designed to use up scraps of this or that and leftover bits of whatever you have in the fridge, so don't be afraid of adjusting the recipe to suit your need. This recipe is based on Marissa's Asparagus Frittata, with a few small tweaks. I use 14 eggs (7 large and 7 small) for my 12-inch cast-iron skillet, if you want to use a smaller 9 or 10-inch one, then 10 large eggs would be enough. Don't over mix your eggs as you don't want to incorporate too much air into the mixture. Otherwise, the frittata will expand and puff up too much.
Maritozzi Buns with Marmalade and Pistachios
Sunday, February 26, 2023Maritozzi are classic dessert buns from Rome made with an enriched dough and filled generously with cream. Unlike the traditional one, I filled these buns not only with cream, but also with a homemade marmalade (lemon curd would be excellent too) and some chopped pistachios. Enjoy them as a breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up with a pot of freshly brewed coffee. The whipped cream can be garnished with chocolate or other nuts too. Maritozzi are best served on the day but the buns can be made a day in advance if needed. If 8 is too many, freeze half of the unfilled buns, and use them later as burger buns, or to make more maritozzi.