Fresh Spinach Pasta
Pasta made with fresh spinach has a bright green color and a verdant flavor. Makes about 1¼ pounds INGREDIENTS 1 pound spinach, rinsed and trimmed ¼ cup water 3 large eggs, beaten 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour INSTRUCTIONS Place the spinach in a large pot with the water. Cover and cook over medium […]
Fresh Egg Pasta
There is nothing like homemade pasta. Flour and eggs come together to form tender, rich, and silky dough that you can roll out into sheets for lasagna, cut into fettuccine, or stuff and fold into ravioli. Once you get the knack of it, making pasta is a very satisfying skill. Plus, it costs a fraction […]
Mushroom Ravioli with Pine Nut Butter and Sage Sauce
Woodsy mushrooms and creamy ricotta fill these little pasta pillows from Liguria, in northwestern Italy. I serve them with a butter sauce flavored with pine nuts and fresh sage. When cooking ravioli, be sure to regulate the water so that it boils gently and does not cause the pasta to burst. Serves 8 INGREDIENTS […]
Eggplant Lasagna
Think of this recipe as the offspring from the marriage of eggplant Parmesan and lasagna: They are made for each other. It’s a traditional recipe from Naples and one that deserves to be better known. It serves a crowd, so it is perfect as a main dish for a big holiday meal. Eggplant Lasagna is […]
Orecchiette with Potatoes and Arugula
Arugula is ideal as a salad green, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good cooked. In Puglia, it is used in soups and pasta sauces and sautéed as a side dish. This recipe pairs orecchiette, little ear-shaped pasta, with arugula and potatoes. For the sauce, the potatoes turn creamy as they cook in the same […]
Rotelle with Spicy Cauliflower Ragu
Home Food is an organization of Italians who enjoy cooking. Known as Cesarine, they are passionate about their local food and welcome guests into their homes for a meal of traditional foods. This is an exceptional opportunity to meet people, learn about Italian culture, and enjoy a home-cooked meal at a moderate price, especially if […]
Whole Wheat Fusilli with Broccoli and Olive Paste
Jarred olive paste is handy to have in the pantry. Spread it on crostini or add it to salad dressing and sauces. One day, I stirred some into a garlicky broccoli sauce for whole wheat pasta. It added a twist to one of my favorite pastas. Indulge in the wholesome goodness of Whole Wheat Fusilli […]
Whole Wheat Fusilli with Spicy Escarole Tomatoes and Olives
Whole wheat pasta isn’t meant for delicate sauces, but I love its nutty flavor and slightly coarse texture with a chunky, garlicky sauce like this one. Escarole is a versatile green of which Southern Italians are especially fond. Uncooked, it makes a fine salad green. Cooking it brings out its slight sweetness. It can be […]
Penne with Butternut Squash and Bacon
When I visited the Barilla Culinary Center in Parma, the chef showed me how he makes this pasta dish from the region. I was surprised to see that he used smoked bacon, which isn’t common in Italy, but the salty touch was just right with the sweet squash. Savor the flavors of autumn with Penne […]
Seven P Pasta
When I visited the Selvapiana winery in the Chianti region of Tuscany, I asked the cook about some of her favorite local dishes, and she was kind enough to share this one. She called it pasta con sette P—“seven-P pasta.” The Ps stand for the ingredients: porro (leek), pancetta (unsmoked bacon), peperoncino (hot pepper), pomodori […]