Each trip back to Sicily, especially back to the Foresteria Planeta in Menfi, is like going back home. We stay at the Foresteria as a base for most of our trip, as they have a fabulous teaching kitchen and Chef Angelo Pumilia shares the secrets of the Planeta family recipes with us. One of the…
Diva’s Dirty Little Secret- Gnocchi in 10 minutes
I am not a kitchen Nazi. I also use short-cuts when I can or teach people how to make life easier and simpler. One of my favorite tricks in the kitchen I learned living here is to use instant mashed potatoes for gnocchi. I had bought some incredibly tender potato gnocchi in the grocery store…
Happier Notes- Tomato Season is Here
pomodori fiorentini- from Sicily My two loves go hand-in-hand. Florence and Sicily. The first lovely ripe tomatoes we get are from Sicily, land of volcanic soil and sun. These funny pumpkin shaped tomatoes are called Fiorentini and are the BEST for making a simple fabulous tomato sauce, Pomarola. Pomorola Tomato Sauce The inside of…
More Sicilian Gold- Arancine
Arancini or Arancine— east coast of Sicily says Arancini– and the Palermo side says Arancine. I will let you fight it out– with whatever name they are so worth making! Arancini or Arancine fried rice balls; looking like small oranges. An arancia is orange in Italian. They are probably the most iconic Sicilian street foods. We had…
Special Pasta with Special Students
I love kitchen gadgets, who doesn’t? When I was on my way to Torino one year, we passed Chiaveri which is one of my favorite towns. I already wrote up the story about my visit to Franco, my master of Corzetti stamps. Everytime I make this recipe, I have remember the trip, what we ate and…
Charcutepalooza- February- Salt Cure
do you charcutepalooza? When they announed that the February project was the salt cure, perhaps I went a little wild. I did pancetta, the stesa style, which is most typical in Florence for cooking with. Then the bacon, i did not use pink salt, but did the sugar cure which was in the…
Simply Divina- Tuscan Herbs
Probably one of the BEST recipes I have learned and taught in Tuscany are my Tuscan Herbs. Every butcher has his own blend, which is used on the fabulous prepared meats, ready to cook, which are sold in the markets here. The base is a simple trinity of rosemary, sage and garlic, finely chopped with…
Sunday Lasagna
Sunday lunch in Italy often involves recipes requiring long slow cooking and are long slowly consumed meals as well. Life seems to shut down on Sunday and Italians relax and enjoy. Until recently, there was nothing you could do on Sunday except eat! Shops were closed and everyone had the day off except restaurants. Excursions…