Sometimes you really need to get creative when it comes to translating names of Italian food into English. For ciambellone al limone, no matter how much I searched, the only possible word that would give a vague idea of what ciambellone refers to in terms of shape, at least, was doughnut. My ears would not accept it, though, and my eyes filled with Continue reading
It might sound like a rhetorical question, but who does not like lasagne? No, seriously. I am waiting for an answer here. Traditional or innovative versions, with or without meat, this dish has travelled across the globe and conquered hearts and souls. Now as a VERY proud Neapolitan I hope you don’t mind if I share a minor detail – and I shall Continue reading
I was torn about whether I should post again and, if so, which recipe I should share. Then I thought that many of you will be planning a menu for NYE or New Year’s Day, even if you are just having people over for drinks and canapés. This albero di pasta sfoglia is Continue reading
Let’s set things straight. I am Italian, and although I have been living in the UK for over 6 years now, I still have an Italian accent and I sometimes mispronounce or make up words. So I am equally okay when Italian words are not pronounced correctly. BUT why on earth do British Continue reading
The croccante di mandorle essentially means Christmas. Its flavours, and the aroma that would surround and fill my family home during the Christmas holidays are pretty much printed in my DNA.
Year after year, as far back as I can remember, I would see mamma Mariolina preparing many Continue reading
The polpettone ripieno of mamma Mariolina used to be my favourite meal when I was a child. I remember developing an obsession for it and, stubborn as I am, I would often argue with my mum, who refused to make it as often as I wanted… Continue reading
“How the hell do I explain what a babà rustico is?” I asked myself before deciding to share the recipe of babà rustico. The babà rustico is, quite simply, a pillar of Neapolitan cuisine. The original version is the sweet one sunk in rum and served with cream and fruit or with chocolate. This version is savoury Continue reading
I was 15 when my grandmother Cristina taught me how to make gnocchi. It was a sunny Sunday morning. Every Sunday she and my grandad would come over for lunch. Before then it had never crossed my mind that gnocchi were challenging to make or that some people get petrified at the thought Continue reading
Here I am, feeling a bit nervous about writing my first blog post! Technically, it’s not my first, as I find myself writing or setting up quite a few at work. But this post about montanare marks the beginning of a special journey: one that started last November when I decided I would write a cookery book. I wonder what kind of cocktails I had that night before going back home… Continue reading
