Pasta e patate – pasta and potato soup

Plate of pasta e patate
Hearty and comforting

Meet the Neapolitan queen: pasta e patate! I realise I haven’t shared many pasta recipes since I started blogging. Partly it is a coincidence and partly it is my determination to show that Italian food is not just pasta and pizza (as still far too many people I talk to seem to believe…): there is so much more to it. So I decided to start with an unknown

Continue reading

Lasagne napoletane – Neapolitan-style lasagne

Slice of neapolitan lasagne served on a plate
A slice of this… and life feels good again!

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

Bruschette al pomodoro – tomato bruschetta

Bruschette al pomodoro e basilico
Is there anything nicer than this? Simple goodness

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

Gnocchi alla sorrentina – potato gnocchi

Gnocchi alla sorrentina
A perfect combination of flavours. Yum!

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

Montanare – small fried pizze

Montanare served on a plate
Montanara waiting to be attacked!

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