Pasta e piselli – pasta with peas

Pasta e piselli
Make peas not war

I have been meaning to share the wonderful recipe of pasta e piselli for a while but never quite got there. As they say: there is always Continue reading

Frittata di maccheroni – pasta omelette

Big slice of frittata di maccheroni
It doesn’t get more comforting than this.

Frittata di maccheroni is one of those typical Neapolitan dishes that proves Neapolitans know their stuff when it comes to comfort food.

It’s a pasta-based dish and that already accounts for a big percentage of comfort. But we can’t stop there. We decided that Continue reading

Pizza crema e amarene – black cherry and custard tart

Pizza crema e amarena in a flan tin
I am a real beauty. You will love me.

I know what you are thinking, because I have great powers that include reading people’s minds, but yes: pizza crema e amarene is the actual name for this superduper tart. The pastry is soft and the custard combined with the conserve is to die for.

I have fond memories of pizza crema e amarene as my mamma Mariolina would Continue reading

Pasta e fagioli – thick pasta and bean soup

Pasta e fagioli served on aplate sprinkled with pepper and parsely
Creamy and tasty: that’s amore!
When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool, that’s amore♥… Scusami, but you see, back in old Napoli, that’s amore!♫ ♥ Pasta e fagioli and romance…? Who would have thought, eh? 😛

I could not resist. What better introduction to pasta e fagioli than this legendary song? Who hasn’t sung it in the kitchen, dancing along in the arms of your partner, or dog/cat/rabbit? As cheesy as it might be, any time this song is on the radio and we happen to be in the kitchen, my husband and I Continue reading

Ragù alla genovese – onion and beef ragu

Dish of ragu' alla genovese.
I am the queen in Naples. Forget the rest
Forget about that amazing ragù alla napoletana I used to make lasagne napoletane. You see, ragù alla genovese is on another scale: it is truly the most iconic pasta sauce in Naples – yet Continue reading

Migliaccio salato – spaghetti, semolina and ricotta timballo

Slice of migliaccio salato straoght out of the oven.
You have never seen something like me. I am unique and I come from Pozzuoli

I have a feeling migliaccio salato, or tatiello, might ring a bell for some of you loyal readers of Coochinando. Please meet the savoury sibling of migliaccio di carnevale! If you think that migliaccio di carnevale looked awesome, then  Continue reading

Migliaccio di Carnevale – lemon, orange and ricotta cake

Slice of migliaccio, a lemon-ricotta cake with iciing sugar on top
Light, soft, moist. Like a cloud, but tastier

I am not sure how many of you will be familiar with migliaccio di Carnevale, but I can assure you that a great many Italians get very excited when the Carnival season approaches because it means it is time to make some pretty scrumptious recipes. Migliaccio is one of these…

Tender, light and Continue reading

Ciambellone al limone – lemon cake (with a hole)

Italian recipe for ciambellone al limone made by Mariacristina
Very hard to resist when it’s there in front of you…

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

Babà rustico – savoury brioche

Majestic baba' rustico
Majestic baba’ rustico

“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