Letizia Mattiacci

Fall is magnificent in Umbria. Wisps of morning mist envelope the fields like a veil. Later in the day, the sun is mellow, the light is golden, the leaves on the trees a rainbow of orange and reds. This is …

Passignano sul Trasimeno is the Portofino of Umbria, minus the glamour. A cone of gelato in your hands is practically obligatory for the ritual passeggiata along the shores of Lake Trasimeno. My fellow Perugians flock to the village on Sunday …

Umbrian stringozzi, also named strangozzi, umbricelli, or ciriole are rustic noodles similar to Tuscan pici, but thinner. They are suitable for pasta sauces that pair well with spaghetti, for example norcina, carbonara or cacio e pepe. Stringozzi are delicate and …

Every time I make meatloaf I have to think of my friend, AnnMarie. A sophisticated American-Italian journalist from New York, she told me that her mum would serve meatloaf only to close family. Apparently, she did not consider it presentable …

Towards the end of October, chestnuts finally make their irresistible appearance on our markets in Umbria. This humble fruit has been a staple of the Mediterranean diet for millennia. Near Mount Etna in Sicily, there is a chestnut tree which …

Eggplants are a summer staple in our home. I don’t cook eggplants in winter as they are likely to have been grown in a greenhouse, and I find them generally to be spongy and slightly bitter. Here in Umbria, field …

I only ever cook sweet peppers in the summer when they are in season. They are thick fleshed, sweet, and flavorful, in contrast to their sad winter counterparts. In Italy, as the weather turns cold in the fall, they become …

This is a healthy, warming, and attractive-looking soup. I often prepare these types of soups when I am in need of a light and but comforting meal full of color and aroma. This soup is also perfect as a healthy …

If you consider Italy’s ancient culinary tradition, it’s quite astonishing that the recipe for tiramisù is not 500 years old. I actually remember my first tiramisù, when it became popular in the early 1980s. Classic coffee tiramisù had just been …

Summer has been long and hot here in the Umbria hills, so ragù or cream sauces don’t really appeal with these temperatures. We do consume an inordinate amount of tomato salad and mozzarella, enough to feed a small army. However, …