La Buona Tavola

My first stop when entering Apulia was at the Wojtyla airport in Bari Baggage claim. While waiting for the conveyor belt to start delivering my bags, I looked up and noticed the room’s only advertisement: a banner pasted across the …

I think that, when it comes to Italian food abroad, lasagne comes second only to pizza in popularity, and it’s easy to understand why: this comforting, flavorsome dish is very versatile and adaptable, and it’s perfect to be made in batches and …

What’s a breakfast without bacon? And a carbonara without guanciale or a deli plate without Italian pancetta? I am sure we all agree on the ubiquitous presence of these three flavorful salumi in the kitchen, but it can all become …

As the chill of winter settles in, it’s easy to overlook the season’s bountiful harvest. Contrary to the common perception of winter as a time when nature rests and sleeps under a blanket of snow, this time of the year presents, in …

Italian-American dishes usually have a continental counterpart, and Baked clams oreganata is no exception. Italians make a nearly identical dish called vongole gratinate al forno, though I’d venture to say that its near cousin cozze al gratin, made with mussels, is rather …

You say “focaccia” and “Liguria,” and thoughts go immediately to Genova and its olive oil-rich culinary icon, la focaccia genovese. However, Ligurians know well there is also that “other” focaccia, the one from Recco, which is just as lovely and delightful.  Focaccia …

Broccoli rabe, also known as cime di rapaor rapini, holds a significant place in Italian culinary history. Its use in the kitchen can be traced back to ancient Roman times, which highlights its long-standing role in our gastronomic traditions. This vegetable, which originates …

In Naples, the Christmas season is marked by a delightful array of sweets, with roccocò standing out as a traditional favorite. These treats, which share the spotlight with other popular festive delights like struffoli, raffioli, mostaccioli, and susamielli, are essential to the festive atmosphere in Neapolitan homes.  …

Who says that pasta al pomodoro is boring? The most iconic Italian dish, made with the simplest, cheapest, and most available ingredients you can think of, may not strike for creativity, I give you that. But it remains one of …

The humble chickpea, a small yet mighty legume, has quietly shaped the culinary landscape of the Mediterranean for millennia. Its story is woven into the very history of the region itself, in a narrative of civilizations rising and falling, trade …