Seasonal Recipes

Forget fluffy marshmallow chicks or chocolate Easter eggs. For me, Easter is not complete without a slice (or two) of ricotta pie. Growing up, I would easily forgo the chocolate in my Easter basket in favor of the ricotta pie …

Spring is here, but that does not mean we have to leave hearty ragus behind.  I decided to make spinach garganelli and sauce them with the ragu.  The handmade garganelli make this dish special enough to serve at any celebration …

Artichokes. Fava beans. Asparagus. Peas. Ramps. Spring’s glorious bounty is finally here after a long winter of turnips, potatoes, rutabagas and butternut squash. Don’t get me wrong – I love my root vegetables in the dead of winter but one …

  Puglia is the hot vacation destination for food lovers traveling to Italy, and it is no wonder. The land of Trulli houses and semolina is also home to some of Italy’s most wonderful pasta traditions, among them stracenate, small …

If you are looking for something to start your Easter meal, look no further than this elegant soup made from the humble celery root.   About the size of a softball, cloaked in a gnarled, hairy brown overcoat, and sporting …

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast, 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk, 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs plus 1 yolk, 8 Tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature, 1/3 cup chopped candied orange peel, 1/3 cup currents sprinkled with 1 tsp almond extract, 1/3 cup …

The casatiello is a filled Neapolitan Easter bread that comes from the word “caso”, which means “cheese”: indeed, the use of cheese in the dough and in the filling is “mandatory”. As the dough rises, it represents the promise of …

The traditional Italian Easter cake called “Cuzzupa“ is made in Calabria, made into a braided nest with colored sprinkles on top. Its consistency reminds a cake type of dough. Here the recipe Ingredients 6 cups of flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, Pinch …

The baby vegetables are already up.  Tiny peas in their pods have made their appearance, and the herb garden is planted.  Spring is here.  In my home it is time for lighter fare.  Grilled eggplant topped with rich whole milk …

Since a very young age, I can remember eating Crescia at Easter time. It’s one of my earliest food memories. The aroma of this cheese bread with a good dose of black pepper would fill my Aunt Mary’s house.   …