Chicken Marsala (Pollame alla Marsala) is a popular Italian-American restaurant dish and it takes its name from Marsala wine, a fortified dry/sweet wine used for the sauce which is produced in western Sicily. Chicken Marsala is easy to prepare and universally loved by Italian food fans. Our version includes high quality chicken, stock mushrooms, and freshly chopped parsley. Chicken Marsala (Pollame alla Marsala) [...]
Ricotta has always been part of my culinary life. My mother makes ricotta on a weekly basis and I grew up eating it smeared on fresh bread, with pasta, extra virgin olive oil, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and, of course, stuffed in fresh pasta such as ravioli and tortellini. Given Ricotta’s versatile nature it’s no surprise many Italian cooks make [...]
Italian Food – What is It? Ask the question, “What is Italian food” and you’re bound to illicit numerous responses. A provincial Italian from southern Italy who hasn’t left his or her region would probably argue it’s regional food that is cooked at home with minimal yet high quality ingredients. Ask the same question to a savvy New York restaurant [...]
I’ve always equated good cooking with being prepared, just like a fine carpenter has the necessary tools to build a bookcase or a deck on hand at all times, a home cook should always have a well stocked pantry to prepare meals. The following is a list of items that I always keep in my kitchen, in addition to the [...]
The year was 1997 and I was a college junior applying for a prestigious fellowship for first generation college students. The fellowship provided funds and a mentor to guide and prepare students for graduate work in the humanities and sciences. The fellowship had strict academic and social-economic requirements. On the socio-economic side, students were expected to be first generation college [...]
I view homemade roasted peppers as the ultimate condiment; that is to say, you can include roasted peppers in your antipasto, sandwich, as a side with grilled meats, or even include them in your favorite grilled cheese sandwich or omelet. Sound tasty; then stop buying the jarred stuff and make them at home! Here’s the full ingredients list, including the items [...]
One of my favorite, all purpose, condiments on this little planet is sun dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil. Authentic sun dried tomatoes capture the essence of the tomato and can be enjoyed year round. There is a difference between tomatoes that have been truly dried in the sun and dehydrated tomatoes (click here to learn how to dehydrate your own tomatoes). As [...]
Our traditional, homemade tomato sauce, uses crushed, uncooked, tomatoes from our annual Fall tomato canning event. Tomato sauce is easy to make and incredibly versatile. We use tomato sauce for pasta, other sauces, soups, etc. Making homemade sauce is a no-brainer, so don’t purchase the canned variety at your local supermarket. Plus, our recipe hails from Calabria, Italy – a region that produces [...]
| Vincent Scordo is an Italian American who writes all about Italian food and life. He believes in the Italian Life for Everyone! >> |
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Our growing family recently crossed the Hudson River and took a short drive into the isle of Manhattan for lunch with our cousin and his fiance. Cousin M. is a lover of food and the culinary world in NYC so we take his general advice on all things food related very seriously. Cousin M. suggested the restaurant Telepan on [...]
Making fall of the bone ribs, with an Italian flare, is an easy culinary task. Our oven baked ribs are slow cooked in the oven for 3.5 hours and finished on the grill for an outdoor, smokey, flavor. We infused our oven baked ribs with an Italian kick by incorporating dried oregano and ground fennel seeds into our dry rub [...]
Amarena cherries are a product of the marvelous Emilia-Romagna region of Italy where other noteworthy products include tradizionale balsamic vinegar, Ferrari, culatello (the king of salumi), Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano, etc. Amarena cherries are harvested in the wild and known for having both a sweet and subtle bitter flavor, like many Amari drinks produced in Italy. The Amarena cherries we [...]
Like many of the dishes we prepare here at Scordo the following Italian Bone In Prime Rib Roast was made possible by the varied items available at out local market. That is to say, the meat looked very good presented in our butcher’s case and, more importantly, the bone in prime rib roast was on sale! Prime rib roast, also [...]
Making fish doesn’t need to be complicated and the following Baked Fish with Breadcrumb Topping is one of the easiest ways to prepare fillets of fish. Our baked fish with seasoned breadcrumb recipe works with any firm flesh white fish including flounder, sole, cod, etc. The key to the dish is making your own breadcrumbs (including parsley, dried oregano, lemon zest, salt [...]
Making gnocchi, or potato pasta, can appear difficult or daunting but like making standard homemade pasta the process is fairly straightforward if you keep a few tips in mind. For example, if you use starchy potatoes (along with the glutten from the flour) the dough will hold very well. Further you should always bake your potatoes so that water isn’t [...]
The silver dollar sized eggplant wonders pictured above are often referred to as Eggplant Fritters (Polpette di Melanzane) and made with a few basic ingredients, including fresh breadcrumbs, roasted eggplant, and good cheese (viz., Parmigiano-Reggiano). Our mother Annunziata is an expert Eggplant Fritters maker which requires the ability to pan fry foods with keen precision (don’t worry after a few attempts [...]
Try this Italian American version of mashed potatoes made with extra virgin olive oil and roasted garlic. Our Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes can be “customized” with the herbs of your choosing (e.g., rosemary, thyme, etc.) and/or freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes Print Prep time 30 mins Cook time 30 mins Total time 1 hour An [...]
What We’re Reading: Italy No. 1 Travel Destination, Italian American Population, Fancy Food Show, NY Little Italy, Gelato University, 36 Hours in Naples Italy Ranks No. 1 on America’s 2013 Travel Wish List. No surprise here (at least from this blogger) that Americans are craving to see Rome, Florence, and Venice and have put Italy at the top of their [...]
Baked Clams Oreganata can be found on most Italian American restaurant menus and when they’re prepared well (with high quality ingredients) they are an excellent way to consume fresh clams, outside of on the half shell with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of Tabasco. Our family feasts on Baked Clams Oreganata during the holiday season and they are fairly [...]
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