Category: vegetables

Marinated Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Marinated Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Marinated Stuffed Cherry Peppers Spicy and tangy, marinated stuffed cherry peppers with breadcrumbs are a marvelous, and versatile, side dish that elevates an ordinary sandwich or lunch of various small plates such as good cheese, salumi, bread, eggs, or a piece of simple fish.  You can find these peppers at most Italian delis but why overpay for a small container […]

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Chicory Salad with Anchovy Dressing

Chicory Salad with Anchovy Dressing

As I’ve stated in the past, much of what we cook at home is what I like to call “ad hoc” cooking; that is to say, I usually go the market and buy what looks fresh and is moderately priced. I, of course, have a standard list of items I purchase on a weekly basis but when it comes to […]

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Penne With Peas, Onions, and Percorino Romano

Penne With Peas, Onions, and Percorino Romano

March 20th marked the first day of Spring in the US (the 21st in Italy) and with the passing of the winter season comes renewed food ambitions.  Our Penne with Peas, Onions, and Pecorino Romano is an ode to Spring and your waiting taste-buds. In our view, peas have two food soul-mates; that is, fish and pasta.  On the pasta pairing […]

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Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef

Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef

You won’t find an Italian American household which doesn’t produce a version of the ubiquitous stuffed peppers with ground beef and to be honest we weren’t always fans of the dish. Our dislike for stuffed peppers most likely emanated from bland, rice based, stuffings and semi cooked green, bell, peppers .  However, stuffed peppers can be made well as well as […]

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Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Scordo Thanksgiving Food Tradition My immediate family immigrated from Italy in the early 1970’s and immediately adopted the traditional Thanksgiving meal.  My parents, who lived with my grandparents, tell me the first Scordo Thanksgiving meal featured a whole turkey, mashed potatoes, and something akin to sausage stuffing.  Of course, the meal included other “essential” best Thanksgiving side dishes such as […]

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Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

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 […]

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Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread is a classic Italian treat and can be used on a piece of bruschetta or toasted bread, as a condiment for a sandwich with prosciutto cotto and provola, and even spooned into a sauce for added flavor.  Our version is made with, among other ingredients, homemade olive oil cured sun dried tomatoes, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Sun-Dried Tomato […]

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Italian Vegetarian Recipes and the Culture of Vegetables in Southern Italy (Verdure)

Italian Vegetarian Recipes and the Culture of Vegetables in Southern Italy (Verdure)

Italian Vegetarian Recipes and the Culture of Vegetables in Southern Italy (Verdure) The Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras spent time in deep thought on the Ionian coast in Calabria, specifically in Crotone, and outside of his ideas in math and science he was known to have espoused the Pythagorean diet or what later become known as vegetarianism.   The Pythagorean diet excluded meat, fish, […]

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Lemon Chicken with Artichoke Hearts

Lemon Chicken with Artichoke Hearts

So, I was all set to fry up a batch of chicken cutlets (which our family was going to consume with a crispy and acidic salad) when, lo and behold, I discovered we had no breadcrumbs in our pantry!  While I panicked my wife suggested I do something with the can of artichoke hearts sitting next to our empty container of breadcrumbs. […]

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Sweet and Sour Eggplant (Melanzane in Agrodolce)

Sweet and Sour Eggplant (Melanzane in Agrodolce)

Our standard pickled eggplant recipe, or  Melanzane Sott’Olio, is a staple in our household, but when we crave a slightly more refined version, with a bit less work, we turn to sweet and sour eggplant or melanzane in agrodolce. Most melanzane in agrodolce begin by frying the eggplant but our version includes a quick boil and steeping technique that yields wonderfully delicate […]

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