Mama Italia’s Melenzane alla Parmigiana

Some people don’t like to share their recipes. Period. I have a great aunt who shares her recipes only with her family members and has told me that she will come after me if I publish them!  Even from the grave!!!!! Ja!  I truly respect that, especially with people that make money from their recipes…

Dorado Livornese

Many of you know I have been a “fishing widow”  for the past 13 years of my life.  Wait a minute…I am not complaining!  I recognize that through my husband’s love affair with fishing, I have had the chance to travel and fish with him in places like Venezuela, Madeira, Mexico, Dominican Republic, USA and…

Pesto alla Genovese

The most popular kind of pesto originates in Genova in Northern Italy.  It gets its name from the word “pestare” which means “to pound”  in italian and its also the root of the word pestle.  Its main ingredients are basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, parmigiano reggiano, salt and extra-virgin olive oil. In the traditional way…

Orzo with Spinach

The word “orzo” in italian means “barley”. Orzo pasta (pasta shaped like rice or grain) is very versatile. It can be boiled, baked, used as a filler in casseroles or when making stuffed peppers.  Also, great in soups. The best orzo is made of durum semolina flour and is very popular in Italy, Greece and…

Ossobuco

Ah!  The traditional Northern Italian dish: Ossobuco; veal shank cooked in broth and wine and seasoned with vegetables and herbs. Mmmm! Eleven years ago this week, one week shy of my first wedding anniversary, my husband Emilio attended a fishing tournament in the Dominican Republic, so I took off to a mother and daughter weekend…