Walking through the streets of the kinetic city of Palermo is an experience for all the senses. Your eyes are drawn at once to a melting pot of architectural styles...
Never dismiss stale bread; clever Italian cooks give it new life as crostini (also called bruschetta). The Italian word crostini means little toasts because the bread is fried in a...
Looking for a new take on antipasti? Why not serve it salad style with all the proper Italian ingredients mixed together. This is terrific and interesting as lunch, a simple...
Chicken soup has legendary restorative powers, and this is the soup to eat when you aren’t feeling your best. Instead of the egg noodles that an American mom might use,...
Green salad is a fine way to start a meal, but sometimes you need a salad that’s more substantial. With everything in it but the kitchen sink (and we mean...
This mixed salad includes all of the usual suspects, dressed with a tangy, not too garlicky vinaigrette that may become your house dressing. Do you like other things (beets, garbanzo beans, or carrots)...
Panzanella is a Tuscan salad with a main ingredient of stale bread. Bread salad? Yes, but there are plenty of vegetables in the bowl, too. And the bread is soaked...
Our guests are always amazed when we tell them the recipe for our fried zucchini dip the sticks in milk, coat with flour, and fry away. The milk helps the flour cling,...
If you think that French fries are irresistible, just try this baked polenta version. Let the cooked polenta chill and firm for a few hours, and then cut the solidified mass...
In Tuscany, sliced and grilled bread slices rubbed with garlic and “greased” with olive oil are called fettunte. The recipe sounds a little like bruschette, doesn’t it? Well, sometimes fettunte are served plain,...
We love how the close proximity of the ingredients on a skewer allows them to share their flavors. This chicken spiedini may share a name with the seafood version, but they are quite different. The chicken should not be cut too large, as...
If you want to check the mettle of an Italian restaurant, order the calamari. It should be crisp and tender, with just a light coating that allows the sweetness of the calamari...