Happy summer solstice (the first day of summer and the longest day [most daylight hours] of the year for people living in the northern hemisphere)! I made this dish — ricotta gnudi with peas and fava — earlier this week (when it was still spring), but life got in the way and I didn’t get … Continue Reading
I had been eyeing the pasta extruder attachment for my KitchenAid mixer for a long time. The thought of whether I really needed another gadget for the kitchen often crosses my mind. Clearly, I do not. But let’s be real, no one needs another gadget for the kitchen, rather, it’s a matter of want. And, … Continue Reading
I love octopus. You name it, I love it (grilled, boiled, braised, etc.). Any octopus fans out there? Yes, you say. Have a favorite preparation? If so, please share. Braised polipetti (baby octopus) is one of my hands down, all-time favorite dishes. As the octopi stew, they release much of their water content, which melds with the … Continue Reading
I recently saw a cartoon in which a couple at an Italian restaurant asked their server, “We don’t eat pasta, what should we order?” to which the server responded, “a taxi.” 🙂 Busiate is a corkscrew shaped pasta typical to the Province of Trapani in western Sicily. The word busiate is of Arabic origin. The pasta was traditionally formed … Continue Reading
I like an al dente noodle. One with a lot of chew. When I was in Chicago a few weeks back, I had a delicious plate of chestnut noodles with mushrooms at Bad Hunter (Randolph Avenue in the West Loop). The chestnut noodles were pleasantly chewy. As well, the dish just happened to be vegan. … Continue Reading
