Cavolfiori al pomodoro alla napoletana (Cauliflower with tomatoes, from Naples)

21/05/2018 ~ stefano arturi ~ 13 Comments

A basic and yet rewarding dish from Naples, almost embarrassing in its simplicity. It comes from the splendid La Cucina Napoletana, the book that is considered the bible of Neapolitan cooking, written by Mrs Jeanne Carola Francesconi in 1965 – if you read Italian, you must get it.

I long resisted cooking this, as it always did sound too elementary. Can cauliflower florets cooked with tomatoes be only few notches way from boring? Continue reading “Cavolfiori al pomodoro alla napoletana (Cauliflower with tomatoes, from Naples)” →

Biscotti di mandorle al vino (almond, white whine and olive oil biscotti)

01/05/2018 ~ stefano arturi ~ 6 Comments

Out of curiosity, I have been experimenting with vegan baking lately. Most efforts went into the bin, lacking any real good flavour and/or texture. I then had a eureka moment when I remembered the traditional ciambelline al vino from Rome. They are sweet, crunchy, little pastry rings, made with whine (red or white, it does not matter), olive oil and anicini (aniseed seeds) – here a good version I tried. They are really moorish and una tira l’altra, as we say: you cannot stop eating them. I decided to play around that theme, Continue reading “Biscotti di mandorle al vino (almond, white whine and olive oil biscotti)” →

Grano al sugo di pomodorini (wheat berries with cherry tomato sauce from Apulia)

13/03/2018 ~ stefano arturi ~ 7 Comments

A simple and tasty recipe from Puglia, the heel of Italy: wheat berries boiled till al dente and then simmered in a cherry tomato sauce, with garlic, chilly pepper and parsley. Straightforward and delicious. I prefer using semi-polished berries here, the ones that have had the outer, inedible husk removed but with some of the bran still attached. I also tried cooking with whole grain berries in the past I have always found them boring and far too chewy. If you soak the berries the night before, the cooking time will be very short indeed. Continue reading “Grano al sugo di pomodorini (wheat berries with cherry tomato sauce from Apulia)” →

Pollo o coniglio ai peperoni (chicken or rabbit with peppers, Piedmontese cooking)

18/10/201719/10/2017 ~ stefano arturi ~ 18 Comments

Chicken with peppers

One of the great dishes of Piedmont: a braised chicken (but it could be rabbit too, a very popular meat in Piedmontese cooking) with peppers and lots of herbs. This is classic home cooking done entirely on top of the stove and it follows a usual pattern: the chicken is browned, then wine and aromatics are added, when the chicken is half way done, some mixed peppers go into the pot. By the end, the pan juices are not copious but the few tablespoons left are deliciou and the meat has been infused with the flavor from the herbs, the wine and the peppers. Continue reading “Pollo o coniglio ai peperoni (chicken or rabbit with peppers, Piedmontese cooking)” →

Sfincione di Bagheria (sfincione from Bagheria, a Sicilian pizza)

24/08/2017 ~ stefano arturi ~ 6 Comments

Sfincione is the pizza of Sicily: contrary to its Neapolitan counterpart, which is generally round, sold in individual portions, with a thick cornicione, a thin centre and not too much topping, sfincione is generally baked in large trays and sold cut up in hefty portions (even if there are also small, individual sfincioni, called sfincionelli, approximately 300 g each); it is quite thick all over, with a soft and pillowy dough (sometimes a little lard is added to the dough, which I greatly approve of) and it is laden with toppings. It is another thing altogether and something I urge you to explore – sfincione lends itself to domestic home baking much better than Neapolitan pizza. Continue reading “Sfincione di Bagheria (sfincione from Bagheria, a Sicilian pizza)” →