Category: Winter

Frittata al prezzemolo, aglio e pecorino (Frittata with parsley, garlic and pecorino)

~ stefano arturi ~ 2 Comments
Frittata al prezzemolo

December 2025

“Oh! What a dreadful illness hunger is!” exclaims Pinocchio in the fifth chapter of his adventures. At the beginning of the chapter we find the wooden puppet desperate from the pangs of hunger, finally aware of how hard it is to be alone in the world, without a family. Suddenly, however, his troubles seem at an end. In the middle of a heap of rubbish he catches sight of a beautiful white egg and begins to fantasise about how he might cook it: as a frittata? fried?

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Salsa rossa alla Carlino – Carlino’s red sauce (Garfagnana, Tuscany)

~ stefano arturi ~ 5 Comments

Last novembre, on a cold sunny day, we drove from Lucca into the Garfagnana region, to catch the woods in their autumnal splendour, before winter settled in.
Sillico was our destination: a minuscule, picture-perfect village, perched 700 meters above sea level on the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, surrounded by chestnut woodland.

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Chiacchiere di carnevale – Carnival pastries

~ stefano arturi ~ 12 Comments

chiacchiere
chiacchiere

It is Carnevale right now and most Italians would not pass the opportunity to munch on the delectable seasonal deep fried pastries called chiacchiere (pronounced kiah-kihe-reh). They are crisp, not overly sweet, feather light and shatter as soon as you pop one in your mouth. They are insubstantial and irresistible, at any time of the day.  Continue reading “Chiacchiere di carnevale – Carnival pastries” →

Sugo di pomodoro con alloro e cannella (tomato sauce with bay leaves and cinnamon)

~ stefano arturi ~ 17 Comments

A few days ago, I helped a friend to clear his garden after the previous day’s severe pollarding that followed a storm which had toppled one of the trees. At first, I did not pay much attention to those thick branches that carpeted the grounds; then I picked up one of them, scrunched a couple of leaves and my nostrils were hit by the unmistakable, wonderful perfume of bay: lemony and with hints of nutmeg and pine.

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