Patate alla pizzaiola – Potatoes pizzaiola 

~ stefano arturi ~ 9 Comments
Patate alla pizzaiola
Potatoes pizzaiola
Patate alla pizzaiola

In classic Italian cookery, when something is cooked  “alla pizzaiola” (pizza-style),  it means it has tomatoes and origano (sometimes garlic too),  as in the most basic topping for pizza.

Patate alla pizzaiola belongs to that army of homely dishes that are the backbone, almost the unsung heroes,  of Italian cookery:  simple affairs, often vegetarian, quickly assembled, generally rather economical and immensely satisfying.

This is not “a recipe”, just, I would say, “a way with” potatoes – once you understand the idea, you can really play with it. Continue reading “Patate alla pizzaiola – Potatoes pizzaiola “ →

Torta Pasqualina (Easter chard and fresh cheese pie from Liguria)

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To say that we Italians are food traditionalists is an understatement. Time and time again we go back to dishes that we have known since we were kids and we still enjoy them immensely. Come Easter and torta pasqualina will appear on very many tables. “Torta pasqualina” translates as Eastertide cake but it is actually a savory pie: layers of a golden, shatteringly flaky olive oil pastry, encasing a substantial filling of chards (biete, in Italian), fresh soft cheese, Parmigiano or pecorino , eggs and marjoram. It is a centuries old dish and one of the highlights of the Italian vegetarian canon – the quintessential spring dish. Continue reading “Torta Pasqualina (Easter chard and fresh cheese pie from Liguria)” →

Porrata o torta di porri – leek pie from Tuscany via Frank

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porrea - torta di porri - leek pie

This is porrata or torta di porri, a leek pie – porri means leeks in Italian.

I learnt it from one of my favourite websites: Memorie di Angelina, written by Frank Fariello and chock a block with great authentic Italian recipes. In turn, Frank learnt it from Giuliano Bugialli and Bugialli claims it to be of Tuscan origin. Continue reading “Porrata o torta di porri – leek pie from Tuscany via Frank” →

Torta salata con zucca, funghi e gorgonzola – savoury pie with pumpkin, mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese

~ stefano arturi ~ 13 Comments

Italian torte salate, savoury pies, are popular, every day dishes for home cooking. They are endlessly versatile, inexpensive to make and, above all, taste great. A crust of short or puff pastry, some cooked vegetables, a little ham or other Italian cured meat (mortadella, speck) for extra flavour if you choose, eggs or béchamel sauce or ricotta to bind: this is all you need for a lovely meal. Continue reading “Torta salata con zucca, funghi e gorgonzola – savoury pie with pumpkin, mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese” →

Timballo di patate alla finanziera – Potato, chicken liver and sausage timbale, a 1928 middle-class dish

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Delicious, easy, filling and impressive – this is what a well-to-do 1920s Italian middle-class family would have thought of this dish, I presume. It is a timbale, not dissimilar from a British savoury pudding: the “crust” is made with mashed potatoes, seasoned with butter and Parmigiano; the filling is finanziera, a traditional, now rare, ragout of veal offal and chicken giblets, often enriched with ceps or even truffles. Continue reading “Timballo di patate alla finanziera – Potato, chicken liver and sausage timbale, a 1928 middle-class dish” →