Category Archives: italian home food

Frascati Mutton Stew – Spezzatino di Castrato e Piselli al Frascati DOCG

I bought some mutton at the Mercato Contadino of Ariccia some time ago on a Sunday morning.  The Azienda Agricola Fratelli Frasca farm is not far from Anzio and is called ‘Il Vecchio Ovile’, which translates as ‘The Old Sheep … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, Herbs and plants, italian home food, Secondi (main course, usually meat based) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Quiche Frascataine

Warning … caveat Emptor … this is a rather long post … if it’s the recipe you are after, and to be honest it would be worth your while taking a look at it, just scoll down until you come … Continue reading

Posted in italian home food, Recipes from outside Italy, Travel and Tales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Risotto alla Carbonara

We love our pasta in this family, we do. For a variety of reasons, one of which is that pasta lends itself to being concocted in the briefest of time frames and using whatever ingredients are there to be sourced, … Continue reading

Posted in italian home food, Primi (first courses - usually a pasta or risotto), Risotto | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Garland of Potatoes and Vegetables and a Good Bit of Scraping

You know the lyrics to the Blues Brothers’ “Rawhide’ song, don’t you?  that bit when the verse is all about ‘ rollin rollin rollin ‘ repeated ad infinitum ? Well, I was using a wooden spoon to dislodge the bits … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, Contorni and/or side dishes, Herbs and plants, italian home food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

A Craving for Sartù – Using Leftovers Backwards

Yesterday I wrote about some leftovers … see photo below:Here are the remains of what had been meatballs cooked in a tomato and pea sauce.  These leftovers could have easily been used to coat a lovely plate of pasta but, … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, italian home food, Loving the Leftovers, Polpette: Meatballs as well as vegetable crocquettes, Primi (first courses - usually a pasta or risotto), Secondi (main course | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Meatballs with Peas – Polpette con Piselli

There is a bit of a wink-wink, friendly,  dig-in-the-ribs ‘thing’ going on amongst food bloggers based in Italy (and Rome in particular) as regards the making of meat balls … (or is it just the one word, meataball? Hmmm).  ‘Rachel … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, Herbs and plants, italian home food, Loving the Leftovers, Polpette: Meatballs as well as vegetable crocquettes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Pasta al Tonno – Variation

It is very traditional to have a fish-only themed menu on Christmas Eve in most parts of Italy, including Rome.  Also traditional are foods fried in batter such as artichokes, cauliflower, broccolo, apples, cod fish etc.  Spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, Fish and seafood, Herbs and plants, italian home food, Primi (first courses - usually a pasta or risotto) | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Artichokes and Pecorino Cheese

Artichokes can be enjoyed in Rome practically all year round these days … because when they aren’t available locally, many restaurants will import them from Brittany in France. I, being a little conservative on matters of seasonality, prefer to wait … Continue reading

Posted in Artichokes - Carciofi, italian home food, Loving the Leftovers | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Pecorino Frittata … And We Won’t Mention Tripe! – Uova in Trippa

With the holiday season already started and long lists of things-to-do and things-to-buy piling up whether we want them or not (Christmas and New Year can by trying times for many people), having to think of what to make for … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, Herbs and plants, italian home food, Secondi (main course | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Minestrone with Chestnuts – Minestrone con Castagne

The romantic in me sometimes gets the upper hand and induces me into culinary jaunts that are best left to an expert.  I saw some lovely chestnuts at the greengrocer’s about one month ago and just had to have them. … Continue reading

Posted in Basic Techniques, italian home food, Soup, Soups | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments