Italian Cuisine
Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese & Salted Kale
There are two glaring reasons why I’ve never made risotto:1) I’ve been tricked into ordering risotto three times in my life, each time expecting to finally see the magic in this sticky, monochromatic, cheesy blob. Each time I’ve only felt more disappointed, foolish and disenchanted. 2) Risotto is the dish that famously gets people sent home on Top Chef. So, in other words, if the nation’s top chefs can simultaneously burn a perfectly good cooking pot and a shot at $100k while making it, then the dish is 100% trouble and not worth...
read moreSpicy Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Even if you’ve only learned about Italian culture from staple mafia movies “Goodfellas” and “The Godfather,” you know that the concept of “respect” (earning, giving, exemplifying) is essential. And, while I wouldn’t use these movies as a teaching tool about Italian life, business, relationships, etc., I do think the lesson of “respect” extends VERY well to Italian food. Think of the process of cooking the following staple Italian dishes:1) a beautiful caprese salad (thickly sliced tomatoes and crisp basil leaves) 2)...
read moreSweet Pea & Pesto Envelopes with Roasted Tomato Sauce
I’ve always thought of ravioli as tiny, warm envelopes of wonderment. This recipe tastes the reference literally by creating small enveloped of pea and pesto puree. Milder than an actual pesto but similar in color, this filling makes for a beautiful green surprise on the plate. I served this recently alongside my roasted tomato/sausage sauce, and I thought the smokiness of the sauce really complimented the freshness of the filling. Additionally, the bold sausage paired nicely with the sweet (almost innocent texture) of the peas....
read more