Ingredients: Fresh crusty Italian bread (French baguettes)Thinly sliced boiled hamThinly sliced mozzarella cheeseExtra virgin olive oilpaprika Procedure: Don’t forget to smile while you bite into the crispy gooey Ham and Cheese on scooped out Italian!
The Typewriter This Christmas season I got all nostalgic and I remembered one of my favorite Christmas present from the past. Don’t be surprised if this favorite gift of mine involves the restaurant. My thoughts brought me back to 1971 when I woke up on Christmas morning to find my very own typewriter underneath the … Read more
I am going to give you the long version of making clams oreganate by making your own breadcrumbs. They are the best. For some reason making them from scratch are so delicious!! Growing up in our Italian American family Christmas Eve table was never without out clams oreganate. Of course they were readily available in … Read more
“Hi Teresa, I figured you would know where I can get bushels of tomatoes.” “Oh sorry Teresa, we can’t! We are swimming in tomatoes here!” “Hello Teresa, I have brought you a bushel of tomatoes.” So.much talk of tomatoes!! What can I say it’s tomato season in the Hudson Valley! I always teased my kids and … Read more
Ingredients: 1 ball pizza dough (You can make your own or buy already prepared at your local grocer.)1 1/2 dozen ripe cherry tomatoes sliced in half1 clove of garlic grated (You can leave it out of even add more to your liking.)1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil6 leaves of basilgrated pecorino romano cheese or … Read more
I always thought of my mom as a movie star. Not only was Mamma beautiful but she dressed the part, too! Many would think it odd that I would regard her in this way since she came from a remote volcanic island off the coast of Naples, Italy. When she was born, this underdeveloped tiny … Read more
Serves 2. This dish was actually invented by an innkeeper in Ischia. The story is that late one night guests were hungry and there was no food left. The innkeeper quickly put together a pasta dish with whatever he had on hand which included some tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovies. He said he put together … Read more
My favorite part of my job is talking to all the people I meet. This past year at one of my seminars I met a woman who, as soon as I said hello to her, she proclaimed her love for Adams Fairacre Farms (the specialty grocery store in my area where I have my seminars). … Read more
Here’s a pasta recipe that was a family favorite! Ingredients: 2 garlic large garlic cloves sliced thin½ cup extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons of chopped fresh Italian parsley¼ cup of sliced Kalamata olives or Gaeta Olives¼ cup of sliced green olives with herbs¼ cup of sliced green French olives¼ cup of capers (drained)¼ cup of … Read more
I just can’t let Easter go by without writing about my family’s Easter tradition of Easter Bread. It is a paschal ritual in my dad’s hometown of Monte di Procida in Italy. The old fashioned way is to start with a mother yeast that everyone makes themselves called “criscito” which is mixed into sweet bread … Read more