Welcome back!  Today, we have another regional pasta recipe: Nduja Pasta! This dish comes from Calabria in Southern Italy, which is known for their chili peppers and their unique Italian dialect. Nduja is an interesting product that comes from Calabria - it is a sausage spread that is made of a mixture of pork and Calabrian chilis, giving it its distinctive red hue and spicy flavor. You can serve it in a variety of ways, from a simple spread on some bread, or in a pasta sauce as in this recipe. It really spices things up! Nduja Pasta Makes 4-5 servings Ingredients: 16 ounces pasta 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4-6 ounces nduja, depending on how spicy you prefer your pasta 26 ounces tomato passata (strained tomatoes) Grated Parmigiano Reggiano to top Directions: Saute the onion in with the olive oil in a pan until soft and translucent. Add the garlic in and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the nduja and stir into the aromati...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for the staple Italian dish: Handmade Pasta! This recipe will set up you with some delicious pasta noodles that you can then use to make literally any pasta dish, like a Carbonara or a Pesto pasta. This is a basic technique to master if you want the delicious satisfaction of eating fresh pasta at home, and it's really not too hard, especially if you have machines to help with the kneading and pressing of the pasta. However, if you're willing to put in a little bit of elbow grease, you can make this whole thing just by hand! Handmade Pasta A Cacio e Pepe that we made with handmade noodles Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: 200 grams 00 ( doppio zero ) flour (plus more to dust) 60 grams semolina flour 3 eggs 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil Directions: Pour the flour and salt onto your workspace. Make a large well for the eggs in the middle. Carefully incorporate the egg into the flour until it starts to clump up. Knead the dough...

Welcome back!  Today, we have another recipe in our pesto journey: Pesto Calabrese! This variation also hails from Calabria in Southern Italy - in fact, it is the same region that produced the Nduja Pasta. This pesto deviates from the typical Genovese Pesto much more significantly than the Sicilian Pesto, with two main notable differences. The Pesto Calabrese incorporates cooked ingredients to provide an additional dimension of flavor as well as ricotta cheese to thicken up the texture. And because it is a Calabrian dish, you can always add an extra kick of spice with some extra Calabrian chili flakes. Pesto Calabrese Makes 4 servings Ingredients: 12 ounces pasta 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 small red onion or 2 shallots, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 large red bell pepper, charred, peeled, and diced* 12 ounces tomatoes, chopped 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon dried oregano 20 grams basil (about 1/4 cup packed) 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt to taste 200 grams ricotta cheese 50 grams Peco...

Welcome back!  Today, we have an fresh and easy Italian dish: Caprese Salad! Caprese salad is possibly the most iconic Italian dish that isn't also loaded with carbs: it's really just cheese, tomatoes, and basil. These are also the three colors that make up the Italian flag, as well as the three ingredients that you find on the classic margherita pizza. There's just something refreshing about eating the juicy tomato with the creamy mozzarella together; plus, it's super healthy! Caprese Salad Ingredients: Fresh mozzarella cheese Tomato Basil leaves Extra virgin olive oil Balsamic vinegar Directions: Slice the mozzarella and tomato into similar sized slices. Aim for about a quarter of an inch. Pick and wash some basil leaves. Arrange the ingredients in the pattern of tomato, cheese, and then basil. Drizzle some olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top. Balsamic vinegar isn't always a necessary addition, but we found it to be a nice flavor contrast with the rest of the in...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a great recipe for a homemade pasta sauce: Pesto! Pesto is a wonderful green sauce hailing from Genoa in the north of Italy, with its iconic blend of basil and pine nuts. It's something that you can really just enjoy with some good pasta by itself, or combined in part of a larger meal. The name pesto  actually just comes from the word "to pound" (think like a pestle with a mortar), as traditionally the nuts and garlic and pounded in a pestle. Perhaps doing so is more traditional and fun, but there's nothing wrong with using a food processor like we did. Homemade Pesto Ingredients: 2 packed cups (60 grams) basil 1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts (you can substitute for cashews) 2 small cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cups extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (35 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated Directions: Wash the basil and dry with a paper/dish towel. Remove the stems. In the oven, lightly toast the nuts at 300°F for 8-...

Welcome back!  Today, we have the final of our four Roman pastas: Pasta all'Amatriciana! This pasta is actually named after its origin near Rome, in Amatrice, though it is widely found in Rome now with some slight variations. With the addition of tomato, this dish certainly stands out from the other three Roman pastas in terms of color and flavor. This sauce is also the one that sees the most variation from recipe to recipe, many give it a twist that start to turn the sauce into something of a classic  pomodoro  sauce. However, the addition of ingredients like garlic and white wine do still serve to enhance the dish, even if it is a little less traditional. Pasta all'Amatriciana Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: 12 ounces pasta (we used bucatini, which is most commonly used in Rome) 3-4 ounces guanciale 1 1/2 ounces grams Pecorino Romano 28 ounces (about 2 containers) canned/crushed tomatoes 3 tablespoons white wine 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teas...

Welcome back!  Today, we have the third recipe in our series of the Four Roman Pastas: Pasta Carbonara! This is probably the most popular of the four, and it's no surprise, because this dish is the perfect comfort food: flavorful, rich, and creamy. The sauce may remind you of something like alfredo sauce, but the difference could not be larger: modern Alfredo sauce is largely based on cream, while the body of carbonara sauce is actually egg!  Pasta Carbonara Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: 12 ounces spaghetti (or any other pasta, but spaghetti is traditionally used) 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 2 ounces Pecorino Romano, finely grated 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 ounces guanciale You'll also need some pasta water, probably around a cup Directions: In a bowl, beat the whole eggs and egg yolks together. Add in the Pecorino Romano and black pepper and mix it all together.  In a pan, saute the guanciale in the olive oil until crispy, for ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have the second in our series on the four Roman pastas: Pasta alla Gricia! This builds off of the concepts found in the Cacio e Pepe, this time introducing a new ingredient, guanciale, or cured pork jowl. This fatty cut is where this sauce gets its richness from, as the oils derived from the meat is what everything is eventually cooked in. You might also see this called "carbonara without egg", which may be technically true, but doesn't really capture the differences of the dishes. Pasta alla Gricia Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: 12 ounces pasta (we used rigatoni, spaghetti is also used) 6 ounces guanciale 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated Don't forget to save some pasta water, about 1/2 to 1 cup. Directions: In a pan, cook the guanciale in the olive oil for about 5 minutes, until crispy. Once done, take the pan off the heat and remove the guanciale, but save the oil/fat. Crush the black p...

Welcome back!  Today, we have the first in the series of four Roman pastas: Cacio e Pepe! Cacio e pepe is an amazingly simple yet flavorful pasta that we will use to introduce the common techniques found in these four pastas. The sauce is really just comprised of a few things: black pepper, cheese - specifically Pecorino Romano - and an oil to cook the pepper in. Because of the simplicity, it's important to use good ingredients and not cut corners in order to take it to the next level (instead of just being like a glorified mac and cheese). Cacio e Pepe Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: 12 ounces pasta (tonnarelli is traditionally used) 4 tablespoons butter (or olive oil, or even a combination of the two) 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (use whole peppercorns) 3 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated Don't forget to save some pasta water! You'll need about 1/2 of a cup. Directions: In a pan, toast the the whole black peppercorns. Once the pepper flavor comes out, take this off the he...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for a simple Italian dessert: Panna Cotta! This dish literally means "cooked cream", and really, that's all it is! It takes just a few ingredients but when put together, is elevated into something much more refined. What's even better is that you can garnish the panna cotta with a variety of different sauces or toppings; since it has such a simple flavor, a multitude of things will pair well with the dessert. Panna Cotta Ingredients: 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 package (7 grams) gelatin 3 tablespoons water or milk 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions: Bloom the gelatin by pouring it into the water and letting it sit for a few minutes. In a pot, pour in the milk and cream. Set this on the stove on medium-low heat. Add in the sugar and stir to let it dissolve and mix. Once the mixture starts to form little bubbles, take it off the heat. Add in the bloomed gelatin and the vanilla extract and mix it in. As quickly a...

Welcome back!  Today, we have an interesting take on a unique Italian dish: Gnocchi! We used our Breville Smart Oven Air again to air-fry these gnocchi, getting them to a wonderful consistency - crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Mixed with a simple herb and spice blend, making this recipe allows you to really appreciate the gnocchi's innate qualities. Air-Fried Gnocchi Ingredients: 1 package (1 pound) gnocchi 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon thyme (you could also substitute with other herbs/spices that you like) Directions: Coat the gnocchi with the olive oil in order for the seasoning to stick. Season the gnocchi with salt, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme. Air-fry at 400°F for 12-15 minutes. There are many ways you can enjoy this air-fried gnocchi. We actually like to eat these plain or with a little dipping sauce, such as marinara, as shown above. Otherwise, you could toss it with some fresh greens, to...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for a unique Italian dish: Lasagna! When you really think about it, lasagna is a really interesting dish; it's a just bunch of layers of pasta! In reality, it's like a different way to enjoy the Italian flavors that you know and love. That being said, we based this recipe largely off of the Stuffed Shells recipe that we made, which also included a bolognese and ricotta sauces with the pasta, with the difference being in the assembly. Lasagna Ingredients: Several lasagna sheets (depending on the size of your dish, we used about 12) 12 ounces mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese Bolognese Sauce: 1 pound ground beef (you can also do 1/2 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound Italian sausage) 1/2 medium onion 2 cloves garlic 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 1 can tomato sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon herbs (italian seasoning, parsley, basil, whatever) Salt and pepper to taste  Ricotta Sauce: 16 ounces ricot...

Welcome back!  Today, we have another risotto recipe: but with a different flavor this time! The lemon and basil flavors works very well with the creaminess of the risotto, and when combined with the shrimp, it's like a shrimp scampi dish. It's another great variation on the popular Italian dish! Lemon Basil Shrimp Risotto Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 12 ounces shrimp 1/2 onion, diced 2 garlics, minced 1 cup arborio rice 1/2 cup white wine 3 1/2 - 4 cups hot broth Zest and juice (about 4 teaspoons) from half a lemon 2 tablespoons cream Basil leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Directions: In a pan, put in the butter and sear the shrimp just until they are opaque, and then remove the shrimp. You don't want to cook them all the way. Put in the onion and garlic and saute them. Add in the arborio rice and mix. Add in the white wine and stir it in until the rice has mostly absorbed the liquid. One cup at a time, add in the broth. Ma...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a classic - perhaps even the most classic - Italian antipasto : bruschetta! This is an extremely simple dish that you can quickly whip together to start off a nice Italian meal. There are many, many different ways to prepare bruschetta - after all, it is just toasted bread with toppings - but the most common is this one, which features tomatoes. The way that the fresh tomatoes really pop with flavor and juiciness in contrast with the crunch of the bread is absolutely delightful! Tomato Bruschetta Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 large tomatoes, seeded and diced (you could also use 8 roma tomatoes) 1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons (aka chiffonade) 2 cloves garlic, finely minced Salt and pepper to taste 1 large baguette, sliced about 1/2" thick More extra virgin olive oil for brushing 1 clove garlic, halved Directions: In a bowl, mix the olive oil, tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Lay the slices of the baguette on a baking pa...

Welcome back!  Today, we have an nice Italian dessert, featuring a very classic Italian cheese - ricotta! Ricotta is interesting in the way that it's made - it's derived from the leftovers of making other cheeses; in fact, that's where the name "ricotta" comes from, it means "recooked". We tend to use it a lot more for savory foods, like Stuffed Shells , but it's also very commonly used in desserts like this among others. Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake Ingredients: 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter 1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want it - 1/2 cup is pretty light) 15-16 ounces (about 1 tub) of ricotta cheese 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest (this plus the juice should take about 1 lemon) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cup flour Directions: In a bowl, put in the butter and sugar. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream this mixture so that it becomes smoot...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a very essential Italian recipe: Focaccia! This is a bread that is very similar to pizza dough, except that you eat it just as bread, whether plain or as a sandwich. It's very nice because you can add a variety of interesting ingredients on top (some people make some really beautiful focaccia art), or you can just make it the classic way, like we do here. Focaccia Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups flour 1 package (1/4 ounce or 2 teaspoons) instant yeast 2 teaspoons honey or sugar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/3 cup water More olive oil for the pan and on top Various toppings: rosemary, coarse salt (like fleur de sel), olives, etc. Directions: In a stand mixer (using the dough hook), add the flour, yeast, honey, olive oil, and salt. Slowly add the water in and mix it on low speed until it has become smooth. You can also knead it with your hands if you're feeling daring. Once it's good, set it in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a delicious soup originating from Tuscany, Italy (this is the region where Florence is in). Traditionally, this dish is a combination of various vegetables with some Italian bacon and Tuscan bread. The one we made is more Americanized, featuring Italian sausage, and it's a little heartier. However, they are still pretty similar in the vegetables used: kale, potatoes, carrots, etc.  Tuscan Soup Makes 4 servings Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 8 to 10 ounces Italian sausage 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons flour 3 cups chicken broth 1 to 2 cups half & half 1 large potato, diced 1 medium carrot, diced 1/2 bunch kale, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Steam the potato and carrot and save it for later. With the olive oil in a pot, cook the Italian sausage until browned.  Remove the sausage from the pot. Saute the onion and garlic in the pot. Add the flour into the pot and mix. Add in the chicken br...

Welcome back!  Today, we have another Italian chicken dish! Saltimbocca is another very classic Italian dish that is actually traditionally made with veal (chicken is more of an American thing) and requires two key components: sage and prosciutto. These flavors blend to make a great combination, so much so that it "jumps in the mouth" (which is what saltimbocca means - salta in bocca). Chicken Saltimbocca Makes 4 servings Ingredients: Chicken 2 chicken breasts 12 sage leaves 4 slices prosciutto 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper to taste Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 1 small shallot, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 cup dry white wine 3/4 cup chicken broth Directions: Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to get four thin slices. Place two leaves of sage on each piece of chicken and wrap with a piece of prosciutto. Put one piece of sage on the top. Cook this on a pan for 3 minutes on the first side (sage leaf facing up), a...