The word pesto comes from the Italian verb pestare which means to pound or crush.  I heartily recommend making pesto using a mortar and pestle rather than using a food processor or blender.  By pounding herbs or garlic with a mortar and pestle, you release more of the essential oils.  Their flavors will be more […]

I found some baby artichokes at my local supermarket yesterday, most likely the last of the season.  I was hoping to also find some fresh fava beans and peas to make a frittedda – a Sicilian mélange of artichokes, favas, and peas.  No luck on the favas and peas so I decided to make the […]

Lady fingers can be a little tricky to make but this recipe for Sicilian lady fingers is super easy.  You don’t have to worry about folding in egg whites and having them come out flat because you didn’t do something right along the way.  These cookies take no more than 20 minutes to throw together.  […]

Arancini are stuffed rice balls.  They are a popular street food in Sicily.  The most traditional fillings are tomato ragù and cheese with ham.  I heard about how popular Arancini Bros. have become in my home town of New York.  They have a huge array of fillings and flavors.  They have taken the art of arancini […]

Who doesn’t love fried potatoes?  Pizzaiola means pizza style, or in this case Sicilian style pizza.  This dish is made with fried potatoes which are layered, smothered in marinara sauce topped with oregano and grated cheese, and then the whole concoction is baked.  It’s kind of like a potato lasagna.  Just in case you’re wondering where […]