Sicilian pesto typically has basil, garlic, olive oil, and uncooked (crudo) tomatoes in it.  The main difference between the traditional pesto and Pesto Trapanese is that it contains almonds.  Sometimes mint, pine nuts, and anchovy are also added.  Pesto Trapanese originated in the province of Trapani, an ancient seaport where sailors from Genoa purportedly introduced […]

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 […]

Vino cotto means cooked wine in Italian. Vino cotto or vincotto, as it is called in other parts of Italy, is traditionally made using grape must – grape juice that has been pressed with the skins and seeds, the first stage in wine making.  In Sicily, vino cotto is a popular sweetener made by reducing […]

While vacationing at Niagara Falls one summer, my parents went to an Italian restaurant and witnessed a fastidious diner eating a dish of spaghetti with a fork in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other.  As he placed a forkful of pasta to his mouth, he proceeded to cut it with the […]

This recipe for tomato sauce is quick and easy, all you need is canned tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and basil.  Success in making a really good tomato sauce depends a good deal on the variety of canned tomatoes that you buy.  Some tomatoes are canned with way too much citric acid used as a preservative, […]

Here is recipe for a great basic meat sauce that is used in making lasagna or manicotti, or you can serve it over any cooked pasta you desire.  It is similar to a Bolognese sauce except the Sicilian version has peas in it.  That’s right, peas. It may seem unorthodox – I once had a […]