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If you’ve read my post about authentic Ragù Bolognese and tried the recipe, you’re ready to prepare an iconic Bolognese preparation – Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. It’s one of my favorite dishes of all time. Making this lasagna requires only a few components – spinach pasta, Ragù Bolognese, béchamel sauce, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. When prepared with care, these elements come together to create something truly extraordinary. Besides Tagliatelle al Ragù and Tortellini in Brodo, it’s one of the most important “primi” (pasta courses) in Bolognese cuisine. This traditional Lasagna Bolognese is everything a good Italian-style lasagna should be – it’s…

As of next week, I will have lived in Bologna for nine years. Nine! It blows my mind. I can think of no better way to celebrate this milestone than to share my recipe for an authentic Ragù Bolognese with you. Besides Tortellini in Brodo (which I have also written about), there is no other dish that exemplifies Bolognese cuisine more. With this essential recipe, you will be able to prepare two iconic Bolognese preparations – Tagliatelle al Ragù alla Bolognese and Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. The recipe below yields a double batch so that you will have enough sauce…

Oh boy, do I have deliciousness to share with you today! Rosette al Forno are baked pasta roses filled with ham, cheese, and béchamel, then topped with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Originally from Modena, Rosette al Forno are pretty, scrumptious, and have plenty of crusty bits on top for everyone. My version of the dish varies slightly from tradition in that I add mortadella, because yum… I also include a lot of béchamel to make the dish extra luscious, moist, and creamy when it comes out of the oven. Rosette al Forno are impressive to look at but aren’t as difficult…

Pasta is one of my favorite things on the planet. I can’t get enough of it. Pasta is happy food. Fresh or dried, I don’t care, I love it all. Today, I’m sharing a recipe for an iconic stuffed pasta dish – Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli with Butter and Sage. Happy food indeed! This beloved dish is an Italian classic for a reason. It’s delicious, satisfying, simple, comforting, fun and, for many Italians, full of memories. In other words, it’s everything that Italian food is about. These beautiful ravioli filled with fresh ricotta cheese, spinach, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and freshly…

Welcome to Part 2 of my conversation about Venetian cicchetti. In my last post, Venetian Cicchetti (Part 1) – An Intro, A Love Letter, Advice, I discussed what cicchetti are, a bit about their history, and the culture surrounding them. Having laid the foundation, I’m going to do my favorite thing and talk about the food itself! I provide a lot of information but, in doing so, by the end of this post you should be confident enough to compose a Venetian cicchetti menu of your own. Also, I am going to share a flexible and delicious eggplant recipe to…

Meatballs. Who doesn’t love meatballs? Anyone? Meatballs are scrumptious little balls of comfort and joy. Kids and adults love them and, personally, I’d take a meatball over a steak any day. These quick & easy meatballs are a bit different from the Italian meatballs you might know. They are inspired by my recent travels to Molise. Prepared with chicken and pork, they are light, tender, delicate, have balanced flavor, are lower in fat, and come together in about 30-35 minutes total! All of that and they are absolutely delicious.

Ragù Bolognese or Bolognese Sauce is justifiably famous all over the world. Widespread though it is, it is greatly misunderstood and ill-prepared outside of Bologna. Next week marks our 6th anniversary here, making it the perfect time for me to discuss this iconic, delicious, rich, and scrumptious meat sauce! Read on to learn about Ragù Bolognese as it’s prepared and served in Bologna. I will share insights and experiences, and provide recipe resources so that you can make this heavenly dish at home, Bolognese style!

Food is powerful. One whiff of a favorite dish can envelop you instantly in a warm hug and bring comfort. It can transport you to another time, to your childhood, to your grandmother’s house, to a holiday. We need things like that in our lives, don’t we? This baked pasta dish from the south of Italy is one of those dishes that provoke such powerful feelings. Pasta al Forno con le Polpettine, or Oven Baked Pasta with Little Meatballs is a dish that many families serve for their Sunday dinner. It’s satisfying, hearty comfort food at its best. There are…

Greetings pasta lovers! Tagliatelle al Prosciutto, a simple, scrumptious dish from Emilia-Romagna, is a preparation that is high in flavor yet low in effort. We love dishes like that, don’t we? Every cook needs dishes like this in their culinary arsenal. Tagliatelle al Prosciutto consists of fresh egg tagliatelle, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and butter. That’s it! Some people, like me, also add shallot or onion. This is the perfect meal for those who want to prepare something delicious but are pressed for time.

It’s early fall, that wonderful time of year when summer produce is still scrumptious and autumn goodies are just coming into season. Therefore, it’s a perfect time to try this hearty Italian Zucchini Soup with Cannellini Beans, Potato, & Ditalini, all infused with fresh tomato & basil. You get the best of both worlds, fresh, flavorful zucchini and tomatoes, and the warming comfort of a nice bowl of soup as the weather cools down.