Articles Index
Ron Roefaro's Easter Cassata Recipe
This Cassata recipe is kindly shared by Ron Roefaro, who writes, "It is almost impossible to find Easter Cassata of the kind my family made. When cooked, this cassata separates into layers, egg custard on the bottom with cheeses and chocolate towards the top.
La Pizza Ricresciuta, a Roman Easter cake
La Pizza Ricresciuta is a "regrown pizza," meaning that its dough has risen anew after having been tamped down, and is the classic Roman Easter cake.
Chocolate Ricotta Crumble Pie Recipe - Torta di Ricotta e Cioccolato
Chocolate Ricotta Crumble Pie, Torta di Ricotta e Cioccolato: when you bite into it, and experience the firmness of the chocolate, which gains creamy richness from the ricotta... Oh my!
Yogurt Pie Recipe - Torta Allo Yogurt
Italians have a fascination with cheesecake of the kind creamy kind made in the US (as opposed to traditional Italian torta di ricotta) -- you'll find it in bakeries, and some restaurants, and you will also find knockoffs like this no-bake yogurt pie.
Pellegrino Artusi's Torta di Ricotta - Pellegrino Artusi's Cheesecake Recipe
I recently received a request for a "pure white ricotta pie/pizza dolce." The trick to obtaining a pure white ricotta torta is the same as that for obtaining any other white cheesecake: you bake it in a cool oven, to keep it from browning. Artusi's Torta di Ricotta is quite simple, with ricotta, sugar and almonds. "This is the preferred cake at the weddings of farmers in Romagna," he says, adding, "it tastes rather like Budino di Ricotta, but is more delicate...."
Chocolate-Orange Tart Recipe - Tartino al Cioccolato e Arance
Valentine's Day is nearing as of this writing, and one of my favorite sweet combinations is orange and chocolate. Chocolate covered orange peel immediately comes to mind, but orangy chocolate tart will also be quite nice.
Berry Fruit Meringue Recipe - Meringata di Frutti di Bosco
Meringues are quite easy to make, and work beautifully with cream and wild berries to make this tasty summer strawberry raspberry currant meringue pie.
Tuscan Wine Grape Pie Recipe - Schiacciata con l'Uva
Schiacciata con l'Uva, an astonishingly rich, sinfully juicy wine grape pie whose country roots are clearly revealed by the dough and the crunchiness of the grape seeds.
Traditional Tuscan Wine Grape Pie Recipe - Schiacciata Con L'Uva Campagnola
Schiacciata con l'Uva is a traditional wine grape pie made at harvest time in the contado fiorentino, the countryside around Florence. As such it is rather rustic, including lard and other ingredients that city folk (today) shrink from, and consequently if you are in Florence you will get a more refined version. Which is very, very good. But the country version of schiacciata con l'uva can be just as nice.
Aironeverde's Pastiera Napoletana Recipe
One of the most spectacular Italian Easter pastries is the Pastiera Napoletana, a wheat berry and ricotta pie that gains grace and allure from orange water. "Nobody escapes its allure," wrote Caṛla Francesconi in introducing it, "an allure due not so much to its goodness as to a subconscious love that's transmitted from generation to generation." Aironeverde is a regular visitor to the Italian food forum, and has kindly shared her recipe
La Pastiera Napoletana Recipe - Neapolitan Easter Grain Pie
Neapolitan Cuisine has many dishes identified with one festival or another, which in the past were made only then: le lasagne del Carnevale, for Carnival, struffoli at Christmas, and a several Easter pastries, the most important of which is the Pastiera, a centuries-old dish that appears in innumerable versions, each made according to a closely guarded family recipe...
Fig Tart With Gorgonzola Recipe - Tartino di Fichi e Gorgonzola
Figs are one of the sweetest and richest fruits imaginable, and more than charged enough to work very well with a pungent blue cheese along the lines of Gorgonzola. This tart will be nice as a slightly unusual antipasto, or as a dessert, in which the contrast of sweet and savory will be very nice.
Fresh Fig Crostata Recipe - Crostata di Fichi Freschi
If you're lucky enough to live where really good figs are available, here is a tasty fresh fig crostata.
Fruit Basket Recipe - Cestini Con La Frutta - Fruit Basket Dessert
These fruit baskets are quite elegant, and also easy to make - a nice combination, which makes them perfect for a summer evening when company is coming. Or even when you want to enjoy a treat, because they are good.
Elisabetta's Blackberry Crostata Recipe - La Crostata di More Dell'Elisabetta
The most obvious thing to do with a big haul of freshly picked blackberries is make blackberry jam for the winter months. But it doesn't give you anything to enjoy now. Elisabetta's blackberry crostata, on the other hand... It's hard to beat a good blackberry pie, and Elisabetta's blackberry crostata is very nice.
Crunchy Ice Cream Pie Recipe - Torta Croccante al Gelato
A rich -- nay, libidinous, even, ice cream pie with a crunchy chocolate cookie crumb crust. The perfect summer pie!
Chilled Nutella Pudding with Pistachio Nuts - Semifreddo di Nutella con Pist
A tasty sweet pudding made with Nutella, Ferrero's famed chocolate-hazelnut spread. The recipe calls for pistachios, which are quite nice, but will also work well with other nuts, especially walnuts, if that's your preference.
Migliaccio, Seven Years Later - Il Migliaccio, Sette Anni Dopo
Migliaccio can be many different things. In this case it is a delicate creamy cake from Campania.
Italian Almond Pie Recipe - Torta alle Mandorle
A tasty, rich North Italian almond pie.
Italian Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe - Cheesecake Ai Lamponi
An Italian raspberry cheesecake recipe: This recipe yields a cheesecake in the American style, not a torta di ricotta.
Italian Apple Tart Recipe - Tortino di Mele
This apple tart is from Canale Cinque's lunchtime news. Simple things, but interesting too. It will take about a half hour to do, including the baking time. It makes individual portions, and the chef who did the demonstration used a 6-inch (15 cm) diameter tinned copper skillet with a fairly long metal handle. In other words, a pot that's good on the stove but also in the oven.
Yellow Squash Pie Recipe - Torta Di Zucca Gialla
Yellow Squash Pie, or Torta Di Zucca Gialla: This recipe is drawn from The Art of Eating Well, my translation of Pellegrino Artusi's La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene, the first truly successful Italian cookbook. Artusi notes that yellow squash pie is made in autumn or winter, when greengrocers carry yellow squash.
Apple or Pear Pie with Pecorino Recipe - Torta di Mele o Pere al Pecorino
Though one often encounters fruit crostata -- a disk of shortbread topped with fruit or jam -- in Italy, true fruit pies are relatively rare. However, there are some, and this cheesy apple or pear pie is tasty.
Cuccia - Calabrian Grain Pie
Cuccia is a Calabrian pastry traditionally made for Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy, who is celebrated December 13). Cavalcanti quotes a Mr. Dorsa, who says Cuccia derives from Byzantine Greek. This would suggest the recipe is quite old...
Tagliatelle Pie -- Torta di Tagliatelle
Torta di Tagliatelle, a sweet Tagliatelle Pie, is a tasty specialty of the city of Mantova.