I used to make this cake all the time because it is so simple to put together but is so luscious. I think the original recipe is from a Mollie Katzen Moosewood book, but I have it scrawled in one of my many recipe keeping notebooks. I used to serve it with raspberry coulis when that was in vogue, or with chocolate sauce. That’s kind of the great thing about this cake. It is so … [Read more...] about Ricotta Cake with Blackberry Limoncello Compote
Italian
Taleggio Risotto Cake
I did not grow up eating risotto. It was not a dish on the menus of the many fine Italian-American restaurants in Memphis we ate at during my childhood. When it started to become a common and trendy dish, for many years, I assumed it was some sort of chef-secret dish that couldn’t be created at home (a silly thought now I know). Once I realized that at its heart, risotto is … [Read more...] about Taleggio Risotto Cake
Farro and Herb Minestrone
There are one million and one delicious versions of an Italian style bean soup that it is almost impossible to narrow down a favorite. So the best thing to do, in my opinion, is to start from scratch, and that is what I’ve done here. I don’t really know if this is technically a minestrone, a pasta e fagioli or what, all I do know is that it is really delicious. I have become a … [Read more...] about Farro and Herb Minestrone
Parmigiano and Basil Baked Corn
Fresh summer corn is one of my favorite things on the planet. I buy it in such quantities at the farmers market it’s actually a little insane. Though a fresh cob lightly steamed dripping with butter is a perfect summer treat, I also love corn baked in a creamy casserole, and it is an easy way to serve corn to a big crowd at a summer supper or cookout. Last summer, I spent a … [Read more...] about Parmigiano and Basil Baked Corn
Creamy Cauliflower Parmigiano Gratin
I had the good fortune to spend a month in Italy this summer, a blissful few days of it at the cooking school of Badia a Coltibuono, a medieval abbey turned into a winery and bed and breakfast in the hills of Tuscany. We made pasta by hand and learned the secrets to Italian breads and sauces. On one day, the chef, Benedetta Vitali, told us we would make a cauliflower cheese … [Read more...] about Creamy Cauliflower Parmigiano Gratin
