Here we are again in that not-quite-winter, not-quite-spring time. It is cloudy and cold today, but two days ago it was lovely, bright and warm. The green shoots and leaves are starting to appear, but the grass is still brown and it’s not time to put the sweaters away yet. I am not really in the mood for stews and soups and braises, but the fresh new season produce isn’t quite … [Read more...] about Ricotta Balls in Tomato Sauce
Italian
Slow Cooker Italian White Bean Soup
Sometimes, in the bleak days of winter, when the holidays are over and real life comes crashing back in, it is nice to have a moment of simple comfort. A nice, filling, warm meal, but not one that takes hours and hours of hands-on prep. So for that reason, I present this very simple, classic soup that takes very little effort but produces beautiful bowls of hearty soup with … [Read more...] about Slow Cooker Italian White Bean Soup
Ricotta Cake with Blackberry Limoncello Compote
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
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
