Cuisine: Italian

Pasta with Pancetta, Sage, and Mushrooms

I always like trying new pasta recipes. This Pasta with Pancetta, Sage, and Mushrooms has a wine and beef broth reduction, which infuses a lot of flavor into the mushrooms. You could use bacon instead of pancetta, but make sure you drain most of the fat before proceeding. 

By Leslie Blythe

Mushroom Risotto with Peas & Spinach

I often make Mushroom Risotto, but this time, I added peas and spinach at the very end. I actually made it in the Instant Pot, which is super easy and doesn't involve all the stirring. I included both instructions if you want to make it on the stovetop.

By Leslie Blythe

Sicilian Meat Roll

My mother gave me a handwritten recipe book in 1981 with family favorites. I opened it the other day and saw this recipe for Sicilian Meat Roll. It's basically Italian meatloaf. Personally, I am not a fan of meatloaf, but I made it for my father. It turned out really delicious. It definitely needs to be served with some marinara sauce. It's ground beef rolled up with ham, though I used prosciutto, and mozzarella.

By Leslie Blythe

Nonna’s Farfalle alla Frank Sinatra

In the March issue of LA CUCCINA ITALIANA there was a feature of recipes that were inspired by the grandmother's of the staff. This recipe for Farfalle alla Frank Sinatra belongs to the mother-in-law of one of the food stylists. There is no explanation about why Frank Sinatra is involved! Anyway, I was intrigued by the technique of stewing green onions, which is a revelation. I will definitely be doing that again.

By Leslie Blythe

Ravioli Casserole

This Ravioli Casserole is my "lazy" lasagna. It's a combination of ground beef, cheese, pasta sauce and cheese ravioli. I have also made Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Casserole, which is also quick and easy to make. This is perfect for a family weeknight meal.

By Leslie Blythe

Tuscan-Style Roasted Asparagus

As we are approaching asparagus season, I made this Tuscan-Style Roasted Asparagus, which has pinenuts, lemon, finished off with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Asparagus is low in calories and a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K. Eating asparagus can potentially help with weight loss, improved digestion, healthy pregnancy outcomes and lower blood pressure.

By Leslie Blythe

Baked Cacio e Pepe Pie

My brother David made this Baked Cacio e Pepe Pie for dinner and said it was awesome and ridiculously easy to make. It's a recipe by MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, Salon, that is Inspired by David Leibovitz and Food & Wine. I know, it's a lot of tags, but if you are interested, read on!

By Leslie Blythe

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

My friends Jennifer and Heather reminded me of Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter recipe. It’s one of the simplest, sweetest most delicious tomato sauces. It takes only 5 minutes to prep and then simmers on the stovetop. She recommends using it on gnocchi, spaghetti, penne or rigatoni.

By Leslie Blythe

Arancini

I have never been a fan of leftovers. However, I do like to turn leftovers into a completely new dish. These Arancini are a perfect example.

Arancini are the epitome of southern Italian street food. They are stuffed with mozzarella, dredged in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. They are great as hors d'oeuvres dipped or served on a bed of lettuce as a light lunch.

By Leslie Blythe

Risotto with Beef, Rosemary, Sage and Barolo Wine, Alba Style

Marcella Hazan's cookbooks are wonderful and are credited with introducing the traditional techniques of Italian Cooking to the US and the UK. I stumbled upon this recipe for Risotto with Beef, Rosemary, Sage and Barolo Wine, Alba Style. I love risotto and have made it over the years using the traditional endless stirring technique, the oven method, and actually in an Instant Pot. If you want to hang out in the kitchen while drinking wine and do it the traditional way (that is, when my husband does the stirring!), it can be quite cathartic. Typically, I make mushroom or butternut squash, but this risotto has a small amount of ground beef. It's really delicious. The red wine/beef combination marries surprisingly well with the creamy Arborio rice. The sage and rosemary really deliver on the flavor front and take the whole thing to a new level. Alba in Italy is known around the world for its Barolo and Barbaresco wines and is situated in the northern Piedmont region.

By Leslie Blythe