Recipes

When it is eggplant season, we look to Sicily where pasta alla Norma is a classic. The name honors native son Vincenzo Bellini, born in Catania and composer of the bel canto opera Norma. (Humming or singing the Act 1 aria "Casta Diva" while making the recipe is optional.) The secret to this dish is perfectly fried eggplant. Frying transforms the spongy vegetable into something rich and almost meaty. Use quality olive oil for this dish and select fresh eggplant that are not too large and are heavy for their weight. While we like to pan fry the eggplant slices on top of the stove,Read More →

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This lighter version of the classic Negroni swaps out the gin with sparkling prosecco. Negroni Sbagliato (“mistaken Negroni”) retains Campari and some of the original drink’s bitterness with a refreshing effervescent finish.Read More →

Originating from northern Italy but wildly popular in Tuscany, the Hugo Spritz is a delicate, elderflower-based cocktail. In the 2000’s, a bartender in South Tyrol,  inspired by the Aperol Spritz, gave it an Alpine twist. This aperitivo, made with mint leaves, elderflower cordial and Prosecco, is floral, fizzy, and incredibly refreshing. We like making it with Fiorente elderflower liqueur from the Alpine region of ItalyRead More →

To prepare this tagliata di manzo at your home, we recommend a well-marbled NY strip steak with a little fat on the edge although a strip loin or rib eye are also delicious prepared this way. Searing the edges of the steak removes some of the fat while providing enough to help brown the meat. Purchase a thick piece, 1 ½-2 inches is ideal. Season the meat with salt and pepper and sear it well on each side in a heavy pan such as one made from cast iron or black steel. Or you may cook it over a pre-heated grill. Once the steak cooks, let itRead More →

Watch Anna make her jam tart on our Tuscan Women Cook YouTube Channel.Read More →

Each layer of this lasagna primavera is packed with fresh vegetables. We used asparagus but artichoke hearts would be just as delicious in their place or in addition to the other ingredients. If you like, fresh or frozen artichoke hearts will make another memorable addition. If you are among the fortunate to find fresh fava beans in your local market, add some. About one cup will do. (Cook and peel the fava before using them.)This lasagna tastes bright and fresh when served on the day it is made but it reheats well to serve the next day too.Read More →

In honor of the arrival of spring and family festivities that mark the season, we have created a rich Italian-style flourless cake in the tradition of Capri. It is a combination of quality bittersweet chocolate and butter. The cake is bound with eggs, sugar and superfine almond flour. Then the mixture is lightened with whipped egg whites, which give it a melting souffle-like texture.While the cake is simple to make, there are things to keep in mind. Have all your ingredients ready before starting. This is especially important because once you whip the egg whites, you want to be ready to complete the steps necessaryRead More →

The golden mimosa blossom holds great significance in Italy. It symbolizes spring and is tied to the Festa dellla Donna (International Women’s Day) and Festa della Mamma (Mother’s Day), two special occasions that honor women. The classic Italian Mimosa Cake was created to serve on these holidays. It consists of a round sponge cake filled with pastry cream. Cubes of cake cover its surface so that it resembles a stem of mimosa flowers. Here we have adapted the traditional recipe to make a refreshing mimosa tiramisù, spiked with lemon zest and limoncello.While this dessert has three components, it is easy to master. The base is a simpleRead More →