It’s not the same, but almost. And mind-blowing good. In Santarcangelo, where legend has it the Sangiovese grape gets its name, my wife and I have lunch and dinner at Trattoria del Passatore. We go there for many things, chief among them ravioli served with a rosole sauce. Rosole, also known as papavero in Italian,…More
Category Archives: Recipe
Ovenly Chicken–simple food, simply delicious
In retirement my in-laws used to go back to Italy for a couple months at a time. When they came home, for a week or two my wife’s father would go on an oven-roasted chicken binge. Asked why, he said chicken in the US just tasted better.More
The Ragu Hour–so many ragus, so little time
It’s time well spent. Ragu recipes abound. Here’s what works for me: An onion, a dab of ground meat, wine and peas, tomato puree. This recipe makes ragu that will sauce pasta for four people. In olive oil saute half an onion the size of a tennis ball. Bigger is better. Onion adds sweetness and…More
Once More to the Pork
Put away your worries and reservations about fat. A few years ago I stayed a week at a bed and breakfast above Villa Verucchio, an agriturismo called Duslaun. Every other night Sebastiano served a rabbit roast that was to die for. He roasted it, refrigerated it, then sliced it the next day and reheated it…More
Pomodori gratinati al forno (tomato, oven, heaven)
Wait ten minutes and your kitchen smells like heaven. For the longest time, I thought of this as a summer dish. Perhaps because I was conditioned to seeing my mother-in-law bring in a haul of tomatoes from her garden and work her magic on them. Then I saw the error of my ways—the utter foolishness…More
Peas Please Me–definitely try this at home
How can something so simple be so good? This dish, like pasta with chickpeas, is simplicity and goodness. Look at that recipe for a little more detail on the steps. Here, briefly: More
Chickpea Me–simply good
How can something so simple be so good? A few years ago my wife and I spent a weekend in Naples, the one in Italy, where we had pasta with chickpeas. The dish was life-changing. It’s so easy to prepare, so hearty and healthy, I can’t understand why I don’t cook it more often. Like…More
Let Them Eat Thistles?–seasonal and sensational
The affectionate term for them is gobbi—hunchbacks. I’m talking about cardone, that distant cousin to artichokes. A stalky plant with raised ribs, cardone resemble celery. Like the artichoke, cardone is a member of the thistle family. Just seeing (or hearing) the word “thistle,” if you know the prickly plant, you feel a wave of caution.…More
How to Satisfy Your Green Tooth
Glorious green.. We had our neighbor here in Michigan to dinner one day. He was educated in Rome and traveled extensively in Italy during his time there. That day we ate a dish of pasta, enjoyed some wine, and talked. After clearing the table for the next course, I placed a pan of spinach in…More
Leftover Love
What do you do with your leftovers? When I was a kid, some nights my mother served a dish she called “round potatoes.” They were patties 4-5 inches wide, 3/4 inch thick, fried in a cast iron skillet. My brother and I loved them. It never occurred to us that we were eating leftovers, though…More