Pasta alla Norma is one of Sicily’s most celebrated dishes, a simple combination of pasta, tomato sauce, fried eggplant, and ricotta salata that has become a symbol of Sicilian cooking. The dish comes from Catania, on the eastern coast of Sicily. The name is said to be a tribute to Norma, the opera composed by…
Desserts were not the strong suit of my father’s restaurant. You ate there for the pasta dishes and the Italian entrees. Dessert was an afterthought. Like many Italian-American restaurants at the time, we had premade desserts we got from a vendor like spumoni and tortoni. We did stuff our cannolis fresh, and made desserts like…
Pasta al Forno simply means baked pasta, and unlike a lot of Italian dishes, there is no single definitive recipe for it. Every region has its own version, every family has their own take, and almost any combination of pasta, sauce, and cheese can find its way into a baking dish. Some versions are elaborate:…
Sole Francese was a constant on my dad’s menu and has always been a popular Italian-American favorite. Who can resist a golden egg-battered fillet smothered in a lemon butter wine sauce? The majority of the recipes here on ItalianChef.com were on the menu at my father’s restaurant or came from him when he was still…
The trend in Italian restaurants today to be new and innovative has unfortunately forced some excellent traditional dishes such as Chicken Cacciatore off the menus. This is a shame, because if you ask me, great food should never go out of style. Chicken Cacciatore, which translates to “hunter’s chicken,” is a rustic Italian dish that…
Pasta al Tonno is the ultimate Italian pantry meal. A can of tuna, some garlic, olive oil, parsley, and a box of penne – that’s all you need. This is the kind of pasta you make on a busy weeknight when you haven’t had time to shop but still want something that tastes like a…
Chicken Piccata is one of those Italian-American classics that proves you don’t need a long ingredient list to make a delicious meal. Thin chicken cutlets, a bright lemon-butter sauce, briny capers, and a splash of white wine, that’s it. This was a staple at my Dad’s restaurant and it’s still one of my go-to weeknight…
The aroma of this dish takes me back to my days waiting tables at my Dad’s restaurant. Whenever I carried Chicken Scarpariello across the dining room, the lemon-garlic scent never failed to make me hungry. This is his recipe, the one I grew up with, and it’s all about that bright, garlicky pan sauce. This…
Crisp, nutty, and perfect for dunking. This Italian classic belongs in your cookie jar. These almond biscotti strike the perfect balance between traditional Italian crispness and American tenderness. After testing various butter amounts, I’ve landed on a half-stick, just enough to create a biscotti that’s satisfyingly crunchy on the outside while maintaining a pleasant bite…
Part mousse, part custard, all romance. This is the Valentine’s dessert your date will actually remember. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I wanted to make a special dessert so I decided on a twist on an Italian classic, Zabaglione. Zabaglione is a traditional Italian custard made by whipping Marsala wine with sugar…
