Woohoo! After a long chilly winter, spring has finally sprung here on the East Coast. It has been a frosty end to the winter. I, for one, am ready to toss off those layers and head to the kitchen to make lighter, brighter meals. The earth is vibrating ready for new beginnings.

Until those fresh vegetables begin to spring forth from the garden, I at least can brighten up the day with a pea pesto made with frozen peas that can really help fill the gap.

Continue reading Bring on Spring with Pea Pesto! at Our Italian Table.

With Tuscany fresh in my mind, I knew the moment I woke up this morning what I was going to make for lunch today. One of my favorite restaurants in Montalcino is a rustic place called Grappolo Blu. Their simple Tuscan fare never disappoints and the owner, Luciano, never fails to recommend just the right wine to pair with your meal. Whenever I visit, the antipasti of choice for me is their plate of marinated anchovies drizzled with parsley pesto and served with a simple pile of chickpeas.

Continue reading Bringing Tuscany Home: Anchovies Marinated in Parsley Pesto and Chickpeas at Our Italian Table.

Grilled fresh sardines. One of life’s simple delectable pleasures. I actually never tasted grilled sardines until I started traveling to Sicilia. We would spend afternoons at la spiaggia baking in the hot summer sun with all the Italians and when we had had enough, we would saunter up to the restaurant just alongside for vino and a bite to eat.  At first, I would turn up my nose with memories of those awfully salty canned things we had as children.

Continue reading Grilled Sardines with Salmoriglio Sauce (Sardine alle Griglia con Salsa al Salmoriglio) at Our Italian Table.

Simple pleasures.  I am always searching for easy antipasto for my dinner parties and this easy prosciutto-wrapped asparagus does the trick. Easy to prepare ahead of time and delicious to eat.  I happened to have some balsamic reduction  on hand which I drizzled across the top which balanced nicely with the saltiness of the prosciutto.   Enjoy….

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus with Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:

 24 thin asparagus spears

2 ounces of goat cheese, softened

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

2 cups balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. 

Continue reading Simple Pleasures: Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus with Balsamic Reduction at Our Italian Table.

The ancient fig. It is reported that figs first appeared some 11,400 years ago thereby making it the earliest domesticated crop. One bite of the heavenly sweet taste of a fresh fig and one immediately understands why.

Given that I have been on a homemade ricotta kick lately (see recipe in earlier blog under ‘Recipes’ page), I have been scooping my fresh ricotta on any and everything I can think of. And nothing compares to the wonderful fresh creamy taste of homemade ricotta paired with figs, picked fresh from the tree. 

Continue reading Crostini with Fresh Figs, Ricotta and Balsamic Reduction at Our Italian Table.