Spring is in full swing. Last spring, when we were in Marche, Italy, fava beans were coming into the local farm stands right about this time of year. In Southern California, you can find them ready to shell at local certified farmers markets in April and May. This spring I planted fava beans early in Los Angeles—before the end of January—and began harvesting them in March. This salad was one of our favorite ways to use the abundant favas that we picked from our front-yard bed!

Continue reading Warm Farro, Fava Bean and Pancetta Salad at Our Italian Table.

This is my second in a series of posts to recreate some of the authentic Roman dishes I recently ate on my trip to the Eternal City. My first post for Abbacchio alla romana (Baby lamb Roman-style) was quite true to the dish I ate in Testaccio district of Rome.

This post is for Rigatoni alla Carbonara from the famous Trattoria Sorra Lella on the tiny Isola Tiberina in the middle of the Tiber river.

Continue reading Rigatoni alla Carbonara from Rome’s Trattoria Sorra Lella at Our Italian Table.