Browsing Tag

baking

Almond Cantuccini

September 7, 2016

I always take a hiatus from baking sweets over the summer. I don’t shun the oven entirely, since many of our favorite meals are cooked in the oven: roast chicken, flank steak, and these tomatoes. But except for the occasional crostata, baked sweets take a back seat during the summer months in favor of bottomless bowls of fresh fruit or ice cream for dessert. A couple of weeks ago, I started to miss my regular cookie-baking routine, so I pulled out my baking sheets and cooling racks and baked a batch of Emiko Davie’s almond cantuccini. Even though the word biscotti is the correct word for referring […]

Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

August 23, 2016

The last time Peter and I were in Rome, we rented an apartment on Via Caulonia just off of Piazza Zama in the IX Appio Latino neighborhood, a few blocks up the street from my zia Franca, who lived in an apartment on Via Centuripe. She has since moved into her late sister’s apartment in another neighborhood to be closer to her nieces and nephews, but her former neighborhood will always be one of my favorite areas of Rome. It’s home to the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano and the catacombs of San Callisto, but it’s mainly a residential neighborhood with one apartment building after another […]

Chickpea Flatbread

June 17, 2016

Emiko Davies’ Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence arrived in my mailbox earlier this year after much anticipation. I have enjoyed Emiko’s blog for several years, and I look forward to her informative articles about Italian food, history, and culture on Food 52. She also writes a food column for the Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera and did a video interview for the publication’s Le Donne del Cibo series. Her Instagram feed is one of my favorites for its gorgeous captures of her daily life in Tuscany, her travels, her food photos, and her adorable daughter whom I’m convinced is one of the cutest kids on Instagram. Over […]

Basics: How to Make Pizza Dough

February 24, 2016

A few years ago, I discovered a deep love for making dough from scratch. For years, the idea of making any kind of homemade dough intimidated me, until I finally got annoyed with myself, bought a few good baking cookbooks, and got to work in the kitchen. I couldn’t believe I wasted so much time being fearful. I’ve been making homemade dough ever since and I’m here to tell you that a.) it isn’t as hard as you think, and b.) it’s fun! I had a handful of fails along the way, but with consistent practice, I got more confident and […]

Cherry Jam Crostata

February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine’s Day! When given the choice between a chocolate dessert and a fruit dessert, I’ll choose a fruit dessert every time. I like chocolate well enough, but I often find it heavy on my palate. On the other hand, I relish the bright, tart, and lightly sweet flavors of fruit-based desserts like this cherry jam crostata. When we were in Rome several years ago, I snapped this photo while walking past a pasticceria (pastry shop). As you can see, crostata is a popular dessert in Italy. Crostata is both simple and elegant in its presentation, and a dessert I grew up eating often. […]

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