Tag: Pasta

The Art of Italian Cooking

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Spaghetti and Meatballs

I barely knew my paternal grandmother, but through my father’s cooking I have always felt a connection to her. I have a blurry black and white photo of her whisking something or other that I hang in my kitchen wherever I go. And growing up my father’s go-to cookbook was always her tattered copy of The Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Lo Pinto. Published in 1950, this cookbook is now out of print but you can find copies around (now everyone in my family has one; mine was a wedding present from my aunt, and is now one of my most cherished possessions). Continue reading “The Art of Italian Cooking” →

Discovering Treyf in the Land of Kashrut

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Before moving to Israel I figured that once here my treyf* supply would be cut. I thought it would be something like obtaining beef in India, where restaurants need special licenses to serve it. I resigned myself to months without bacon, pork chops, shrimp, and scallops. But I also figured a break from it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world – in the past year alone I’ve had bacon in everything from chocolate to cupcakes, and from bourbon to donuts, and I’m sure my cholesterol is skyrocketing. Continue reading “Discovering Treyf in the Land of Kashrut” →

A Little Decadence to Take the Edge Off

For the folks back home it’s bitter cold, maybe even snowing. Around these parts a chill has just come over Be’er Sheva and the harsh wind is blowing sand in everyone’s faces, windows, mouths… I imagine New York in full holiday swing (the Russians here in B7 are getting ready to celebrate as well, and the Old City is decked out in fake Christmas trees). Wherever you are, cozy, creamy dishes like this are just what the chef ordered. Continue reading “A Little Decadence to Take the Edge Off” →

Roman Holiday

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My senior year of high school my family and I went on our one and only foreign vacation together (seriously, Canada doesn’t count). We went to Rome. I have been back since, but still that first trip stands out in my memory. I remember finding a comfortable, neighborhoody restaurant that we returned to for dinner a few nights in a row. I remember buying what were at the time the coolest pair of shoes I’d ever seen let alone owned. And I remember the day when my mother, father, and sister all ordered Spaghetti Carbonara for lunch. I don’t recall what I had, probably because it wasn’t nearly as exciting. Their bowls came to the table laced with pancetta and topped with a single raw egg. At the time I was too much of a wuss to deal with raw anything, including egg. Continue reading “Roman Holiday” →

The Comfort Equation

If they made an equation for comfort food, I’m pretty sure the base would be pasta + cheese. Now, don’t confuse comfort food with downright depression – the equation for that is pasta + cheese + bread and looks something like a Domino’s Pasta Breadbowl. It’s a thin line, I know, and one that Italian-American recipes are constantly on the verge of crossing. The classic pasta + cheese + sauce + (sometimes) meat combo is the perfect example; you can drown your sorrows or winter blues in a big serving of  cheesy pasta, but it’s not a cry for help. Continue reading “The Comfort Equation” →

Stovetop Mac n’ Cheese

Anyone who knows me well will attest to the fact that I love to make macaroni and cheese. When I’m feeling serious I go all out on the baked variety. But when laziness strikes – primarily at the end of a late night, the afternoon after a late night, or lunch – I go with this quick stove top version. Controversial as it may be, lunch is my least favorite meal of the day. I’m not big on cold cuts and I can only eat eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hummus so many days in a row. This week the inspiration struck to get out of my lunch rut. And what do you know, I had a big hunka cheddar in my fridge and a box of mini shells in my pantry. Continue reading “Stovetop Mac n’ Cheese” →

Fettuccine with Lemon and Crème Fraîche

My friend Beth and I recently spent the day in Tel Aviv in search of amazing soups for a freelance article I was working on. In between steamy bowls of black bean, matzoh bowl, and ramen we also stopped for sushi and found an incredible cheese shop. With aged gouda, walnut brie, fresh ricotta, tangy goat cheese. The labels were in English and Hebrew and the cheese-monger, an old Tel Avivan, insisted we try everything before we buy it. It was here that I got the crème fraîche. How could I resist? It’s not exactly something I can pick up at the shuq here in Be’er Sheva. Continue reading “Fettuccine with Lemon and Crème Fraîche” →

Rigatoni with Wine-Braised Chicken and Saffron Cream

Doesn’t the name of this dish alone entice you? Even now, after making and eating this meal,  typing the title makes my mouth water. There’s something beautiful about it, lyrical almost. I don’t know if it’s the pasta, the chicken cooked in wine, the saffron-scented sauce, or a combination of the three that I find so alluring. Continue reading “Rigatoni with Wine-Braised Chicken and Saffron Cream” →

Butternut Squash and Sage Cannelloni

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Butternut squash and sage are about as classic a fall combination as you can get. And ever since I got a wonderful little sage plant I’ve been itching to put the leaves to good culinary use. I knew what I wanted to make but after consulting the magical world wide web couldn’t find a recipe that was just right. So I made one up. The result was a filling vegetarian main fit for company. I served it with an arugula salad and grilled eggplant medallions, but anything goes. Continue reading “Butternut Squash and Sage Cannelloni” →