Italian & Mediterranean recipes

December 21, 2023

How to make Italian Bombardino - A favourite ski-slope shot

by Elisabeth Bertrand

On the ski slopes of Cervinia in the Val d'Aosta, I first experienced the warmth of a Bombardino. This vibrant yellow drink, reminiscent of festive eggnog, was a novelty to me. Standing in the snow at an altitude of 2000 meters, with a biting cold wind, I was grateful for its warmth and hearty dash of alcohol. As I sipped, I echoed the sentiment of the drink's first taster in 1845: "This is indeed a little bomb, le's have another!"
December 21, 2023

Essential Oil Magic: Bring Italy into Your Home with this DIY Fragrance

by Elisabeth Bertrand

With this home fragrance, you're not just adding a scent to your home; you're inviting the essence of Italy right through your front door. Picture the elegance of white Tuscan jasmine, the solemn whispers of cypress, all mingling with exotic spices and aromas like vetiver, ylang-ylang, and patchouli. Our aim? A fragrance so warm, deep, yet tender, it's like wrapping yourself in a cashmere throw in a chic treehouse... or let's say, a boutique hotel nestled in the Valle d'Aosta mountains, like the oh-so-fabulous Montana Mountain Lodge. Envision a scent that sweeps you off to nostalgic Christmas evenings, serene nature walks, or cozy fireside chats with a glass of smoky Oban whisky (not that I'm claiming to be a whisky aficionado).
September 15, 2023

Sicilian Couscous, Trapani style

You don't have to travel to North Africa to get your fill of couscous - in southern Italy, especially Sicily, it is quite a common dish, largely due to the Arabic influence on the island since ancient times. In fact, Sicily even plays host to an annual international couscous festival, where chefs compete to concoct the best couscous dish around. So while it may have originated as a humble wheat dish in the Maghreb, leave it to the Italians to go one better.
September 06, 2023

Easy fat-free banana, fig and almond gelato from Puglia

by Elisabeth Bertrand

We are a generation that wants to have our gelato and eat it too. We juggle the infinite cascades of data—deciphering, analyzing, and often discarding. Our screens illuminate us with the latest diet fads and superfoods even before we've had a chance to pronounce "acai" correctly. But here's the irony: In this vast world of dietary contradictions, we yearn for simplicity, for genuineness, for something pure, untarnished, yet evolved. Hence the birth of this fat-free gelato.This isn't your nonna's Sunday treat from Sicily. This is the post-modern palate's answer to ice cream's very existential questions
January 13, 2023

Pasta Carbonara - Spaghetti alla carbonara from Rome

 The origin of pasta alla carbonara, a Roman pasta dish,  can't reeally be clearly traced and opinions vary widely. In any case, it seems that the recipe dates only from after WW2. The most plausible story is that the Allies were partly responsible because they brought bacon, the English version of pancetta, which belongs in the recipe. On the other hand, it is often said that the dish came from the mountains of Lazio and was an invention of the carbonai (the Romanesque pronunciation of the word carbonara, meaning miners), who needed food items that were easy to carry and wouldn't spoil easily. For many Romans the dish is absolutely a classic and you should make it at least once in your life!  
December 11, 2022

The Zuccotto Fiorentino

Signor Buontalenti was, in my humble opinion, one of the most inventive cooks of all time. He worked for the aristocratic family de Medici, which surrounded themselves with talent, just like Michelangelo who worked under the Medici's tutelage as well. This recipe is one of those classic and ancient Buontalenti recipes, the zuccotto, a sponge cake dough drowned in liqueur with a center of semifreddo.  
December 11, 2022

Hot & Spicy Campari Cocktail (Vin Brulé)

An adventurous vin brulé for those who like a bit of spice because this cocktail uses one whole red pepper. Initially, I thought the slightly bitter taste might put some people off, so I tried it with Aperol but that just doesn't work. Anyway, the red color of Campari is very festive and for those who find Campari too bitter, just add a bit more orange syrup. You can use a Jalapeno pepper if you can't get your hands on peperoncino (calabrese), however in my experience tourists seem to love taking them home from the South of Italy as souvenirs. If you cannot buy orange syrup ready made, just take two cups of orange juice and 1/3 cup of sugar and boil for about 15 minutes.
February 25, 2022

Wednesday - Polpette day

by Elisabeth Bertrand

In 1949, the butchers' union in the place where I came from, held a contest to make ground beef more popular, and one clever person came up with the slogan ´Wednesday, meatball day´. Marketing people, who weren't called marketing people yet because that profession also didn't exist as such, received the slogan with great enthusiasm. And it turned out to be a winner and a permanent one even though we no longer eat meatballs on Wednesdays.
September 25, 2021

Polpette di Melanzane - Deep fried veggie eggplant appetizers stuffed with ricotta

by Elisabeth Bertrand

Eggplant is more versatile than you might think. Not only are they beautiful to look at being all shiny and glorious, but there are also more varieties, colors, shapes and sizes than you might imagine. This time we are going to make deep-fried appetizers out of them, which are delicious to accompany an aperitivo or just eat as an appetizer. This recipe makes about 30 of them.
February 03, 2021

Egg Benedict Italian style with Andy Luotto

Andy Luotto is an old friend from Rome. Since his restaurants in the eternal city are closed during the pandemic, he took the time to write down some of his recipes for me. Like me, Andy is half American, born in New York, but he became even more of a celebrity  as a TV chef in Italy. Egg Benedict is, of course, originally a New Orleans dish, but Andy made an Italian variation of it that wouldn't look out of place on a festive breakfast table.
December 23, 2020

Tarte de Mougins with black olives

This recipe is originally from Robert Vergier, the most famous chef from the Provence, who sadly passed away in 2017. His Michelin star restaurant in Mougins still exists but this aromatic savory pie is unfortunately no more on the menu. Delicious as an appetizer with an aperitif or as an antipasto, I make it at least once a year. When i recently made it for a group of Italian women, they kept asking me for the recipe, so it must be good. If possible use greek olives, which usually only sell with pits, so that's an extra quarter of an hour's work. Since I can't find Greek olives in Italy I use the spicy Taggia olives from LIguria. 
December 23, 2020

Rabbit stew with polenta and pomegranate

This dish with wild rabbit or hare is simple, incredibly tasty, and very festive, but it takes some patience. The polenta needs time to firm up so you can easily cut it into slices later. The origine of this dish goes to Friuli-Venzia Giulia, the mountainous regions where hunters bring home their catch for a festive meal.
December 23, 2020

Risotto Vernazzolana with basil and king prawns

This dish is inspired upon a basil infused green risotto I once ate at a seaside restaurant in Genoa called Santa Monica. I had a bunch of fresh spinach and a few prawns left in the fridge plus a beautiful bunch of freshly picked basil from the nearby town of Pra.  I was afraid that the spinach may over power the basil, so I put some aside to decorate.  The combination of fresh sweet basil with fresh spinach was actually much better than I had expected however adding the torn fresh basil leaves on top of the dish is an absolutely improved culinary experience. In fact, I think this may be one of my favourite risotto's ever with its bright green colour contrasted by bright pink prawns, I could even imagine this topped with a piece of salmon.  Be sure to clean  your prawns, remove the shell but leave the tail.
December 17, 2020

Hazelnut Cake (Torta di Nocciole)

Some recipes are handed down through generations, this is a perfect example a scrumptious cake that brings out the true flavour of the IGP Piedmont Hazelnut,  Made without using any flour at all. 
December 14, 2020

The only original recipe for Tiramisù

The story about the origin of the famous Italian dessert Tiramisu was first told to me by chef Celestino Giacomello of the famous hotel  Gritti Palace  in Venice. He also assured me that this dish is at least as authentic Venetian as a gondolier. 
December 14, 2020

Panettone pudding

your Leftover panettone or pandoro can easily be used in an upgraded bread pudding. Although you can choose from a whole range of recipes for leftovers of Christmas, this budino is one of the best. A recipe from Anna del Conte. This delicious dessert is perfect after two or three days of intensive gourmet eating.  
April 04, 2020

Risotto in 5 easy steps

With Risotto, time and care are the most important ingredients. Take out about 20 minuted to carry out the process of stirring and adding moisture. The choice of rice depends on the recipe, but at the end of the day this is a fairly simple dish that everyone should be able to make.
April 04, 2020

The perfect Osso Buco recipe

The recipe for this dish originated in Milan. When it is well prepared, this is one of my favourite Italian dishes, especially when it´s cold outside and you crave some real soul food. It´s a shame that many restaurants use a poor quality cuts of meat to make this dish. What is the correct name? Osso Buco, Ossobuco or Osso Bucco, I have found all 3 used in Italy, however I will stick to Osso Buco, with one c. Adding tomato, I indicated as an option in this recipe, is the way the dish is prepared in Emilia Romagna.
April 04, 2020

Hugo - My favorite Alpine cocktail

This vibrant summer treat is slowly starting to conquer the world. In contrast to the popular Spritz Aperol from the Veneto, this cocktail does not have the slightly bitter Amaro taste, but it is light and fresh. A popular aperitivo that you will certainly encounter on holiday in Northern Italy and especially in restaurants and on terraces in the region of Trentino and Alto Adige, the apple country of Europe, the Hugo originally comes from Bolzano. The main ingredient is elderflower syrup, which you can usually find in your local health food store.
April 04, 2020

How to make the perfect Spritz Aperol

´Spritz Aperol is a nice refreshing aperitivo from the Veneto and very easy to make. Ít is a variation of the Spritz or Spritzer, a drink that was introduced to northeastern Italy during the Austrian occupation, when the Austrians were exploiting the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions and found wine was too heavy to drink straight and in an effort to lighten the taste, literally added water to the wine.

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Authentic Italian Christmas Recipes

Indulge in these Italian recipes which are my all time favourites. Spread the love and Buon Natale! Con amore..Elisabetta

The Zuccotto Fiorentino

Signor Buontalenti was, in my humble opinion, one of the most inventive cooks of all time. He worked for the aristocratic family de Medici, which surrounded themselves with talent, just like Michelangelo who worked under the Medici's tutelage as well. This recipe is one of those classic and ancient Buontalenti recipes, the zuccotto, a sponge cake dough drowned in liqueur with a center of semifreddo.  

The perfect Osso Buco recipe

The recipe for this dish originated in Milan. When it is well prepared, this is one of my favourite Italian dishes, especially when it´s cold outside and you crave some real soul food. It´s a shame that many restaurants use a poor quality cuts of meat to make this dish. What is the correct name? Osso Buco, Ossobuco or Osso Bucco, I have found all 3 used in Italy, however I will stick to Osso Buco, with one c. Adding tomato, I indicated as an option in this recipe, is the way the dish is prepared in Emilia Romagna.

The only original recipe for Tiramisù

The story about the origin of the famous Italian dessert Tiramisu was first told to me by chef Celestino Giacomello of the famous hotel  Gritti Palace  in Venice. He also assured me that this dish is at least as authentic Venetian as a gondolier. 

Tarte de Mougins with black olives

This recipe is originally from Robert Vergier, the most famous chef from the Provence, who sadly passed away in 2017. His Michelin star restaurant in Mougins still exists but this aromatic savory pie is unfortunately no more on the menu. Delicious as an appetizer with an aperitif or as an antipasto, I make it at least once a year. When i recently made it for a group of Italian women, they kept asking me for the recipe, so it must be good. If possible use greek olives, which usually only sell with pits, so that's an extra quarter of an…

Risotto in 5 easy steps

With Risotto, time and care are the most important ingredients. Take out about 20 minuted to carry out the process of stirring and adding moisture. The choice of rice depends on the recipe, but at the end of the day this is a fairly simple dish that everyone should be able to make.

Rabbit stew with polenta and pomegranate

This dish with wild rabbit or hare is simple, incredibly tasty, and very festive, but it takes some patience. The polenta needs time to firm up so you can easily cut it into slices later. The origine of this dish goes to Friuli-Venzia Giulia, the mountainous regions where hunters bring home their catch for a festive meal.

Hugo - My favorite Alpine cocktail

This vibrant summer treat is slowly starting to conquer the world. In contrast to the popular Spritz Aperol from the Veneto, this cocktail does not have the slightly bitter Amaro taste, but it is light and fresh. A popular aperitivo that you will certainly encounter on holiday in Northern Italy and especially in restaurants and on terraces in the region of Trentino and Alto Adige, the apple country of Europe, the Hugo originally comes from Bolzano. The main ingredient is elderflower syrup, which you can usually find in your local health food store.

How to make the perfect Spritz Aperol

´Spritz Aperol is a nice refreshing aperitivo from the Veneto and very easy to make. Ít is a variation of the Spritz or Spritzer, a drink that was introduced to northeastern Italy during the Austrian occupation, when the Austrians were exploiting the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions and found wine was too heavy to drink straight and in an effort to lighten the taste, literally added water to the wine.

How to make Italian Bombardino - A favourite ski-slope shot

in Recipes

by Elisabeth Bertrand

On the ski slopes of Cervinia in the Val d'Aosta, I first experienced the warmth of a Bombardino. This vibrant yellow drink, reminiscent of festive eggnog, was a novelty to me. Standing in the snow at an altitude of 2000 meters, with a biting cold wind, I was grateful for its warmth and hearty dash of alcohol. As I sipped, I echoed the sentiment of the drink's first taster in 1845: "This is indeed a little bomb, le's have another!"
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