Category: Italian

Torta Di Verdure Coi Becchi (Swiss Chard Tart)

The sweet dessert torta coi becchi, made with Swiss chard, was born in Lucca, Tuscany thanks to locals’ knowledge and expertise about the many herbs that grow spontaneously throughout the area. Chard is categorized as a sweet herb, along with nettle and borage, opposed to bitter herbs such as dandelion or chicory. It is a…


Scarpaccia Viareggina (Sweet Zucchini Cake)

This thin, moist cake, filled with tender young zucchini and the unmistakable fragrance of basil, is a traditional cake from the coastal town of Viareggio in northern Tuscany. It was traditionally baked by old sailors with zucchini from their vegetable gardens. Now, come summertime, when zucchini flood market stalls and overtake backyard gardens, locals still…


Nonna Nico’s Sicilian Jasmine-Infused Watermelon Jelly

“Sometimes people are surprised to hear that I’m a duchess, but I tell them that modern duchesses don’t have time to sit around painting their nails. My husband Duke Gioacchino Tomasi di Lampedusa has inherited the 18th-century palazzo of his adopted father and Italy’s most famed writer, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa—author of ‘Il Gattopardo’ [‘The…


This Cheesy Spinach Frittata Will Never Let You Down

Whether you’re looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing brunch dish or a weeknight dinner that doesn’t require a trip to the store, a frittata is always the answer. The Italian egg dish is as simple as it is versatile, and will never let you down. While it’s tempting to fill a frittata with a whole hodgepodge…


An Abnormally Delicious Summer Pasta

There’s nothing normal about alla Norma, a Sicilian way of serving pasta smothered in an eggplant tomato sauce. If you enjoy ratatouille, imam bayildi, eggplant Parmesan, or any other eggplant-and-tomato dish, you probably understand that they form a special combination. Although the resemblance may not be obvious at first, the two fruits are close relatives,…


Bus Plunges Off Road on Capri, Lands Near Beach; Driver Dies

ROME—A public bus on the Italian vacation island of Capri crashed through a guardrail and landed on a beach resort area Thursday, fatally injuring the driver, firefighters and Capri’s mayor said. The fire department tweeted that the bus had 11 people on board when it ran off the road near the popular Marina Grande area…


Chicken Tonnato

Inspired by the classic Piedmontese vitello tonnato, this elegant recipe marries simply poached chicken breasts with a thick, creamy tonnato sauce of mayonnaise, tuna, lemon juice, capers, and anchovies. The tonnato is quickly made in a blender, spread on top of the chicken, and chilled for at least 12 hours or overnight. Juicy poached chicken…


The Family Table: My Father’s ‘Red Gold’

Submitted by James L. Casale, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida “Red gold” is a term I have always used to describe my father’s incomparable marinara sauce. He did most of the cooking in our household because my mother didn’t get home until 6:30 p.m. each night. She was usually exhausted from her 12-hour days commuting to…


Italian Cable Car Crash Kills 9, Injures 2 Children

ROME—Nine people died and two children were seriously injured on Sunday when a cable car linking Italy’s Lake Maggiore with a nearby mountain in the Alps plunged to the ground. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car carries tourists and local people from the town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore, almost 1,400 meters (4,593 feet) above sea level,…


Italian Cable Car Crash Kills at Least 13, Injures 3

ROME—At least 13 people died and three were seriously injured on Sunday when a cable car linking Italy’s Lake Maggiore with a nearby mountain in the Alps plunged 20 meters (66 feet) to the ground, local officials and rescuers said. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car takes tourists and locals from the town on Lake Maggiore, almost…