Fresh Pasta

Ragù Bolognese or Bolognese Sauce is justifiably famous all over the world. Widespread though it is, it is greatly misunderstood and ill-prepared outside of Bologna. Next week marks our 6th anniversary here, making it the perfect time for me to discuss this iconic, delicious, rich, and scrumptious meat sauce! Read on to learn about Ragù Bolognese as it’s prepared and served in Bologna. I will share insights and experiences, and provide recipe resources so that you can make this heavenly dish at home, Bolognese style!

Seeing as I am a food-obsessed individual who’s been living in Bologna for nearly 6 years, it’s probably no surprise that many people ask me for advice on where to eat in town. (As I mentioned in my post about the Antica Trattoria della Gigina.) When they do, I generally propose places that serve Bolognese cuisine. I also recommend the kind of places that I prefer – spots that are comfortable, traditional, serve great food, and won’t necessarily break the bank. Another priority is to make sure that the pasta is handmade. (As it should be in a city famous …

Greetings pasta lovers! Tagliatelle al Prosciutto, a simple, scrumptious dish from Emilia-Romagna, is a preparation that is high in flavor yet low in effort. We love dishes like that, don’t we? Every cook needs dishes like this in their culinary arsenal. Tagliatelle al Prosciutto consists of fresh egg tagliatelle, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and butter. That’s it! Some people, like me, also add shallot or onion. This is the perfect meal for those who want to prepare something delicious but are pressed for time.

Today I want to talk to you about an interesting and unique recipe from the Emilia-Romagna region called Spoja Lorda (spoya lordah). Spoja Lorda is a stuffed fresh pasta that’s filled with cheese and traditionally served in broth. It’s perfect for the bitter cold weather we’ve been having lately. For those of you intimidated by stuffed pasta making, it could be a perfect recipe to start with. Compared to others, it’s very simple to prepare. Even better, it is delicious! It’s an excellent dish to make you happy, keep you warm, and give you comfort in the dead of winter.

I adore making fresh pasta. I adore eating pasta. Unfortunately, I can’t do either as much as I’d wish due the reality of my slowing metabolism. (Grrr…) Therefore, when I have the opportunity to do both, I want it to be special and worth my while. This elegant lasagna with mushrooms, ham, and béchamel, celebrating fall mushrooms, and fresh, silky, egg pasta, fit the bill this past weekend.

It may not surprise you to hear that we have had more guests since moving to Italy than we’ve ever had in our entire lives… People seem to want to come to Italy. Go figure! One of the most frequent questions I get from visitors is, “Do you have any restaurant recommendations?” As a consequence, I have written many an email with a list of my favorite spots. I thought I would make my life easier and hopefully yours, by writing about some of the eateries that stand out to me. Today I’m going to talk about the Antica Trattoria …

My husband and I just had our 10th wedding anniversary this week. (Holy moly!) That coincided well with our daughters’ 8th birthday, Easter and her Easter vacation. To celebrate these very important occasions in style, we decided to go to Rome for the holiday. We spent a week there on our honeymoon, so for sentimental reasons, it was perfect. It’s also my happy place.

You hear of people falling in love with a person or place at first sight. I did – with Italy, 15 years ago. It got its hooks into me fast and hasn’t let go yet. My first trip was to Venice in April of 2003, and then, because I loved it so much, I came back in December of the same year to visit Florence and Rome! I hit the big three quickly. They are all stupendous in their own unique ways and are usually a traveler’s first stops, and with good cause. However, if you are lucky enough to come back and you …