• nicolepellegrini on December 12, 2010

  It's taken me a while to warm to this Marcella book compared to some of her others, but the more time I've spent with it the more I've discovered some great recipes in here. The meat dishes are particularly impressive and worthy of entertaining/company. Some unusual and tasty vegetable dishes as well.

• erin g on September 11, 2010

  This is also a great book to have if you're using a CSA or trying to cook seasonally. Whenever I find an intriguing vegetable, it always turns out that Marcella has made something with it - usually something that starts with a third a cup of olive oil, granted, but it never disappoints. The recipe for Pasta e Ceci will convert chickpea haters, too. Perfect. Winter. Soup.

• crjoburke on December 26, 2009

  A "must have" for any cook who values authenticity.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Penne with mushroom sauce (Penne col sugo di funghi coltivati)

  • Breadcrumbs on September 19, 2010

    p. 132 - Sept 2010 - First use of this recipe. Flavours came together beautifully. Anchovy flavour is very mild, just elevates the other ingredients, particularly the tomatoes. I did decide to use fresh golden plum tomatoes vs the suggested canned. Otherwise, recipe made as set out. Would definitely make this again. Topped w some freshly shaved parmesan. k- 8.5

  • erin g on September 11, 2010

    More than the sum of its parts.

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    My notes from 1994 say "light, good". I need to revisit this recipe, especially after reading the other comments!

• Baked halibut or other fish steaks with clam sauce (Pesce da taglio col sugo di vongole)

  • JoanN on May 27, 2012

    Not worth repeating--especially with expensive halibut.

• Fettucine with clams and zucchini (Fettucine col sugo di vongole e zucchine)

  • kari500 on May 04, 2024

    I used canned clams, which simplified this a lot (and would probably mortify Marcella). We liked it very much. Left out the basil and was glad I did.

  • mcvl on December 26, 2014

    As I cut up the zucchini I was surprised the recipe called for long pasta instead of something smaller and chunkier, but the zucchini melted into a perfect sauce. V. good. Omitted the white wine by accident but would leave it out deliberately in future for a light touch.

• Pasta and chick-pea soup (Pasta e ceci)

  • erin g on September 11, 2010

    Like velvet.

• Savoy cabbage soup, Aosta style (Zuppa di verza ala Valdostana)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    A good enough use as any for a cabbage. Dependent on the cheese for flavour.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    This is only worth making if you have access to imported val d'Osta fontina--great soup.

• Pickled raw eggplant (Melanzane conservate a crudo)

  • erin g on August 01, 2010

    Great for an antipasto plate or on sandwiches.

• Cartwheels with sausages, cream, and tomato (Ruote di carro col sugo di salsicce, panna e pomodoro)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    Nice and simple, with comforting flavours.

  • twoyolks on February 12, 2015

    The more of this I ate, the more I liked it. I'll agree that the flavors are simple and comforting, no more, no less.

  • chawkins on June 08, 2014

    With only 2/3 cup of tomatoes, I thought there would not be enough sauce for a whole pound of pasta, but with the half cup of cream added, there was just enough to coat all the pasta. I did use a pound of hot Italian sausages though because that is what I had. A quick, simple and satisfying meal.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    Great recipe, everyone likes this one.

• Penne with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar (Penne col sugo di pomodoro all'aceto balsamico)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    Like most recipes with few ingredients, dependent on the quality of your ingredients. Simple and quick.

  • mcvl on January 06, 2023

    Needing to keep an eye on my blood sugar, I've taken to replacing pasta with legumes in many recipes, and I'm here to tell you this sauce is dynamite with chickpeas. The sauce does of course need real balsamic from Modena, not grocery-store brown sweet-n-sour sauce, so it's expensive.

• Sliced pork tenderloin with raisins, pine nuts, and balsamic vinegar (Fettine di maiale in saor con aceto balsamico)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    This would be wonderful on a buffet table, as a secondary meat dish.

  • nicolepellegrini on May 29, 2021

    Loved this! Never would have thought of doing pork "in saor" like this before but it worked wonderfully. And yes, she's right that the flavor develops if you leave it sit for a while versus eating immediately when assembled.

• Baked eggplant with garlic and parsley (Melanzane al forno)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    I used Japanese eggplants, and they came out perfectly. You can use these to make a pasta sauce for spaghettini as per the leftover note; I reserved the skins and chopped them finely for a garnish. Otherwise, the dish looks kind of monochrome.

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    I love eggplant, so I enjoyed this recipe, which is also simple to make. My husband, who dislikes eggplant, did eat it and didn't seem to mind!

• Sausages and potatoes, country style with tomato, garlic, and bay leaves (Salsiccie e patate alla paesana)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    This would work well as a buffet dish; pot-luck; or for a hearty brunch

  • merowland on April 12, 2013

    Lovely, especially served with good bread.

• Sausages with broccoletti di rape (Salsiccie con cime di rapa)

  • erin g on February 09, 2011

    A very nice, very fast weeknight supper, with baked potatoes or good bread.

• Sauteed carrots with vinegar and oregano (Carote in scapece)

  • okcook on September 09, 2018

    We loved this BUT you have to follow the recipe to get the acid balance correct. The carrots were blanched for about 4 minutes then drained and put into a container with the lid off to cool down. I did this in the morning for dinner mis en place. This is a great dish to have with a heavy meat dish because of the tart nature of the dish.

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    This recipe, I felt, was ok in a pinch.

  • kitchen_chick on September 21, 2022

    We really enjoyed this. A nice basic veggie side dish that goes with many mains. During the sauté step I let the carrots caramelize a bit for a lovely sweet touch to go with the vinegar.

• Sauteed lamb chops with garlic and rosemary (Costolette di agnello saltate all'aglio e rosmarino)

  • okcook on August 10, 2022

    Made for a second time but this time I did not over cook the lamb..I followed the instructions to the second! Delicious and so easy to make. The chops were fabricated from a smallish rack of lamb. I was careful to make the chops of equal size.

  • nicolepellegrini on August 05, 2020

    Excellent - one of those recipes I wish I'd discovered a long time ago! Chops were perfectly cooked with a nice crust but still juicy inside, and plenty of flavor.

• Chick-pea, spinach, and dried wild mushroom soup (Zuppa di ceci, spinaci, e porcini secchi)

  • lorloff on June 13, 2015

    Fantastic I had fresh porcini's from the market that I added.

• Risotto with red kidney beans (Risotto coi fagioli rossi)

  • mcvl on May 28, 2020

    So good! I used canary beans instead of red beans because canary beans is what I have.

• Fricasseed chicken with eggplant and fresh tomatoes (Pollo con le melanzane e I pomodori freschi)

  • Kathy Henr on November 18, 2010

    DH said it was pretty. I used canned tomatoes & bacon. pg 195 in my book.

• Fettucine with tuna, garlic, and cream sauce (Fettucine col sugo di tonno con aglio e panna)

  • TrishaCP on September 24, 2016

    I needed to use up some cream and found this recipe that basically only needed pantry ingredients-great! The technique of making the sauce is also interesting- basically the sauce ingredients are mixed together but not really cooked except with the heat of the pasta. But I have to admit disappointment- even with the basically raw garlic, it was quite bland and really screamed out for green vegetables. Given the calories involved, I would not make this again.

  • alex9179 on May 26, 2016

    The best tuna noodle version, ever. I use Genova Albacore in olive oil.

• Bean and Swiss chard soup (Zuppa di fagioli e biete)

  • TrishaCP on May 24, 2017

    We thought this was delicious. Really flavorful with no need for broth. I made the soup a day ahead- doubling the anchovies and not removing the garlic cloves. I also threw in a Parmesan rind. The only small pasta that I had on hand was orzo, so I made do. Per her instructions, I only added the pasta upon reheating the soup.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    Great soup, can be eaten as main course.

• Eggplant and pork loaf (Pagnotta di Melanzane e maiale

  • nicolepellegrini on September 07, 2016

    This was quite good - a nice variation on a meatloaf that was much lighter in taste and texture thanks to the addition of the roasted eggplant to the pork. I did mix some breadcrumbs into the meat instead of just topping and lining the pan with them, to aid with the binding, and used a shredded cheese blend as that was what I had on hand. Worked well and the S.O. liked it enough to say this recipe is a keeper.

• Baked layered savoy cabbage and pork (Tegame di verza e maiale al forno)

  • nicolepellegrini on March 12, 2014

    Wasn't impressed. Found it very bland, and needed some extra spices and more cheese to really give it any flavor. I may tweak this recipe more and try it again but by itself? Not so great.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    This has been a great recipe I have made over and over. It is important to have ground pork without spices added, and to really brown it. Adequate use of sea salt also important, as is the quality of the parmesan cheese. Also make sure the cabbage is not too moist when layering the casserole.

• Fish fillets in red wine sauce (Filetti di pesce al vino rosso)

  • nicolepellegrini on September 18, 2015

    Recipe calls for small white onions, which I didn't have on hand but came out fine with a chopped yellow onion. I've made this a few times and it's very good, not too fussy and nice and earthy with the vegetables cooked in red wine. Be sure to season enough with salt. Good with oven-roasted green beans and crusty bread.

• Fricasseed chicken with black olives (Pollo con le olive nere)

  • nicolepellegrini on June 02, 2018

    Excellent - another winner from Marcella. It's hard to go wrong with chicken, white wine and black olives but this version of the dish just came together beautifully. There was a moment when the chopped olives seemed to dissolve into and thicken the sauce and it all came together.

• Sauteed veal chops with mushrooms and white wine (Nodini di vitello coi funghi e il vino blanco)

  • nicolepellegrini on January 24, 2021

    Marcella never fails me when it comes to delicious veal preparations. This was an extremely rich and delicious way to make veal chops - the kind of dish I'd pay good money for in a restaurant and something sure to impress anyone at home. Easier to prepare, in a way, than getting a perfectly cooked breaded veal chop which is my usual method of choice. I used dried porcini and baby bellas.

• Grilled veal chops stuffed with vegetables and cheese (Costolette di vitelllo alla Guido Reni)

  • nicolepellegrini on June 04, 2018

    I've made this a few times, though I tend to vary up the stuffing ingredients while following the basic method. For instance, using tender spring asparagus instead of green beans; sage instead of bail, etc. It always comes out delicious though it can be tricky to assemble properly and to cook just right. If you have very thick chops, even pounded out well, I find it always takes longer than 2 minutes per side to cook through to the bone. (I tend to do 2 minutes/side at high temperature and then drop the grill down low, or finish the chops in the oven to desired cook.)

• Veal stew with green olives (Spezzatino di vitello all olive verdi)

  • nicolepellegrini on October 07, 2019

    I really loved this - I think more than my S.O. did, but I thought the combination of veal, olives, bacon and wine was just terrific. Veal took about 45 minutes to be cooked and tender, probably could have cooked it a little longer with some more wine to develop even deeper flavor.

• Veal meat loaf stuffed with red pepper (Polpettone di vietllo farcito di peperone rosso)

  • nicolepellegrini on January 10, 2021

    Another outstanding veal loaf from Marcella. My husband LOVED it - in fact there are no leftovers after making the full recipe! I used both red and yellow peppers. Her directions for how to roll it and carefully brown in the pan worked like a charm.

• Veal loaf with celery (Polpettone di vitello al sedano)

  • nicolepellegrini on September 05, 2020

    Husband adores meatloafs of just about any kind - so he easily devoured half of this in one sitting. Commented on how moist it stayed compared to a more American-style baked meatloaf. The hardest part really is the initial browning/moving around in the pan without breaking the loaf, but it's worth taking the time and care to do it right.

• Pan-roasted pork loin with leeks (Arista di maiale integame con I porri)

  • nicolepellegrini on October 24, 2020

    Delicious - another one of those Marcella Hazan recipes that seems too simple to be so good. My pork roast was a little larger than specified so I cooked about a half-hour longer and added more white wine than listed, and it came out perfectly tender.

• Pan-roasted beef tenderloin (Filetto di manzo in tegame)

  • nicolepellegrini on December 19, 2020

    My beef tenderloin was smaller than recommended (just 1 pound), so I modified the recipe somewhat (to avoid it becoming overcooked as the other reviewer noted.) I actually wrapped the entire loin in the prosciutto instead of just "stuffing" some in the herb-filled slits. I also then only braised it in the wine for about 10 minutes after browning on all sides. Came out perfect and really delicious, one of those "restaurant-quality" type dishes that'll wow anyone it's served to.

  • chawkins on March 26, 2014

    Delicious even though the beef was a little overcooked to my liking (medium well instead of medium rare), but that was my own fault. I only had a one and a quarter pound piece of filet from the thin tapered end of the whole loin. I folded it over and tied together to make an even size log but it was still a rather thin log, so I probably shouldn't have cooked it for the full prescribed time. I used a third of the garlic and rosemary but used half of the onion and wine (had to use vermouth). Could not get much fat from my prosciutto, so used bacon fat.

• Beef braised in milk (Stracotto di manzo al latte)

  • nicolepellegrini on February 28, 2021

    Milk-braised meat never ends up being the most attractive dish but this was quite tasty and the meat came out very tender.

• Zucchini, Parmesan style (Parmigiana di zucchine)

  • nicolepellegrini on June 30, 2020

    As I was preparing this, I was ready to be disappointed. There didn't seem to be enough zucchini after frying it to fill the baking dish/go with the amount of sauce and cheese specified. However, the eggs beaten with the cheese managed to "puff" it up and it came out really nicely after baking. The thin zucchini slices developed a texture much like pasta sheets, so it was more reminiscent of a vegetable lasagna then eggplant parm to me. But nothing wrong with that - the DH and I were both very pleased with how the final dish tasted. I might still use some more zucchini next time, however.

  • chawkins on September 14, 2014

    Different from most other zucchini Parmesan recipe, in that the Parmesan cheese is mixed into couple of beaten eggs. The eggs absorb some of the liquid extruded from the zucchini, so that seems to be a good idea.

• Cold, herb-flavored marinated green beans (Insalata di fagiolini marinati)

  • nicolepellegrini on July 06, 2018

    Nice summer dish when you can get the fresh herbs easily.

  • Bloominanglophile on August 10, 2012

    I have made this several times. It makes a nice cold side dish for summertime. Sometimes I serve it surrounding sliced salami as part of a antipasto plate. Bread is also nice to sop up the marinade!

• Cauliflower salad with red pepper, olives, and anchovies (Insalata di rinforzo col cavolfiore)

  • nicolepellegrini on April 03, 2020

    I would recommend cooking the cauliflower for less time than indicated (perhaps even steaming it instead of boiling), because it ended up a bit mushy for my tastes. Nevertheless the flavors were just fine.

• Carrot cake (Torta di carote)

  • eve_kloepper on July 01, 2014

    Super easy and absolutely delicious. Great unadorned for breakfast. I had some almond flour left from making Christmas cookies and substituted that (by weight) for part of the whole almonds.

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    (1994) This is a light dessert. I spiked the whipped cream with Amaretto, also.

• Watermelon and lemon sorbet (Sorbetto di cocomero e limone)

  • twoyolks on July 20, 2014

    The lemon really compliments the watermelon very well.

• Spinach and chick-peas with olive oil and lemon (Spinaci e ceci)

  • twoyolks on January 12, 2018

    This was basically inedible. The spinach was way overcooked. It was way too lemony. And it takes too long to peel chickpeas.

• Vegetable lasagne (Lasagne con le verdure)

  • twoyolks on September 29, 2014

    The sweetness of the carrots is a bit odd in the lasagne. It felt like there was a flavor that was missing. It's also very difficult to get all the pieces of carrot and broccoli to cook thoroughly without overcooking other pieces.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    I found that this was a lot of work for something that was not up to the standard of her other recipes.

• Penne with peppers and bacon (Penne con peperoni e pancetta affumicata)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    (1996) This recipe was quick and easy--my husband liked it.

• Penne with tuna and roasted peppers (Penne col sugo di tonno e peperoni)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 23, 2013

    This recipe is quite nice. If you can roast the peppers ahead of time, it would make a quick weeknight dish. The only things I would change would be to cut the red pepper strips into thirds or a dice--I personally don't like vegetables (or protein) in pasta dishes to be bigger than the size of the pasta. Do season this pasta well. I also would add more than 2 Tbps. bread crumbs, as I love them in pasta dishes. I prefer to sauté the bread crumbs in olive oil rather than toasting them in the oven.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    This is a great recipe, have made it over and over. Agree it needs to be liberally seasoned with salt--sauce should taste a bit over salted before mixing with pasta. Quality of tuna and olive oil are important. I have cheated and used jarred imported roasted red peppers without too much decrease in flavor--makes the recipe quite a bit quicker to make. Can taste better if fresh red peppers are out of season.

• Fusilli with vinegar marinated zucchini (Fusilli con le zucchine a scapece)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    (2004) I thought this recipe was quite good. However, I did make a note to reduce the amount of olive oil.

• Fricasseed chicken with onions (Pollo com le cipolle)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    I gave this 4 stars back in 1997--another recipe to revisit!

• Baked crepes with zucchini, tomato, and Fontina stuffing (Fazzoletti della nonna col ripieno di zucchine, pomodoro, e Fontina)

  • Bloominanglophile on March 06, 2014

    Having some leftover crepes from Shrove Tuesday, I decided to try this recipe. This is quite good, and the ham gives the filling a quiet, underlying savory flavor.

• Baked crepes with wild mushrooms and ham stuffing (Fazzoletti della nonna coi funghi secchi e il prosciutto)

  • Bloominanglophile on March 06, 2014

    I made this for Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day. I would say this is a weekend dish, but I had a whole day at my disposal. It was delicious, and the porcini in the filling was just the right amount. Icky spoiler alert: be sure to check your dried porcini carefully for vermin. Not pleasant, but that's nature sometimes! I used Julia Child's recipe for crepes, as I saw Marcella's ratios of ingredients were different, and Julia's always work for me. At some point I will try Marcella's.

• Canapes with whipped mortadella and pickles (Tartine di mortadella e cetriolini)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    I like to make this when I have leftover mortadella. It is a good and very simple canapé.

• Grilled bread with olive oil, garlic, and tomato (Bruschetta al pomodoro)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    This is a nice, solid recipe for bruschetta.

• Tuna spread with capers (Tonno sott'olio mantecato)

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    This is a good, easy and quick recipe. I would add more capers, though.

  • pwsnook on August 04, 2013

    Full of flavor and very little effort to make. Using tuna packed in olive oil as the recipe suggests makes it luscious and creamy. Perfect for a picnic or a party. Water-packed tuna might make a lighter version, but not sure it would be as good. I'd rather eat less & keep the unctuousness!

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    Simple and outstanding. Because of the small number of ingredients, make sure you use high quality tuna in olive oil and european-style butter. I prefer this on toasted bread, to offer a contrast in texture with the creamy topping.

• Eggplant and peppers dressing for spaghetti salad

  • Bloominanglophile on October 21, 2013

    My notes from 2008 recommend just sautéing the eggplant and then adding the rest of the ingredients per steps 5-7.

• Sauteed zucchini with basil (Zucchine saltate col basilico)

  • chawkins on July 21, 2020

    The saltiness of the Parmesan went well with the sweetness of the zucchini.

• Chicken drumsticks stuffed with ham and cheese (Gambe di pollo farcite)

  • chawkins on April 15, 2014

    This is absolutely fabulous, a company worthy dish. I've been meaning to make this for a long time, but boning the drumstick seemed to be a daunting task, but actually it wasn't that bad. I halved the recipe and it took me half an hour to bone 6 drumsticks, I'm sure it'll get faster as I get more practice. The amount of filling was just right so you can skewer closed the top of the drumsticks with toothpicks. The flour coating on the drumsticks thickens the braising wine, turning it into a wonderful sauce. Just lovely, will make again and again.

• Potato and clam pudding

  • chawkins on June 05, 2013

    Great dish with only five ingredients: potatoes, clams, garlic, parsley, olive oil and nothing else, not even salt. Components or the entire dish assembled can be prepped ahead of time and baked half and hour before serving. I did used 50% more clams than asked for because I wanted to use up all my clams. This ends my clams extravaganza.

• Spinach and rice torta (La "turta" di spinaci e riso)

  • merowland on April 12, 2013

    Tasty and simple, good lunch dish.

• Risotto with artichokes (Risotto coi carciofi)

  • Rinshin on May 24, 2016

    I made this with canned artichokes. Comforting recipe and simple too, but I thought the use of beef broth overpowered the subtle taste of artichokes and I was glad I did not use the more expensive fresh artichokes instead.

• Risotto with squid (Risotto coi calamari)

  • Rinshin on May 22, 2016

    Fantastic recipe using any type of seafood. I've made this a number of times and always hits the mark. Since I like a little more tomato taste, I always add 2 T of tomato paste. My favorite risotto! The base of this recipe is used in Risotto with squid, shrimp, and clams (Risotto coi calamari, I gamberi, e le vongole) and Risotto with squid and shrimp (Risotto coi calamari e I gamberi) in this book.

• Risotto with squid and shrimp (Risotto coi calamari e I gamberi)

  • Rinshin on May 22, 2016

    See the review left for Risotto with squid (Risotto coi calamari) since it's basically the the same recipe except the type of seafood used. Fantastic recipe.

• Risotto with squid, shrimp, and clams (Risotto coi calamari, I gamberi, e le vongole)

  • Rinshin on May 22, 2016

    See the review left for Risotto with squid (Risotto coi calamari) since it's basically the the same recipe except the type of seafood used. Fantastic recipe.

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    A lot of work to include all the shellfish, but it's a great recipe. The sautéed chopped squid in the risotto base adds an amazing flavor.

• Thin spaghetti with mussels (Spaghettini con le cozze)

  • ksg518 on February 04, 2020

    This was fine but the recipe has a serious flaw. It doesn't tell you how much water to use to steam the mussels. This matters since you later strain the water and add it to the tomatoes for the sauce. My sauce was very watery; I used about 1 1/2 cups of water but I also failed to drain the tomatoes as the recipe requires. I also didn't have parsley and used regular spaghetti. I don't think the regular spaghetti was a problem but the parsley would have been a nice addition. I also used slightly less garlic than the recipe calls for and it was still a very garlicy sauce.

• Rigatoni with spicy sausage sauce (Rigatoni col sugo piccante di salsiccia)

  • totoro on September 25, 2020

    Really great recipe for a quick, hearty sauce. I like with pecorino.

• Risotto with Savoy cabbage and Parmesan (Risotto con la verza e il Parmigiano)

  • totoro on January 04, 2021

    Like the texture of savoy cabbage in this. Nice winter risotto.

• Custard cream with Marsala (Crema al Marsala)

  • clepro on April 09, 2024

    Marsala

• Shells with green, red, and yellow peppers and cream (Conchiglie con peperoni verdi, rossi, e gialli alla panna)

  • alex9179 on May 28, 2016

    I omit the green peppers, but otherwise follow her directions and this sauce is one of my favorites. Thoroughly reducing the cream, as she instructs, does something wonderful to the ingredients. I'll sometimes use Italian sausage and/or rehydrated porcini mushrooms. Reduce the porcini liquid/add the mushrooms, then add the cream for the final reduction.

• Green lasagne with tomatoes and basil (Lasagne verdi con pomodoro e basilico)

  • metacritic on July 06, 2021

    This is a wonderful lasagne. Dead classic. I used the ragu from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat as I prefer it to Marcella's bolognese but otherwise adhered to this recipe. My mother made it for me when I was a child, and now I make it for my children. It is a true labor of love, taking a full day but yielding memories that stretch backward over years and years.

• Preserved artichoke hearts cooked in honey (Carciofini sott'olio al miele)

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    Lovely recipe. Don't be put off by the honey.

• Pasta roses with ham and Fontina (Roselline di pasta alla Romagnola)

  • ldemeter on December 29, 2016

    Really lovely unusual pasta dish. Important to use good quality boiled ham that is thinly sliced.