Notes about Recipes in this book

• Spinach and tomato risotto (Risotto con spinaci e pomodori)

  • Delys77 on September 27, 2013

    This was a nice little risotto but the recipe needed a little tweaking. I went with chicken stock as that is what I had on hand and I didn't dilute it with any water. Also, I added only 3/4 of a cup of wine but I added it to the sauteed rice so that it could cook off a bit. Finally I would add the spinach in just the last few minutes of cooking as adding it so early cooks out the colour and changes the flavour too much. I removed the skin from the tomatoes about 7 or 8 minutes in and then roasted them skinless to chat a bit for another 4 minutes or so. Lastly I added a few tb of butter at the end to enrich and I increased the parm to about 1 cup. With these modifications I thought this was very nice indeed.

• Conchiglie with spinach (Conchiglie con gli spinaci)

  • Delys77 on October 17, 2011

    Pg. 54 This comes together in about 30 minutes so it is perfect for a weeknight vegetarian dinner. I wasn't sure if they meant 4.5 cups of cooked spinach or raw but I'm pretty sure they meant cooked which would equate to over 1 lb of spinach. I added a bit of parm and also seasoned the spinach, and sprinkled a little fleur de sel over the finished product. Delicious and not too fatty because the ricotta is quite light.

• Parmesan asparagus (Asparagi alla Parmigiana)

  • twoyolks on May 26, 2015

    The parmesan complements the asparagus well. The timing for cooking the asparagus was a bit long so it lost some flavor that way.

• Cheese and onion quiche (Quiche di cipolle e formaggio)

  • Delys77 on April 03, 2012

    Pg. 116 Simple yet fabulous. The dish comes together very easily because you can use frozen puff pastry and the list of ingredients is quite short. The results however are anything but simple. The onions yield a nice sweet note, but you don't actually have to caramelize them, the 20 minutes she calls for is enough to develop a nice flavour without too much sweetness. The amount of eggs seems quite small but it is just enough to bind the onions and hold it all together. Season both the eggs and the onions relatively aggressively, but if you are a bit off a tiny bit of fleur de sel on top works perfectly. Serves three along with a side salad, serve with a nice Pinot Blanc (we had BC Nk'Mip and it was just right)

• Rosemary focaccia (Focaccia al rosmarino)

  • twoyolks on July 30, 2012

    This makes a very dry dough which ends up as a very dry bread.

• Green beans with pesto (Fagiolini al pesto)

  • Delys77 on February 27, 2013

    Simple but filling side with just the right amount of pesto. Would repeat.

  • e_ballad on January 24, 2019

    Deceptively simple, but with a lot of bang for buck. Highly recommend!

• Eggplant balls (Polpette di melanzane)

  • Delys77 on December 02, 2011

    Pg 183 I gave these a five because they wre so tasty and surprisingly so. Not that I expected they wouldn't be tasty but they really are quite special. The texture is almost meaty and the flavour of the basil and garlic combined with my home made bread crumbs was fabulous. I served with a porcini and tomato sauce and it was scrumptious. Great vegetarian entree.

• Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di melanzane)

  • twoyolks on August 07, 2014

    Next time I would peel the eggplant as some of the remaining peel became tough in the oven. I think this also could've used a better marinara sauce then just tomatoes simmered with basil.

• Zucchini, goat cheese, and black olive frittata (Frittata di zucchine al caprino e olive nere)

  • Delys77 on February 27, 2013

    Pg. 189 This was a very good frittata. I modified the recipe a tiny bit but the flavour profile is excellent. I was out of black olives so I used kalamata, to no ill effect. I also sauteed the zucchini at a lower heat for closer to 10 minutes. Finally, it didn't say what size pan to use so I went with a 9 inch, which resulted in a relatively full pan (especially since I added about 3/4 cup milk to the eggs), given this fact I ended up finishing the fittata in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes to get the eggs to set properly. All that said, the goat cheese and olives with the the Zucchini were excellent.

• Zucchini tart (Torta di zucchine)

  • Delys77 on December 18, 2011

    The flavour in this recipe is pretty good but not stellar. The breadcrumbs don't do much for the recipe but the onion and zucchini mixture has a relatively good flavour and the balance with the egg is pretty good. I might add a touch of garlic, more herbs, and some chili. Overall just ok.

• Fried zucchini flowers (Fiori di zucchine fritti)

  • runoutofshelves on March 19, 2022

    Beautiful simple recipe for the gorgeous flower of the zucchini, had with baked King George whiting, dill and yoghurt, endive salad, chips, red wine, yum

• Ricotta, zucchini, and zucchini flower flan (Gran flan di ricotta, zucchine e fiori di zucchina)

  • consortiumlibrary on July 03, 2016

    Made as written, this was bland, uninteresting, and undercooked. This recipe could not have been tested. Made it again, heavily modified, and enjoyed it. Most important change: bake 30 min, not 15. Ingredients: 3 eggs, 1.5 c ricotta, 3 T flour, 2.5 c zucchini 5/8" dice, 1/4 c thin sliced green onion, 3 T chiffonade basil, 6 zucchini flowers, cut in half lengthwise and flattened. Put flowers on top of buttered parchment, inside down, top with mix (as for upside down cake). Turn out on plate to serve. Make in 9" round pan for easier unplating.

• Linguine with zucchini, almond, and mint pesto (Linguine al pesto di zucchine, mandorle e menta)

  • Delys77 on August 27, 2012

    Pg 195 The initial result was a little bland. I found the pesto to be a little too neutral because of the relatively tame flavour of the zucchini. That being said, it acts as a pretty good canvas for other flavours. In my case I added a little lemon and fleur de sel which helped, but you could also go with a garlic flavoured olive oil in the pesto to help it along a little.

• Roman-style crispy fried zucchini (Filetti di zucchine fritti alla Romana)

  • twoyolks on September 01, 2012

    This recipe did not work for me.

• Roasted zucchini, potatoes, and tomatoes (Zucchine, patate e pomodori al forno)

  • twoyolks on July 12, 2012

    The cooking times are significantly too short.

• Cucumber salad (Cetrioli in insalata)

  • twoyolks on August 08, 2015

    This tasted like limp, wet cucumber.

• Marinated cherry tomato salad (Insalata di pomodorini marinati)

  • lean1 on April 11, 2021

    easy recipe. I love the dressing. I added a pita bread chopped into little bites.

• Orecchiette with tomato and ricotta (Orecchiette con pomodoro e ricotta)

  • twoyolks on August 21, 2012

    The ricotta called for here is "firm ricotta" which I believe is actually "ricotta salata", not "normal" loose ricotta. However, this still works pretty well with a loose ricotta, you just need to add significantly more.

• Pasta with corn, pancetta, and baby spinach (Ruote al mais, pancetta e spinaci novelli)

  • Kduncan on December 10, 2018

    Double the pancetta, as it really makes this a delightful easy recipe. Cooked this to use up a huge thing of spinach I accidentally bought. Overall much more flavorful then I thought it would be.

  • Delys77 on March 04, 2021

    For us this required quite a few tweaks. I didn't read carefully when I selected this for our menu this week and so I didn't realize the dish was served at room temp which we weren't keen on given the chilly day we were having. Instead I added the suggested oil to the pan and sauteed a large shallot, the corn, and then the spinach. I added all of this along with a bit of crisped prosciutto (no pancetta in the house) and tossed with the pasta along with a touch of the cooking water and about 1/2 cup of grated parm. On the whole it was pretty good for a simple pasta dish and the little one liked it. I might repeat for kids but not necessarily for myself.

• Lettuce and mint soup (Crema di lattuga e menta)

  • Delys77 on October 14, 2011

    Pg 270 If you season this soup relatively aggressively it is ok but the flavour profile is a bit simple. I used romaine and the slight bitterness was offset by the cream. Overall this is something I might make if I had an abundance of lettuce but I would be unlikely to repeat otherwise.

• Salad with Gorgonzola vinaigrette (Insalata di lattuga con vinaigrette al Gorgonzola)

  • lean1 on November 07, 2024

    love this dressing. Very creamy and lots of flavor. Used milk instead of heavy cream to lighten a bit.

• Celery and walnut salad (Sedano alle noci)

  • lean1 on October 16, 2020

    Perfect recipe. I used a local to Vermont semi soft cheese, Connecticut apple and store bought celery. It is simple - the flavors are bright and it is so easy to put together. Will make again often.

• Tagliatelle with mushrooms (Tagliatelle ai funghi)

  • Delys77 on October 09, 2013

    Pg. 290 This recipe was good but I made quite a few modifications. With those modifications made however I would say it was very good. Firstly the I used about 1 cup chicken stock instead of 1/2 of water, plus I added the wine first and then let it cook off a bit instead of adding it after putting in the stock. Also, I sauteed some fresh mushrooms separately with a bit of thyme and then added this to the sauce at the very end. In terms of the onions, I sauteed much longer than she called for, but then only simmered for about 20 minutes to avoid the sauce getting too thick. Finally, I added a bit of spinach to the sauce just before tossing with the pasta. Made a nice and balanced meal for about 3 adults. Lots of modifications, but I think they were worth it.

• Florentine mushrooms (Champignon alla Fiorentina)

  • Delys77 on June 04, 2012

    Pg 299 Great basic recipe with the earthy flavour of the mushrooms complimenting he rest. With a nice piece of bread this makes a nice light meal for two. As is the recipe s tasty but minimalist. I would suggest a few small modifications including seasoning all the components, adding some minced time to the mushrooms, and upping the Parmesan. I would also broil for the last few minutes.

• Fusilli in pumpkin cream (Fusilli con crema alla zucca)

  • e_ballad on November 12, 2020

    No turnip greens at hand, so substituted some kale. Was devoured by the kids.

• Braised carrots with celery (Carote brasate al sedano)

  • Delys77 on October 15, 2011

    If you like your vegetables soft and slightly rich this is a good recipe. I would suggest increasing the onion to 8 oz or so, and possibly adding a little more rosemary. Good old style comfort food but not super interesting.

• Carrots with acacia honey (Carote al miele d'acacia)

  • Delys77 on November 20, 2011

    Pg 325 Great side which is rich from the butter and luxurious from the cognac, very nice accompaniment to roasted meats.

• Sesame-glazed carrots (Carote glassate al sesamo)

  • e_ballad on June 11, 2019

    Very tangy from the amount of lemon juice involved.

• New potatoes with rosemary (Patatine novelle al rosmarino)

  • twoyolks on November 05, 2014

    These took longer to cook than the recipe called for. The potatoes never really picked up any flavor from the rosemary or garlic. In the end, they tasted mostly like (well) roasted new potatoes. They were extremely hot coming out of the pan and the skins were difficult to eat.

• Pan-fried potato patties (Pancakes di patate)

  • twoyolks on June 02, 2017

    Nice and easy to make potato pancakes. The only downside is they don't have a ton of flavor to them.

• Potato, cheese, and ham cakes (Piccoli gatto di patate)

  • Delys77 on January 21, 2015

    These wouldn't be a repeat for us. I didn't take the time to do it in individual ramekins, just one large dish. I increased the ham to about 7 oz, increased the mozzarella to 5.5, and cut the processed cheese. This was tasty enough, with a bit of a crisp top and lovely mashed potatoes with a touch of ham and cheese, but that's pretty much all it was. Ok, but not stellar.

• Orecchiette with turnip greens (Orecchiette con cime di rapa)

  • GloriaG on May 11, 2026

    Was looking for a way to use the turnip greens after using turnips in a different recipe. This was a very simple option. Very mild. Just the greens, pasta, olive oil, salt & pepper. Better once some grated Parmesan was added but unremarkable overall.

• Radicchio and celery root salad (Insalata di radicchio e sedano rapa)

  • Delys77 on November 20, 2011

    Pg 384 This makes a very nice salad but I suggest you go with half he amount of radicchio and a bit of extra dressing. The sweetness of the dressing balances perfectly with the bitterness of the radicchio, resulting on a nice winter salad.

• Brussels sprouts au gratin (Cavolini di Bruxelles gratinati)

  • twoyolks on January 18, 2013

    The bechamel only seemed to take away from the Brussels sprouts, instead of make them better. It seemed like too much work and too much fat for too little flavor.

• Parmesan Brussels sprouts (Cavolini di Bruxelles alla Parmigiana)

  • Shelmar on September 05, 2019

    Easy, would use less Parmesan next time.

• Brussels sprout puree (Purè di cavolini di Bruxelles)

  • Delys77 on February 29, 2012

    This recipe results in a nice purée texture wise but it is far too bitter. I added a bit more butter and cream hoping the richness would cut the bitterness but it didn't do much. Plus the 15 minute pan frying doesnt add much and just adds time to the cooking. I actually tossed the leftovers out as I didn't think it was salvageable.

• Braised cabbage (Cavolo verza brasato)

  • twoyolks on November 09, 2014

    A very nice, simple braised cabbage recipe.

• Capuchin Savoy cabbage (Cavolo verza alla Cappuccina)

  • Jeljh98 on May 15, 2025

    Substituted bacon fat for oil. Not very flavorful or good.

• Caramelized red cabbage (Cavolo rosso caramellato)

  • Delys77 on July 22, 2012

    This dish is more of a braised than carmelzed dish. That being said the results for such a simple recipe are ok, but I do think variations with a bit of fat and spicing are much better, but this would do if you had a limited pantry.

• Delicious broccoli (Broccoli fantasia)

  • Delys77 on January 31, 2012

    Pg 406 I ended up using half and half as I had no cream and it was still nice and rich. I the whole thing in the Le creuset saucier and it worked very well. I steamed the broccoli for 5 minutes and that was a little too much, 4 is probably good. Overall this is a nice, slightly saucy side, with a combination of tang and richness, with the umami edge of the parm. To finish broil for a few minutes.

• Pappardelle with cauliflower and Gorgonzola (Pappardelle con cavolfiori e Gorgonzola)

  • Delys77 on May 01, 2013

    Pg 412 We quite liked this. The gorgonzola sauce isn't overpowering and the garlic sauteed cauliflower is very nice. The whole dish comes together pretty easily and is well balanced. I would suggest going a bit heavier on the parmesan and mix some of it into the pasta before topping. I also went with 3 minced gloves of garlic instead of the one whole, and I left it in while sauteeing the cauliflower.

• Celery root and pea soup (Minestra di sedano rapa con piselli)

  • Delys77 on October 23, 2011

    Pg. 419 I have to be honest that I made a few modifications to this soup as I wanted to freeze it for lunches. I omitted the pasta and also I puréed it as the colour was a little blah before pureeing. That being said the flavour profile on this soup is brilliant, and the fact that there isn't any sautéing makes this super light and very easy.

• Oregonian

  ...we found loads of unique recipes that had us marching straight into the kitchen to cook.... certainly not your run-of-the-mill American take on vegetables.

  Full review