Notes about Recipes in this book

• Zucchini frittata

  • nicolepellegrini on August 03, 2020

    A very light and "fluffy" frittata...the author's trick of adding some bread soaked in milk definitely gives it a different texture than usual. (Liked this even more making it a second time!)

• Cavatelli

  • nicolepellegrini on July 18, 2018

    Followed the recipe to make the dough and it was a good consistency. Used a cavatelli machine to then cut & make the shapes.

• Cavatelli with arugula and olives

  • nicolepellegrini on July 18, 2018

    Simple and so delicious. This has all the flavors I absolutely love—it's salty, briny, bitter and very satisfying.

• Orecchiette with broccoli

  • nicolepellegrini on January 20, 2025

    Having just been to Puglia and Salento for two weeks I was craving these flavors when I got home. Traditionally this should be made with broccoli rabe or (especially) turnip tops, which are had to find in the U.S. Now I finally understand why the recipe calls for frozen broccoli as a substitute, although I made it with broccoli rabe personally. Whenever I had the traditional dish in Puglia the greens were REALLY cooked down a sauce-like consistency...like you'd get with using a frozen vegetable. In any event, the basic combination of flavors is quite correct, though I added a few cherry tomatoes at the end as that was often found in the versions of this dish I had in Bari and elsewhere.

• Spaghetti with Primitivo, speck, and smoked mozzarella

  • nicolepellegrini on January 30, 2025

    Had all the ingredients on hand and was excited to try this, but thought it was just...ok. Definitely don't skimp on the salt. Not sure I would make again, it had elements of interesting flavor here but I just wasn't overwhelmed but the results.

• Squid ink pasta with dandelion greens and beans

  • nicolepellegrini on April 25, 2024

    Really good and so easy. I topped with some fresh pecorino cheese.

• Potatoes with pecorino cheese

  • nicolepellegrini on October 30, 2020

    A very easy and tasty potato side dish. My husband said he could have eaten the entire casserole in one sitting.

• Roasted potatoes with breadcrumbs

  • nicolepellegrini on August 22, 2019

    Perfect potatoes! These were so, so good my S.O. and I devoured an entire pan at dinner time and I'm not even ashamed of it.

• Potatoes and peppers

  • nicolepellegrini on February 03, 2025

    This is a nice and easy stove-top potato dish for when I want something a little nicer than plain boiled or mashed potatoes. The peppers give it extra flavor and a touch of color.

• Puglian potatoes

  • Rinshin on August 24, 2019

    Fabulous taste and so quick to prep. The use of romano cheese shines in taste with this recipe and bread crumbs certainly bind the sauce so well. I increased the tomato amount and I would do that again.

• Vegetable potato stew

  • nicolepellegrini on July 20, 2018

    Very simple indeed, and I was afraid it would be too simple, but the flavors did come together nicely once the olives and cheese were added at the end. I still thought it needed a little fresh herb so I added a little fresh basil right before serving.

• Baked fish with potatoes

  • nicolepellegrini on March 15, 2019

    Nice flavor, but, potatoes were definitely NOT cooked in 15 minutes whereas the fish fillets were. Had to take the fish out to keep warm while continuing to cook the potatoes until tender enough to eat. If I were to make again I'd parboil the potatoes first or saute them with the onions.

  • TrishaCP on September 18, 2022

    I agree that the cooking time for the potatoes is off. I par-cooked them in the skillet about 10 minutes, but they could have gone for longer. The fish was nicely cooked (used halibut).

• Chicken with potatoes

  • nicolepellegrini on June 05, 2021

    This was great for a night I wanted the flavor of a roast chicken and potatoes dinner without the fuss of preparing a whole bird. So easy to throw together yet packed with flavor, and the potatoes and chicken both had the right balance of crispy texture and moisture.

• Chicken with tomatoes and red wine

  • nicolepellegrini on October 07, 2019

    Simple and tasty. I served with crusty bread but I can see how it would work well over pasta or perhaps polenta, too, as there is a lot of sauce (that's not super thick.)

• Broccoli raab

  • nicolepellegrini on March 07, 2019

    Sometimes simple really is the best! I've been disappointed with other preparations of broccoli raab as a side before (too mushy, too oily, etc) but this came out just right to me. I did add 3 instead of 2 cloves of garlic to punch it up slightly.

• Sweet and sour peppers

  • nicolepellegrini on September 11, 2018

    Super-simple side dish. Would work nicely for an Italian antipasto buffet or entertaining.

• Marinated zucchini

  • nicolepellegrini on July 24, 2021

    Bright and fresh - perfect for a hot summer day. Husband was surprised by the mint and zucchini combination but really liked it. Was still tasty the next day, too.