Cuisine

Italian

Cucina italiana

Regional produce and pasta, with techniques that look simple and fail if you rush them.

A national Italian cuisine is a recent idea. What people cook is still Emilian, Roman, Sicilian, Neapolitan. Tomato, now iconic, arrived from the Americas.

Olive oil or pork fat depending on the region, al dente pasta, and sauces that should coat — not drown — the noodle.

Countries and regions

Italy

Italian peninsula · Sicily · Sardinia

Dishes

Carbonara

Roman pasta of guanciale, egg, pecorino and pepper — no cream, no peas, no debate in this house except the usual one.

30 minMediumNo chilli

Cacio e pepe

Pecorino, pepper and pasta water — a Roman emulsion that looks like nothing and fails if you rush it.

20 minMedium🌶️

Aglio e olio

Garlic, olive oil, chilli and pasta — midnight cooking that only works if the garlic does not burn.

17 minEasy🌶️

Amatriciana

Guanciale, tomato and pecorino — the Roman-Amatrice pasta that is not a generic bacon-and-red-sauce.

30 minEasy🌶️

Risotto alla Milanese

Saffron risotto, yellow on purpose — bone marrow if you are old-school, butter and parmigiano if you are cooking on a Tuesday.

40 minMediumNo chilli

Pesto alla Genovese

Basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese and oil — pounded, not cooked, and not a jar of green oil.

27 minEasyNo chilli

Pasta alla Norma

Sicilian eggplant, tomato and salted ricotta — named for an opera, cooked like a Tuesday.

45 minEasyNo chilli

Focaccia

Olive-oil bread with a dimpled top — Ligurian if you are strict, a very good tray if you are hungry.

2 hr 50 minMediumNo chilli

Polenta

Northern cornmeal porridge — soft with cheese, or set, sliced and grilled the next day.

45 minEasyNo chilli

Tiramisu

Tiramisù

Mascarpone, egg, coffee-soaked savoiardi — the dessert people argue about because they care.

4 hr 25 minMediumNo chilli

Pizza Margherita

Tomato, mozzarella, basil — a Neapolitan idea you can bake hot on a home stone or a screaming tray.

8 hr 42 minMediumNo chilli

Budino Di Ricotta

Mash the ricotta and beat well with the egg yolks, stir in the flour, sugar, cinnamon, grated lemon rind and the rum and mix well. You can do this in a food processor. Beat the egg whites until stiff, fold in and pour in

50 minMediumNo chilli

Chilli prawn linguine

Chilli prawn linguine from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

21 minA bit of work🌶️

Squash linguine

Squash linguine from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hrEasyNo chilli

Pizza Express Margherita

Pizza Express Margherita from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 22 minA bit of workNo chilli

Potato Gratin with Chicken

15 minute potato gratin with chicken and bacon greens: a gratin always seems more effort and more indulgent than ordinary boiled or roasts, but it doesn't have to take 45mins, it's nice for a change and you can control t

1 hr 8 minMediumNo chilli

Salmon Prawn Risotto

Salmon Prawn Risotto from Italy. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

35 minMediumNo chilli

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti alla Carbonara from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hrA bit of workNo chilli

Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

44 minMediumNo chilli

Spicy Arrabiata Penne

Spicy Arrabiata Penne from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

26 minMedium🌶️

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

First make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic for 1 min. Add the sugar, vinegar, tomatoes and some seasoning and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add the basil and div

1 hr 11 minA bit of workNo chilli