Tagliatelle are the noodles of the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and green tagliatelle are a brighter, more colorful version made by mixing pureed spinach (or spinach and watercress) into the eggs. I’ve been making a lot of tagliatelle, as my Imperia pasta maker came with a tagliatelle cutter, and I haven’t bought any other [...]

This is the second version of a pasta dish I made from a pork ragu. I had bought a half pork shoulder, braised it in white wine and chicken stock with fennel, red onion, carrots, and celery, shredded the meat, and continued to braise for a total of about four hours. I only paid about [...]

For some reason I was in the mood for pickles recently. So, I bought a few extra vegetables while ingredient shopping for a few recipes, and made a little medley of pickled vegetables. These types of pickles are a great antipasto, and can also be used in a salad or to garnish an entrée. One [...]

Pork ragu and other hearty meat sauces are one of the specialties of the Northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. They are paired with tagliatelle, the regional pasta, a fresh string noodle about 1/4 inch thick. Pork shoulder is an excellent cut for a braised ragu – it’s inexpensive, and the long, slow cooking brings out [...]

Minestrone is the classic Italian vegetable soup, and an excellent way to enjoy the bounty of summer. In Italy, the soup is often finished with pesto, which adds its beautiful, bright green color, as well as a great deal of flavor. The salty Pecorino or Parmesan cheese in the pesto also seasons the soup – [...]

I’m working at an Italian restaurant now, and doing a sort of study of Italian regional cuisines on my own time. My goal is to learn the similarities and differences between each of the Italian regions, before I move on to my next job, in either a French or Mediterranean restaurant. The food of Tuscany, [...]